As measured by the UK-wide Labour Force Survey (LFS), this seasonally adjusted figure from the national statistics is among details from the latest labour market figures published today by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI).
The statistics show an increase from the rates of 7.6% and 6.3%, recorded in the previous quarter and year respectively.
The latest NI rate equalled the UK rate (8.0%) for the same period, but remained below the European Union (9.6%) and Republic of Ireland (13.8%) rates for December 2010.
The data also showed that there were 692,910 employee jobs in December 2010.
This represented an estimated net decrease of 1,880 over the quarter and a fall of 8,200 over the year.
The decrease over the quarter was driven by falls in the construction sector (-1,480) and service sector (-1,270) jobs, although the manufacturing sector increased by 950 jobs.
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This quarterly decline was the tenth successive decrease in the seasonally adjusted employee jobs series.
However, the number of jobs in the Northern Ireland manufacturing sector increased for the third consecutive quarter and have now increased by 1,340 jobs since March 2010.
Unadjusted LFS estimates for November 2010 - January 2011 show that 48.3% of those unemployed in Northern Ireland have been unemployed for one year or more. They also record the unemployment rate for 18-24 year olds at 21.6%.
The seasonally adjusted number of people claiming unemployment related benefits stood at 59,100 in February 2011 - up 300 (0.5%) from the revised figure for the previous month.
The latest monthly increase in Northern Ireland (0.5%) was the largest among the 12 UK regions and compared to a monthly fall of 0.7% in the UK as a whole.
Over the year, the Northern Ireland claimant count has increased by 6.3% (3,500), compared to a decrease of 8.1% in the UK.
The seasonally adjusted number of working age persons that were economically inactive decreased by 4,000 (1.2%) over the quarter and the corresponding working age economic inactivity rate decreased to 28.4% (in November 2010 - January 2011).
However, the Northern Ireland inactivity rate (28.4%) remained considerably higher than the UK average rate (23.3%) and was the highest of the UK regions.
Unadjusted LFS estimates can provide information on the reason for economic inactivity.
In November 2010 - January 2011 an estimated 28% of the economically inactive of working age in Northern Ireland were sick/disabled, 27% were students, 24% were looking after the family/home, 13% were retired and 8% were 'other' reason.
The Department was notified of 67 confirmed redundancies, which took place in February 2011.
This compared to 80 in January 2011 and 154 in February 2010.
There has been a 53% decrease in the number of confirmed redundancies over the last year to 28th February 2011 - 1,928 compared to 4,108 in the previous year.
(BMcC/KMcA)
