Official figures show that the number of people on the Live Register rose by 1,700 in November to reach 448,600.
The Central Statistics Office also said that the unemployment rate rose slightly to 14.5% from 14.4% in October.
The CSO says that while November's figures are the joint highest recorded so far this year, the underlying trend over the past 12 months has been flat.
The 1,700 increase in November comprised a 2,500 rise in the number of women signing on, with a 900 drop in the number of men.
The headline Live Register figure, which does not take seasonal factors into account, fell slightly 429,567.
The Live Register includes some part-time and seasonal workers and does not measure unemployment.
The CSO also said the number of long-term claimants rose by just 117 in November to 179,890.
Almost 42% of claimants on the Live Register have been there for a year or more. The CSO says, however, that the annual rate of increase in long-term claimants has been slowing.
The CSO also notes a downward trend in the number of people under 25 signing on. This figure has fallen by just over 6% in the past 12 months.
There just over 38,000 new claims this month, up from 37,000 in October.
This figure is not the same as the monthly change in the Live Register, which is affected by people closing claims and moving between different schemes.
