New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has released the Jobs Online report for the month ending February 2019. Measuring changes in online job advertisements from four internet job boards – SEEK, Trade Me Jobs, Education Gazette and Kiwi Health Jobs – the trend in vacancies are an important indicator of labour demand and changes in the economy.
The All Vacancies Index increased by 0.9 per cent in the month of February 2019, with vacancies increasing in nine out of the ten industry groups. Amongst the largest increases was Information Technology (up 2.0 per cent).
Vacancies increased in six out of eight occupation groups with the largest increases were for managers, and machinery operators and drivers (both up 0.9 per cent). Vacancies also increased in all of the five skill levels and the largest increases were for highly skilled, and semi-skilled (both up 1.0 per cent).
Regionally, vacancies rose in nine of the ten regions over the month, with the biggest increases in Wellington (up 2.3 per cent), and Bay of Plenty (up 1.5 per cent). The only reduction in vacancies was in Canterbury (down 0.2 per cent).
Overall the past year has seen online vacancies increasing by 7.8 per cent.
