More jobs
The HLFS is out. Somewhat annoyingly, the unemployment rate has remained at 6% – but this is due to more people entering the labour force. Key stats:
- Employment up 25,000 for the quarter and now 83,000 higher than a year ago
- The job growth is full-time not part-time. 30,000 new full-time jobs
- Unemployed remain at 147,000 and 6.0% rate
- Our unemployment rate is 11th best in OECD, compared to 12th last quarter (out of 34)
- Those not in labour force down 20,000
- Labour force participation rate is 69.3% up from 67.9% a year ago
- The number of hours worked increased in the quarter by 2.7%
Also the average ordinary time earnings are 2.5% up from a year ago.