Wages on the rise across New Zealand

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Healthcare saw the biggest annual wage increase.
Photo: 123RF

Wages are climbing in every region of the country, with 15 industries reaching a record average salary in the latest data.

The Trade Me jobs report shows the national average rose 8 percent from the September quarter last year to $71,820.

Trade Me jobs sales director Matt Tolich said that was $5,500 more than the same time last year.

“The latest inflation figures are about 6 percent, so it’s definitely some relief for people who have a little bit more money in their back pockets,” Tolich said.

“For the past 12 months, we have seen the national average salary break record after record as employers are forced to put more money on the table.”

The regions with the largest annual salary growth were Wellington ($76,041), Southland ($70,106), Otago ($70,977), Canterbury ($70,404) and Marlborough ($70,039), all seeing average pay rises between 9 and 10 percent on the same time last year.

“It’s no longer only Auckland and Wellington to hold the title as the $70,000 regions,” Tolich said.

“Several regions broke the $70,000 mark for the first time last quarter, including Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne, Marlborough, Otago, Southland and Taranaki.”

The healthcare sector had the biggest annual wage increase of 10 percent up to $70,649.

Trades and services were up 9 percent to $71,283
Manufacturing and operations up 9 percent to $62,859
Education up 8 percent to $69,487
Hospitality and tourism up 8 percent to $61,607

Meanwhile, job ads have fallen with a quarterly drop of 7.9 percent – with rising applications and increased competition in the tightening labour market.

The data showed a downward trend in the three months ended September, with listings sliding and the number of people applying for jobs at nearly twice the number at the same time last year.

Tolich said the 88 percent year-on-year spike in total job applications was the highest recorded by Trade Me since 2018.

Uncertainty was increasing ahead of the election but he expected job ads “will bounce back in November and into the New Year”, he said.

“Our customers have told us that they’re waiting until they know who will be running the country for the next three years before they make that next hire.

“This isn’t surprising, with our data going right back to 2009. It is typical with almost every general election as businesses wait to see how the cards will fall.”