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\nThe unemployment rate has risen to a near-five year high of 5.2 percent as businesses either sack staff or stop hiring.
\nPhoto: RNZ\n<\/p>\n
A Christchurch man who has applied for hundreds of jobs without success says there are just no roles for people, even if they have skills and qualifications.<\/p>\n
The unemployment rate has risen to a near-five year high of 5.2 percent<\/a> as businesses either sack staff or stop hiring], with 156,000 people out of work.<\/p>\n Insurance adjustor James Brown moved to Brisbane after he was made redundant just over a year ago.<\/p>\n He was still working there, but needed to return home to his partner and children.<\/p>\n Have you struggled to find work? Share your stories with us at:<\/b> krystal.gibbens@rnz.co.nz<\/p>\n Brown said it was incredibly stressful and depressing not even being able to get a call centre job in New Zealand.<\/p>\n “I have been applying for jobs in my field … and I haven’t received a single interview in New Zealand. I haven’t received anything beyond the generic email that most of these people send back.<\/p>\n “I have an extensive CV, it shouldn’t be this difficult to find a job.”<\/p>\n He was looking nearly every day and had applied for “hundreds” of roles, not just in his profession.<\/p>\n “I’ve applied for call centre jobs, all sorts, and nothing. For over a year. It is forcing me to stay in Australia away from my family.”<\/p>\n He said he knew of other white collar workers who were also struggling to find work and felt like there were no prospects and no way forward.<\/p>\n “They are asking me … ‘do you have contacts in Australia?’.”<\/p>\n \nEmployers and Manufacturers Association head of advocacy Alan McDonald says there’s been a spike in calls to its advice line about redundancies and restructures since March. ‘Still very tough’ in Auckland<\/p>\n Auckland’s grim unemployment figures<\/a> are no surpise to one of the city’s business leaders.<\/p>\n The latest figures show Auckland’s 6.1 percent unemployment rate for the June 2025 quarter is the worst of all regions.<\/p>\n About 15,000 more Aucklanders are without a job than this time last year.<\/p>\n Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) head of advocacy Alan McDonald said while the agriculture industry was bolstering employment elsewhere, Auckland had different economic drivers.<\/p>\n “Numbers from the Auckland Council Economic Unit indicated unemployment would be quite high [in the June quarter] and it has been for some time.<\/p>\n “There are some signs of recovery but they’re being led by the regional economy and primary sector and Auckland is more about manufacturing and services.<\/p>\n “Hospitality, tourism, education sectors have all been down as well.”<\/p>\n McDonald said EMA had received a spike in calls to its advice line about redundancies and restructures since March.<\/p>\n “We had hoped 5.1 [in December 2024] might be the bottom of Auckland’s unemployment numbers, but we’ve been hearing from March until now that things are still very tight and very tough.”<\/p>\n He expected it would take some time for primary sector growth to benefit Auckland’s economy.<\/p>\n “It flows through quicker into Christchurch because it’s the service sector for the [agriculture] industry … Tauranga is picking up a bit on the back of exports. It takes a bit longer to reach its way into Auckland.<\/p>\n “We’re all getting a bit sick of waiting. But things are starting to turn<\/a>.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Dan Cook\n<\/p>\n