Pacific peoples Labour Market Outcomes at a Glance

Published: 28 March 2007

Description

This is the second annual report on Pacific peoples labour market outcomes.   It focuses on changes for Pacific peoples in the past five years.  This report is produced annually.

Link to full report

Pacific Labour Market Outcomes HTML | PDF [73 KB, 7 pages]

Summary

Pacific peoples have benefited from robust economic conditions and have enjoyed above average employment growth over the last five years.

The unemployment rate for Pacific peoples has fallen to record lows.

The disparity in unemployment rates between Pacific and non-Pacific peoples has reduced considerably.

Wage growth for Pacific peoples has been above average over the last five years.

Pacific peoples participation in industry training and tertiary education is above average.

Labour market outcomes for Pacific youth have improved greatly.

Description of Pacific peoples labour market for the year to December 2006

The role of immigration

New Zealand operates a ballot quota system.  The impact of these ballots is that migrants are drawn from a cross section of Pacific society not just the high skilled.

Net migration of Pacific peoples accounted for 30% of total net migration gains.

The occupational breakdown of people who arrived from the Pacific is more skilled than the New Zealand workforce.

Challenges

Participation in the labour market for Pacific peoples remains very low and the disparity with non-Pacific peoples is widening.

Pacific peoples remain over-represented in total unemployment and in low-skilled occupations.

What is being done

Work is being done by a number of agencies including the Department of Labour, the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Education.

Initiatives by these and other agencies aim to address immigration, employment, education and economic development for Pacific peoples and have helped reduce most labour market disparities between Pacific peoples and non-Pacific peoples.

Related information

Quick facts about Pacific peoples in the labour market

Future updates

This is a regular report – the next update is due in early 2008.  Reports from previous periods can be found in archive

Author or contact details

For further information please contact the Labour Market Analysis team