The Reserve Bank is forecasting a recession this year and expects the employment rate to drop sharply. Official unemployment rose to 3.4% in the December quarter, from 3.3% in the September quarter.
Seek senior economist Matt Cowgill said while no industry was fully “recession-proof”, there were some that would survive better than others.
“The Reserve Bank is forecasting that the unemployment rate will rise quite sharply in 2023. If that happens, more employers will let staff go, and jobs will be harder to find for those out of work.”
According to Seek, the healthcare and medical sector was the most recession-proof industry in New Zealand.
Jobs in the healthcare and medical industry were also the most in-demand in the country.
A registered nurse was the most in-demand job with an average salary of $75,768, while a healthcare assistant was the 19th most in-demand job, with an average salary of $51,944.
The agricultural industry was the second-most recession-proof industry in New Zealand, according to Seek.
According to Seek, education and training is one of the most stable industries in the country.
