Dole queues in Northern Ireland have grown by 24,000 in the past year, according to new figures.
The unemployment rate in Northern Ireland is now 6.7%, or 51,000, up from 4.25% a year ago.
However, the percentage of people who are out of work is half the figure in the Republic where unemployment stands at nearly 12%.
In Britain, unemployment hit its highest rate since 1996 in the three months to June, according to figures published today.
The Office for National Statistics said the jobless rate rose to 7.8% in April-June, above forecasts for a rise to 7.7% and the highest since October-December 1996.
The number of people without a job rose to 2.43m.
