The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is picking that rising economic activity will create about 130,000 jobs in the next three years.
The ministry's latest jobs report forecasts strong growth in the construction and utilities industries, led by the Christchurch rebuild in the wake of the city's damaging earthquakes, and growth in Auckland.
Unemployment is expected to decline slowly, falling to 6% by March next year, 5.7% in 2015 and below 5% in 2016.
The ministry estimates half of the jobs created will be in highly skilled areas as management and the professions, with a third being lower skilled, including food processing, retailing, accommodation, agriculture and construction.
