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The Canterbury job market appears shaky with Trade Me job listings down 14.8 per cent from last year.
New figures show the decline in listings based on data from September.
It also showed the Mackenzie District had the lowest average salary in the country of $53,082.
Not all of the job markets across the country are in the same position.
Nine out of 15 regions experienced an annual increase in job listings.
Bay of Plenty (2 per cent) Gisborne (53 per cent), Hawke's Bay (25 per cent), Manawatu/Whanganui (20 per cent), Marlborough (1 per cent), Nelson/Tasman (6 per cent), Northland (17 per cent), Southland (8 per cent) and Taranaki (13 per cent), all saw an increase.
The three sectors that were hit particularly hard were customer service (-45 per cent), science and technology (-50 per cent) and executive and general management (-50 per cent).
Trade Me Jobs spokesman Matt Tolich said: "We know that plenty of employers are more cash conscious in the current economic environment and, as a result, they're less likely to invest in research and development which has impacted the science and technology sector."
He said high-paying sectors like executive and general management are also impacted by businesses being more cash conscious.
"The job market had a much stronger Q3 than many had anticipated, with listings up 62 per cent when compared to Q2.
"Hiring picked up significantly in the third quarter of 2020, and taking into consideration the huge impact the lockdowns have had on businesses this year, the job market is looking in pretty good shape."