Locals and businesses across New Zealand will be cautiously optimistic as job advertisements recorded a slight increase in November, marking only the second rise this year.

According to SEEK NZ’s latest Employment Report, job ad volumes rose 1% nationwide, driven primarily by demand in the country’s major cities.

Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury all reported month-on-month growth, up 1%, 3%, and 3% respectively.

This upward movement reflects a period of stability in these regions over the last five months, following more than a year of general decline.

Outside the main centres, however, job ad volumes fell by 0.4% in November.

Regional areas such as Bay of Plenty and Northland recorded declines of 5%, while Waikato fell 4% and Otago slipped 2%.

Marlborough was an exception, correcting from a sharp decline in October with a 12% increase last month.

Nationally, applications per job ad grew by 3% in October, signalling heightened competition for available roles.

All regions recorded year-on-year increases in applications, with Wellington (65%), Hawke’s Bay (60%), and Gisborne (60%) leading the trend.

Southland was the only region to report no month-on-month growth in applications.

Rob Clark, SEEK NZ Country Manager, noted the overall significance of November’s numbers.

“Any increase in job ad volume is positive news at this stage, though this is only the second time job ads have risen this year, and only by 1%.”

Clark also highlighted industry-specific trends, adding, “While demand for workers in most industries has declined throughout the year, there are some that have bucked the trend, notably Banking & Financial Services, where ad volumes have boomed over the past two months.”

The Industrial and Construction sectors drove much of the growth in November, with notable increases in Mining, Resources & Energy (15%), Construction (13%), and Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (5%).

The construction industry’s growth marks its largest rise in nearly two years.

By contrast, some of the larger industries within Professional and Consumer Services reported declines.

Healthcare & Medical saw a 7% drop in job ads, while Hospitality & Tourism, Retail & Consumer Products, and Information & Communication Technology each recorded decreases of 5%.

Government & Defence was another standout performer, with ad volumes rising 55% since June after a significant decline earlier in the year.

Banking & Financial Services also showed strong recovery, with a 31% rise in job ads since September following earlier declines.

With job ads 21% lower year-on-year, this modest increase offers a sign of stability for New Zealand’s employment landscape, particularly in major urban centres.

Have a story to share?

Contact [email protected]