NZ Public Sector Graduate Roles Drop 66%

Public sector graduate-specific positions in New Zealand have decreased by 66% over a two-year period, prompting warnings from the Green Party that the trend will accelerate the departure of young professionals to Australia.

According to responses to Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs) obtained by Green MP Francisco Hernandez, the number of graduate roles fell from 485.5 in the year ending November 2023 to 192.5 in the year ending November 2025.

Impact on Workforce Capacity

Francisco Hernandez, who serves as the Green Party’s spokesperson for tertiary education and the public service, described the decline as hugely concerning. He argued that the graduate pipeline serves as a primary mechanism for the public sector to attract, build, and retain talent.

Hernandez expressed concern that the reduction in these entry-level roles would degrade the long-term capacity of the public sector workforce.

Aidan Donoghue, the President of the Victoria University Students’ Association, stated that the job market for graduates has become dire. He noted that the specific roles being cut are typically those filled by students of humanities and law.

Donoghue further observed that graduates are now forced to compete for remaining positions against individuals who possess between three and 10 years of professional experience.

Affected Agencies and Government Response

The data indicates that several government entities saw significant reductions in their graduate-specific roles. The Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) experienced the most substantial decrease, followed by:

• The Department of Internal Affairs
• Kāinga Ora (the housing agency)
• The Ministry of Ethnic Communities

The Public Service Commission has contested the interpretation of these figures, stating that the data does not provide a complete picture of the employment landscape for new graduates. The Commission noted that graduates frequently enter the workforce through permanent positions rather than specific graduate programs.

While some individual graduate and intern programmes have been paused over the past two years, the public service continues to offer high‑quality opportunities for people early in their careers.

Public Service Commission

The Commission stated that it maintains a list of current intern and graduate positions on its website, some of which were established as recently as 2025, and affirmed that the public service remains committed to attracting young talent.