Across Aotearoa, thousands are struggling to find work as job listings disappear, applications go unanswered, and the government offers nothing but empty rhetoric. Those who returned to study in hopes of changing careers are facing rejection after rejection. Others, with years of experience in specialised fields, find that opportunities have dried up, leaving them stuck in limbo.
Unemployment has risen to 5.1%, the highest level since 2020, and projections suggest it will keep climbing. Government reports confirm that job advertisements have fallen across every industry and region, with no sign of recovery in the near future. For those searching for work, the reality is bleak: hundreds of applications per role, fewer opportunities than ever, and no relief in sight. Meanwhile, policies targeting job seekers are being ramped up, forcing people to apply for jobs that do not exist.
This is not just an economic downturn—it is a manufactured crisis. Decades of neoliberal policies have gutted the public sector, driven wages down, and left workers with little security. Austerity has been sold as a solution, but it has only deepened the problem.
The Job Market is Rigged Against Workers
In the face of rising unemployment, the government and corporate media frame the crisis as temporary. They claim that the job market will “bounce back”, that things will improve with time. But for those experiencing it firsthand, the reality is much different.
The official unemployment rate does not account for those stuck in casual or part-time work who need full-time hours to survive. It does not include those who have simply given up after months of unanswered applications. It does not consider the rising number of overworked employees, picking up the slack for colleagues who have been made redundant.
Instead of addressing the problem, the government is introducing harsher sanctions on job seekers, requiring people to prove they are actively searching for work, even when there are no jobs to apply for. This policy does not help people find employment—it only increases the number of meaningless applications flooding employers’ inboxes.
Austerity and the Myth of Efficiency
Over 9,500 public sector workers have been made redundant, all in the name of “efficiency” and “fiscal responsibility.” But what has been gained? Those left behind in the workforce are expected to do more work for the same pay, leading to burnout, resentment, and further instability.
This is the neoliberal script we have seen time and time again:
- Cut public services under the guise of saving money.
- Push displaced workers into a shrinking private sector.
- Increase workloads for those still employed.
- Watch wages stagnate while corporate profits rise.
Austerity is not about efficiency—it is about transferring wealth from the working class to the wealthy. The burden of economic downturns is always placed on workers, never on the corporations and politicians responsible for the crisis.
The Working Class Exodus: Australia Beckons
As the job market in Aotearoa collapses, more and more workers are looking overseas. Many who have spent months applying for jobs in New Zealand are securing positions in Australia with little effort.
A recent survey found that 42% of those planning to leave New Zealand are considering Australia, where wages are higher, living costs are lower, and job opportunities are more abundant. Unlike the usual wave of young graduates seeking adventure, this time it is skilled professionals, experienced workers, and entire families making the move. They are selling their homes and leaving for good.
This is not just a temporary phenomenon—it is a structural collapse. The government has failed to create an economy that supports its workers, and as a result, Aotearoa is losing the very people needed to rebuild it.
Capitalism’s False Promises
In response to this crisis, political leaders claim that “business confidence” is returning, that “green shoots” of recovery are appearing, that tax cuts will somehow solve the problem. But who benefits from these policies?
- The unemployed? No. They are being punished for not finding jobs that do not exist.
- The workers? No. Those still employed are being forced to do more for less.
- The public? No. Essential services are being cut while living costs rise.
- The bosses? Yes. They are hoarding wealth, squeezing more productivity out of fewer workers, and keeping wages low.
This is not a temporary crisis—it is capitalism functioning as intended. The system is designed to benefit the wealthy while keeping workers struggling just enough to remain desperate.
A Different Future is Possible
This situation is not inevitable. The job market is collapsing not because of some natural economic cycle but because of deliberate policy choices—choices that prioritise corporate profits over people’s well-being.
We do not have to accept this. Instead, we must demand:
- An end to austerity. Reverse public sector cuts and create jobs in health, education, and infrastructure.
- A living wage for all. If a job does not provide a dignified life, it is not a job worth having.
- A universal basic income. If the state refuses to provide jobs, it must provide economic security.
- Workers’ control over industry. If businesses refuse to employ people, workers should take them over.
Most importantly, we must reject capitalism as the only possible system. The job market is not failing—capitalism is.
The future does not belong to corporations or politicians. It belongs to the workers, the unemployed, the struggling, the exploited. It belongs to those who refuse to accept that their lives should be dictated by the whims of a broken system.
It is time to organise, resist, and fight for a future that puts people before profit. Because if we don’t, the only thing waiting for us is another rejection letter.