Construction jobs swelled by 8.6pc in November - Stats NZ

There was strong jobs growth in the construction sector late last year. Photo / Northern Advocate

Construction was the name of the game in the New Zealand jobs market towards the end of 2021, data from Stats NZ shows.

In its release for November, Stats NZ said the number of filled jobs in construction grew by 8.6 per cent or 15,853 compared with the same month the previous year.

Jobs in healthcare and social assistance were up by 6.2 per cent, or 15,301.

In professional, scientific and technical services, filled jobs were up 8.2 per cent or 14,090.

Jobs in the retail trade were up by 4.4 per cent or 9371.

Accommodation and food services accounted for a up 5.5 per cent lift in filled jobs.

By region, the largest changes in the number of filled jobs compared with November 2020 were in:

Auckland – up 4.7 per cent (34,811 jobs)
Canterbury – up 3.8 per cent (10,931 jobs)
Waikato – up 4.8 per cent (10,123 jobs)
Wellington – up 3.8 per cent (9617 jobs)
Bay of Plenty – up 4.9 per cent (6661 jobs).

By sex, the number of filled jobs rose by 3.8 per cent (42,197 jobs) for men and rose by 4.7 per cent (50,798 jobs) for women.

By age group, the largest changes in the number of filled jobs compared with November 2020 were in:

15–19 years – up 15.8 per cent (18,052 jobs)
30–34 years – up 5.7 per cent (14,783 jobs)
35–39 years – up 5.1 per cent (11,855 jobs)
40–44 years – up 4.7 per cent (9982 jobs)
50–54 years – up 4.4 per cent (9534 jobs).

Actual gross earnings on an accrual basis for the November month were $13 billion, compared with $11.8 billion for November 2020.

However the data pointed to some shrinkage in the number of businesses.

The number of enterprises on the Stats NZ business register of economically significant enterprises fell by 3192 (0.6 per cent) to 556,401 in November 2021 from October 2021.

There were 3648 entries to the register within the month, with 6840 exits.