New Zealand Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
New Zealand's industry employment was 19.94% in 2025, ranked 103rd globally. This represents a 0.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
New Zealand's industry employment stood at 19.94% in 2025, a decline of +0.11% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 20.00% by 2026. New Zealand ranked 103rd globally.
New Zealand’s share of employment in the industrial sector has fallen steadily over the 35‑year series, declining from 23.76 % in 1991 to 19.94 % in 2025, which places the country 103rd globally. The indicator reached its highest level of 25.34 % in 1995, shortly after the early‑1990s restructuring of manufacturing, before a gradual slide that hit a trough of 19.51 % in 2019. The 2025 figure of 19.94 % is virtually identical to the shares recorded by peers such as the Philippines (19.96 %) and Spain (19.85 %), indicating that New Zealand now sits among economies with similarly modest industrial workforces. The persistent decline reflects long‑term shifts toward services and high‑technology activities, as well as the impact of automation on traditional manufacturing jobs. Continued investment in advanced manufacturing and policies that encourage re‑skilling could reverse the downward trajectory, potentially stabilising or modestly raising the industrial employment share in the coming decade.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 19.81% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 19.91% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 20.00% | - | - |
| 2025 | 19.94% | −0.11% | #103 |
| 2024 | 20.05% | −0.49% | #104 |
| 2023 | 20.54% | −0.25% | #110 |
| 2022 | 20.78% | +0.76% | #111 |
| 2021 | 20.02% | −0.37% | #106 |
| 2020 | 20.39% | +0.88% | #110 |
| 2019 | 19.51% | −0.49% | #96 |
| 2018 | 20.01% | −0.64% | #103 |
| 2017 | 20.65% | +0.37% | #111 |
| 2016 | 20.28% | −1.71% | #105 |
| 2015 | 21.99% | +1.14% | #113 |
| 2014 | 20.85% | +0.57% | #107 |
| 2013 | 20.28% | +0.01% | #104 |
| 2012 | 20.28% | −0.11% | #101 |
| 2011 | 20.38% | −0.58% | #102 |
Analysis
New Zealand's industry employment was 19.94% in 2025, a decline of −0.11% from 2024. Based on trends, estimated 20.00% by 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
New Zealand's industry employment was 19.94% in 2025. Ranked 103rd globally. This represents a 0.6% decrease from the previous year.
New Zealand's industry employment peaked at 25.34% in 1995.
The lowest industry employment in New Zealand was 19.51% in 2019.
New Zealand ranks 103rd globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
New Zealand's industry employment is projected to reach 20.00% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of New Zealand in 2025 was 19.94%. This ranks 103rd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_new-zealand_industry-employment,
title = {New Zealand Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/new-zealand/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}