Job ad volumes across New Zealand have held flat for ten months, according to SEEK’s July Employment Report.

Ads are now 2% lower than a year ago, but the pace of decline has slowed.

Applications per job ad were steady in June, remaining high compared with historic levels.

Several regions showed modest monthly growth, including Canterbury, Hawkes Bay, Southland, Tasman and the West Coast.

Southland has now posted seven months of increases, up 9% on last year.

Canterbury is also stronger, with ads 7% higher year-on-year, while Wellington is up 6% and Otago 5%.

Auckland remains subdued, with no growth in three years and a 7% annual decline.

By industry, demand is rising in Information and Communication Technology, Construction and Professional Services.

Ads for engineers and construction workers have been climbing since late 2024, while IT roles such as software engineers and product managers show double-digit growth on last year.

SEEK Country Manager Rob Clark says while overall volumes are low, the market has stabilised.

“Ad volumes are at a low but have stopped declining and we have seen very promising growth within certain sectors, industries and regions year-on-year.”

For Coasties, it means the job market isn’t sliding further, and opportunities in construction and IT may be worth watching as big projects and tech investment flow into Auckland and beyond.

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