Seek reveals the 10 most in-demand jobs in 2026

Jobs in the trades, logistics, sales and technology sectors are among the most in-demand, according to new data from Seek. Photo / 123rf

Jobs in trades, logistics, sales and technology are among the most in-demand roles for 2026, according to new data from Seek.

Job ad volumes for automation engineers rose 184.8% between September 2025 and February 2026 compared with the same period a year ago, it reports.

“That surge suggests New Zealand employers are accelerating their investment in automation and systems that improve efficiency and reliability,” said Seek chief economist Dr Blair Chapman.

“It also aligns with growing demand for roles like technical lead [+81.5%], pointing to a broader technology shift across New Zealand businesses.”

The second most sought-after job was for salespeople, up 145.5%, followed by truck drivers (+126.1%).

Jobs for heating, ventilation and air conditioning technicians (+118.8%), designers in engineering (+117.1%) and roofers (+108.8%) rounded out the top six.

Chapman said there was a strong presence of trades and construction roles in the top 10.

“[This] reflects ongoing workforce needs in housing and infrastructure.”

The trades and services industry featured three times in the top 10, followed by construction and information and communication technology with two each.

“Overall, the list shows a labour market that is grounded in practical, skilled work while also shifting toward a more technology-enabled future, and that balance is something we expect to see continue throughout 2026,” Chapman said.

This month, Seek NZ’s Employment Report showed job ad volumes continued to grow across the board, rising 0.8% in March on a monthly basis and 13% year on year.

The largest annual rise recorded was in construction, up 36%.

Demand for AI skills has also grown exponentially over the past few years, with AI references in job ads up 143.5 % since March 2025 – and over five times higher than they were in 2019.

However, AI references currently appear in only 2.9% of job ads on Seek.

“Overall, the March data reinforces what we’ve been seeing build since late 2025 – a broad-based, durable recovery anchored in goods-producing industries, essential services, and infrastructure-related hiring,” said Seek country manager Rob Clark.

Top 10 in-demand jobs:

(September 2025-February 2026 compared with September 2024-February 2025)

1. Automation engineer (information and communication technology) +184.8%
2. Salesperson (sales) +145.5%
3. Truck driver (construction) +126.1%
4. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician (trades and services) +118.8%
5. Designer (engineering) +117.1%
6. Roofer (trades and services) +108.8%
7. HIAB crane operator (manufacturing, transport and logistics) +97.4%
8. Interpreter (trades and services) +94.4%
9. Machine operator (construction) +93.4%
10. Technical lead (information and communication technology) +81.5%