Latest Northern Ireland Employment Statistics

The March 2019 Quarterly Employment Survey results were published at 9.30am this morning. The key points are:

• The number of (seasonally adjusted) employee jobs in March 2019 was estimated at a record high of 778,240. This was an increase of 4,010 jobs over the quarter and 15,580 jobs over the year. The annual change in employee jobs is statistically significant i.e. the recorded change exceeded the variability expected from a survey of this size and was likely to reflect real change. Increases were experienced in all sectors over the year, with the services sector accounting for the majority of the growth.

• The numbers of employee jobs in the services (632,130 jobs) and manufacturing (88,190 jobs) sectors reached the highest levels on record in March 2019 in the seasonally adjusted series.

• Private sector jobs increased over the quarter (0.7% or 3,710 jobs) and the year (2.4% or 13,350 jobs) to their highest level (569,460) on record in the seasonally adjusted series.

• Public sector jobs increased over the quarter (0.2% or 450 jobs) and the year (1.0% or 2,040 jobs). There are now 19,700 fewer public sector jobs than the series peak in September 2009     (-8.6%).

• In the last five years, employee jobs have increased by 9.6% (67,980 jobs) and by 12.6% (87,000 jobs) from the low in March 2012.

• The annualised growth rate of 2.0% in 2018 is below growth rates in 2017 and above growth rates in 2016.

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