Many working New Zealanders appear cautious about self-employment, with a new global survey showing Kiwis are among the least enthusiastic about becoming their own boss.
The research, conducted by Remitly Business, surveyed more than 5,000 people across 28 countries. Globally, nearly three-quarters (74.6%) said they would prefer to be self-employed. New Zealand tells a starkly different story: 39.5% of Kiwis prefer working for an employer, the second-highest rate in the study behind only Australia (40.6%). Kenya topped the self-employment rankings with 98%, followed by South Africa (92.7%) and Morocco (90.7%).
The preference for employment security is understandable, but the traditional path is hardly feeling secure right now. Research from the Helen Clark Foundation shows only 31% of New Zealanders believe everyone has a fair chance of getting the jobs they seek, a sharp drop from 39% in 2024. Stats NZ data tells a similar story: unemployment reached its highest level in almost a decade in early 2026, with the rate climbing to 5.3%.
Concerns about trust are also emerging on both sides of the hiring process. Some employers report increasing scepticism around AI-generated CVs and exaggerated claims, while job seekers worry their applications are being processed by automated systems rather than humans. The risk is a cycle where applicants fire off hundreds of applications and employers use AI to filter them, with actual people barely involved at any point, leaving many workers deeply demoralised.
In the Remitly survey, lower financial risk was the top reason Kiwis cited for preferring employment (14%), followed by not wanting the responsibility of running a business (13%) and less stress (13%). Yet with confidence in the job market under pressure and AI increasingly influencing recruitment, those attitudes may continue to shift.
For those who dream of going it alone, flexibility and independence were the biggest drawcards for Kiwis (15%), followed by better work-life balance (13%) and higher earning potential (9%). Nearly 40% of Kiwi respondents said they were unlikely to take steps toward self-employment, but with 80% believing people underestimate its risks and 63% saying it’s more stressful than traditional employment, that caution is hardly surprising.
Remitly Business VP Ankur Tiwari says the findings reveal a widening gap between ambition and action. “Many people are drawn to the independence and flexibility that entrepreneurship can offer, but ongoing financial uncertainty is making it harder to make the leap. My advice would be to start small and build gradually, testing an idea alongside a stable income can reduce risk and give you the foundation to grow.”
Perhaps the most striking finding: among Kiwi respondents who were already self-employed, none reported regretting the decision. Half said it was worth it despite the challenges, and a third called it the best decision they ever made.