Filled job numbers rose nearly 38,000 in the December month, but annual growth remains below pre-COVID-19 levels, New Zealand's statistics department Stats NZ said on Friday.

There were 2.3 million filled jobs in December 2020, up 1.7 percent from November 2020, Stats NZ said.

"However, when compared with the same time last year, jobs were up by only 0.6 percent, an increase of just under 13,000 jobs," business insights manager Sue Chapman said in a statement.

"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we usually experienced annual increases of between 2 and 4 percent," Chapman said.

Accommodation and food services had the biggest fall in jobs from December last year, down 7,772 jobs, or a 5-percent decrease. The fall was mostly due to a large decrease in accommodation jobs since last year, the manager said.

"Accommodation providers have suffered from the reduction in the number of international tourists since the COVID-19 pandemic began," Chapman said.

Administration and support services jobs also fell by 5.2 percent from the end of last year. In contrast, the healthcare and social assistance industry has risen by 3.7 percent, statistics show.

Construction was the second-fastest growing industry, with 4.9 percent more filled jobs than last year. This increase coincides with a record level of new homes consented in the North Island in November 2020, Chapman said.

Public administration and safety had an increase of 5.5 percent in the year ended December 2020, Stats NZ said.

"This increase corresponds with the government enacting COVID-19 response measures," Chapman said.

"The figures reflect the uneven effect of COVID-19 on employment. While some industries are struggling, others are less affected or even expanding to tackle the challenges of the pandemic," the manager said.

Source:
courtesy of XINHUA NEWS AGENCY

by XINHUA NEWS AGENCY

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