The number of people on the Live Register rose by 400 in January, according to new figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The CSO said the total increased slightly to 157,400; this compares with a corresponding decrease of 2,000 in January 2005.
In the 12 months to January 2006, there was an unadjusted decrease of 404 (-0.3 per cent).
The standardised unemployment rate in January was 4.3 per cent, identical to that recorded in the Quarterly National Household Survey in July 2005.
The number of casual and part-time workers on the Live Register in January was estimated at 7,795 males and 12,726 females.
