The job market shows no signs of slackening with the number of job listings at a record level.
The number of advertisements in March was up 2 percent on February to a record high, for annual growth of 27 percent, according to job website Seek.
Seek local manager Rob Clark said the market remained tight as the search for staff continued unabated.
"While there are a lot of jobs, people aren't moving around like they used to, which is causing a lot of challenges for companies looking to hire, and that's a function of the borders being closed, and people being more wary of changing jobs in a more volatile environment."
He said the test for the market would be the gradual reopening of borders and whether that led to more people leaving for overseas and conversely whether it would lead to greater immigration, while the rising cost of living would likely add to the uncertainty.
Clark noted that for only the second time since the pandemic hit there had been an increase in the number of applicants for each job, which was not unusual for the time of year.
Adverts in the hospitality sector surged 21 percent in March on the month before, which Clark said might reflect the industry gearing up for the relaxation of controls on the size of gatherings and other controls such as mandates and passes.
The IT sector remained the industry most urgently looking for staff.
The strongest growth in adverts was in Auckland, Otago, Gisborne, and Waikato, but there were falls in Bay of Plenty, and Hawke's Bay.
RNZ
