The number of people in work has improved slightly, but remains lower than before the Covid-19 pandemic.
There was a lift in the number of people working in health care and social assistance in June. Photo: 123RF
Stats NZ said the number of filled jobs - a measure of those in work - rose a seasonally adjusted 0.8 percent last month from May.
The department said the rise in jobs over the past two months had not made up for the loss in April when the Covid-19 lockdown was in force.
"While job numbers have recovered somewhat in May and June, they are still below pre-Covid levels. Filled job numbers in March and June are usually quite similar, but for this year June is nearly 20,000 jobs lower than March," Stats NZ spokesperson Sue Chapman said.
The data showed workers aged 15 to 24 continued to have the weakest return to work.
Jobs were lost in several industries with accommodation and food services down 2766 since March, while arts and recreation services had 2008 fewer jobs filled in June compared to March.
However, there was a lift in health care and social assistance job numbers.
Full labour market numbers of the three months ended June will be released next week.