Unemployment dropped to 4.7 per cent in the first three months of the year as more women found work, according to Stats NZ. "However, annual changes indicate the labour market still hasn't returned to pre-Covid levels for men or women." Women saw a much larger increase in the unemployment rate last year than men, and that rate has declined over the last two quarters, he said. The unemployment rate is 5.9 per cent in Australia, 6.2 per cent in the United States and 8.4 per cent in Canada, he said. ANZ said the numbers were "very solid" but forecast further gains in the labour market this year would be hard won.

Source: Stuff May 04, 2021 22:55 UTC