Key Points
A summary of the key points in quarter two (July-September) 2026/27
are as follows -
There were 7,466 vacancies notified to Department for Communities, a slight decrease of 37 (less than 1%) from the previous quarter - the first quarter (April-June) of 2026/27 and a decline of 3,689 (33%) from the same quarter (July-September) in 2025/26.
There were 4,604 full-time vacancies (62%), 2,210 part-time vacancies (30%) and 652 casual vacancies (9%).
The most frequently notified occupation types for vacancies were ‘Caring, Leisure and Other Service Occupations’ with 2,634 vacancies (35%), ‘Elementary Occupations’ with 1,426 vacancies (19%) and ‘Process, Plant and Machine Operatives’ with 1,042 vacancies (14%).
The industry type with the largest number of notified vacancies was ‘Human Health and Social Work’, accounting for 2,519 vacancies (34%), followed by ‘Administrative and Support Service’ (2,226 vacancies, 30%) and ‘Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security’ (710 vacancies, 10%).
The Jobs and Benefits Offices (JBOs) with the largest numbers of vacancies were Shaftesbury Square with 628 (8%), Lisburn with 589 (8%), Foyle with 473 (6%), North Belfast with 402 (5%) and Antrim with 319 (4%).
2,141 (29%) vacancies were in the most deprived 20% of areas in Northern Ireland.
Introduction
This statistical factsheet, which is published three times a year
(along with a more detailed annual
bulletin), presents key information on employment vacancies
which have been notified to the Department for Communities (DfC). The
information is taken from the Department’s vacancy management service
(JobApplyNI) which is a
free website developed by DfC that offers a service for organisations
advertising vacancies and for jobseekers searching and applying for
jobs.
The statistics presented here do not relate to the total
unsatisfied demand for staff by employers, but to only those vacant
positions that have been notified by employers to DfC.
Supplementary tables accompanying this publication are available on the
DfC
website.
Quarterly Statistics and Trends
Trend Data
There were 7,466 vacancies notified to DfC in quarter two
(July-September) 2026/27. Employment vacancies for quarter two 2026/27
saw a slight decline of less than 1% from the previous quarter (quarter
one 2026/27) and a 33% decline from quarter two 2025/26.
Whilst the past four years have seen fluctuation in employment
vacancy totals, in general there have been quarterly declines for both
NI and the UK as a whole (see notes section regarding commentary on
factors impacting vacancy trends).
Figure 1: Quarterly Notified Vacancies 2022/23 to 2026/27
Chart
Table
| Quarter | Number of Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Q1 2223 | 21,787 |
| Q2 2223 | 16,199 |
| Q3 2223 | 12,152 |
| Q4 2223 | 13,162 |
| Q1 2324 | 11,636 |
| Q2 2324 | 13,431 |
| Q3 2324 | 12,830 |
| Q4 2324 | 11,440 |
| Q1 2425 | 9,167 |
| Q2 2425 | 10,977 |
| Q3 2425 | 8,766 |
| Q4 2425 | 10,682 |
| Q1 2526 | 10,967 |
| Q2 2526 | 11,155 |
| Q3 2526 | 9,434 |
| Q4 2526 | 8,654 |
| Q1 2627 | 7,503 |
| Q2 2627 | 7,466 |
Vacancy Type
In quarter two 2026/27 some 62% of vacancies were full-time, while 30% related to part-time and 9% represented casual vacancies.
Figure 2: Notified Vacancies by Vacancy Type, Quarter Two 2026/27
Chart
Table
| Job Type | Number of Vacancies | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Time | 4,604 | 62% |
| Part-Time | 2,210 | 30% |
| Casual | 652 | 9% |
| Total | 7,466 | 100% |
Occupation Type
The chart below (Figure 3) presents the Standard Occupational
Classification 2020 (SOC 2020), which is used to organise vacancies
notified to DfC into job groups according to skill level and skill
specialisation. Further information, including definitions relating to
the Standard Occupational Classification (2020) can be found via the
links in the notes section.
