May 2010

This factsheet reports key labour market information for Pacific Peoples for the year to March 2010. All data is sourced from the Household Labour Force Survey released quarterly by Statistics New Zealand. Data is annualised to address sampling error and seasonal variation concerns.

In March 2010, 190,600 Pacific Peoples were aged 15 years and over, of whom 61.9% were in the labour force while 38.1% were not in the labour force , due to such reasons as child rearing, retirement or studying. Those employed and unemployed are discussed in further detail below.

Summary of the Pacific labour market for the year to March 2010

Long Description for Figure 1

Labour force participation

The labour force participation rate for Pacific Peoples stood at 61.9% for the year to March 2010, which represents a 2.9 percentage point decrease over the past year and a 0.0 percentage point increase over the past five years. Compared with the participation rate for all people, which was 68.1% in March 2010, the Pacific Peoples rate has decreased more sharply over the past year.

Labour force participation rates, 2005-2010

Data Table for Figure 2

Unemployment

The unemployment rate for Pacific Peoples was 13.5% in the year to March 2010, which was 4.8 percentage points above its 2009 level, and 6.2 percentage points higher than its 2005 level. Compared with the unemployment rate for all people, which was 6.4% in March 2010, the Pacific rate has increased more sharply.

Unemployment rates, 2005-2010

Data Table for Figure 3

NEET

The rate of those Not in Education, Employment or Training (or NEET) is a key measure of youth disengagement. Among 15-24 year olds, as at March 2010, 17.1% of Pacific males and 11.5% of Pacific females were NEET, compared with 11.6% of all males and 9.8% of females in this age group. The NEET rate for Pacific males experienced the highest rate of growth over the past year.

NEET rates, 2006-2010

Data Table for Figure 4

Employment

In March 2010, 102,200 Pacific Peoples were in employment. Over the last five years, the employment rate of Pacific Peoples decreased 3.8 percentage points from 57.4% in March 2005 to 53.6% in March 2010. The rate is below that for the total population, which stood at 63.8% in March 2010.

Employment rates, 2005-2010

Data Table for Figure 5

In the year to March 2010, the leading industries in which Pacific Peoples worked were manufacturing (21,300 workers) and wholesale & retail (14,300 workers). Over the last five years, communication services experienced the largest gain in Pacific employment (up 78%), while accommodation, cafes and restaurants had the largest loss (down 12%). Over the last year, education had the largest gain in Pacific employment (up 35%), while wholesale & retail had the largest loss in Pacific employment (down 15%).

Pacific employment by industry

	Mar-05	Mar-09	Mar-10	Change 2009-2010	Change 2005-2010
Industry	(000)	(000)	(000)	%	%
Agriculture and Mining	2.9	2.5	2.9	18.4	-0.9
Manufacturing	23.2	21.8	21.3	-2.3	-8.3
Utilities and Construction	5.9	9.2	8.3	-10.0	41.9
Wholesale & Retail	15.0	16.8	14.3	-14.9	-4.5
Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants	4.9	4.6	4.3	-6.0	-11.9
Transport & Storage	4.4	7.0	6.7	-4.7	51.1
Communication Services	2.1	4.1	3.7	-11.5	78.0
Finance and Insurance	2.0	2.1	2.2	4.7	12.7
Property and Business Services	7.1	8.5	8.7	2.3	22.5
Education	5.6	4.8	6.5	34.9	15.6
Health and Community Services	8.2	11.1	10.7	-3.2	30.4
Other Services	9.2	11.9	11.5	-3.2	24.7
Total Employed (including Not Specified)	90.7	105.8	102.2	-3.5	12.7

In the year to March 2010, the most common occupational groups for Pacific Peoples were plant & machine operators and assemblers (16,400 workers) and service & sales workers (16,300 workers). Over the last five years, professionals experienced the largest gain in Pacific employment (up 79%), while agriculture & fisheries workers had the largest loss (down 23%). Over the last year, professionals had the largest gain in Pacific employment (up 33%), while service & sales workers had the largest loss (down 14%).

Pacific employment by occupation

	Mar-05	Mar-09	Mar-10	Change 2009-2010	Change 2005-2010
Industry	(000)	(000)	(000)	%	%
Legislators, Administrators & Managers	3.5	5.2	4.8	-6.8	36.9
Professionals	6.6	8.8	11.7	32.9	79.0
Technicians & Associate Professionals	6.6	10.9	10.1	-7.3	53.4
Clerks	12.9	14.2	14.4	1.1	11.5
Service & Sales Workers	18.2	19.0	16.3	-14.1	-10.4
Agriculture & Fisheries Workers	2.9	2.2	2.2	-1.1	-23.5
Trade Workers	6.9	10.1	9.9	-2.0	43.3
Plant & Machine Operators and Assemblers	16.2	17.6	16.4	-7.1	1.4
Elementary Occupations	16.8	16.9	15.2	-10.3	-9.5
Total Employed (including Not Specified)	90.7	105.8	102.2	-3.5	12.7

Labour market terms explained

Employment:

The number of people in work for one hour or more per week.

Employment rate:

The proportion of the working–age population that is employed.

Labour force:

The labour force consists of members of the working–age population who are classified as employed or unemployed (people in the labour force).

Labour force participation rate:

The proportion of the working–age population who are either employed or unemployed.

Not in the labour force:

Any person in the working–age population who is neither employed nor unemployed. This includes, for example, retired people, students and people at home with children.

NEET:

This measure refers to youth not engaged in education, employment and training. Youth who are not engaged in these activities are at risk of poor labour market outcomes. In this report, caregiving is deemed to be engagement and so is excluded from the way NEET is measured.

Unemployment:

The number of people in the working–age population who are without a paid job, are available for work and have actively sought work in the past four weeks or have a new job to start within the next four weeks.

Unemployment rate:

The proportion of the labour force that is unemployed.

Working–age population:

Usually resident population aged 15 years and over.

For more information contact analysis@dol.govt.nz

Next release: 5 August 2010