The latest figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency show unemployment figures have fallen for the third year in a row.
The number of people claiming unemployment benefit in Northern Ireland fell by 1,700 in January — the biggest monthly fall since May 1999 — and now stands at 48,200. This is the 25th consecutive month in which there has been a decrease in this measure of employment.
It also showed youth unemployment to have decreased by 5.4% on last year with a rate of joblessness for 18 to 24-year-olds of 17.8%.
However, the figures also revealed that the number of working persons classed as economically inactive had increased by 11,000 over the quarter, making the Northern Ireland inactivity rate of 28% the highest among the 12 UK regions.