The most frequently notified occupation types for vacancies were
‘Caring, Leisure and Other Service Occupations’ with 2,634 vacancies
(35%), ‘Elementary Occupations’ with 1,426 vacancies (19%) and ‘Process,
Plant and Machine Operatives’ with 1,042 vacancies (14%).
Figure 3: Notified Vacancies by SOC (2020) Group Titles, Quarter Two 2026/27
Chart
Caring, Leisure and Other Service Occupations covers occupations whose tasks involve the provision of a service to customers, whether in a public protective or personal care capacity. (e.g. care of sick, elderly and infirm; care of children, personal care).
Table
| SOC 2020 Major Group | Number of Vacancies | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Caring, Leisure and Other Service Occupations | 2,634 | 35% |
| Elementary Occupations | 1,426 | 19% |
| Process, Plant and Machine Operatives | 1,042 | 14% |
| Skilled Trades Occupations | 578 | 8% |
| Associate Professional Occupations | 444 | 6% |
| Professional Occupations | 427 | 6% |
| Sales and Customer Service Occupations | 356 | 5% |
| Administrative and Secretarial Occupations | 247 | 3% |
| Managers, Directors and Senior Officials | 241 | 3% |
| Unknown | 71 | 1% |
| Total | 7,466 | 100% |
Industry Type
The Standard Industrial Classification 2007 (SIC 2007) is used to
organise vacancies notified to DfC by the type of economic activity in
which they are engaged into 21 categories. Vacancies are assigned the
SIC 2007 code of the employer that notified them. Further information,
including definitions, relating to the SIC 2007 can be found via the
links in the notes section.
The industry type with the largest number of notified vacancies was
‘Human Health and Social Work’, accounting for 2,519 vacancies (34%),
followed by ‘Administrative and Support Service’ (2,226 vacancies, 30%)
and ‘Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security’ (710
vacancies, 10%).
The top 5 industrial classifications make up 84% (6,305) of the total number of vacancies notified in this quarter.
Figure 4: Notified Vacancies by SIC (2007) Section (Top 5), Quarter Two 2026/27
Chart
Human Health and Social Work Activities: Example activities include hospital; residential nursing care; and social work without accommodation.
Table
| SIC 2007 Section | Number of Vacancies | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Human Health and Social Work | 2,519 | 34% |
| Administrative and Support Service | 2,226 | 30% |
| Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security | 710 | 10% |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles | 461 | 6% |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 389 | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 267 | 4% |
| Education | 184 | 2% |
| Construction | 109 | 1% |
| Real Estate Activities | 99 | 1% |
| Water Supply; Sewerage, Waste Management and Remediation | 93 | 1% |
| Other Services | 82 | 1% |
| Transportation and Storage | 72 | 1% |
| Information and Communication | 62 | 1% |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical | 49 | 1% |
| Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | 46 | 1% |
| Electricity, Gas, Steam and Air Conditioning Supply | 29 | 0% |
| Financial and Insurance | 15 | 0% |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 12 | 0% |
| Activities of Extraterritorial Organisations and Bodies | 9 | 0% |
| Mining and Quarrying | 3 | 0% |
| Unknown | 30 | 0% |
| Total | 7,466 | 100% |
Jobs and Benefits Office
In the second quarter of the 2026/27 financial year the Jobs and Benefits Offices (JBOs) with the largest numbers of vacancies were Shaftesbury Square with 628 (8%), Lisburn with 589 (8%), Foyle with 473 (6%), North Belfast with 402 (5%) and Antrim with 319 (4%).
The map below (Figure 5) presents vacancies assigned to JBOs. The purpose is not to rank JBOs by the number of notified vacancies, but rather to gain an understanding of the spread of notified vacancies at a local level.
Figure 5: Notified Vacancies by Jobs and Benefits Office, Quarter Two 2026/27
Map
Table
| Jobs and Benefits Office | Number of Vacancies | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Shaftesbury Square | 628 | 8% |
| Lisburn | 589 | 8% |
| Foyle | 473 | 6% |
| North Belfast | 402 | 5% |
| Antrim | 319 | 4% |
| Holywood Road | 316 | 4% |
| Limavady | 297 | 4% |
| Ballymena | 281 | 4% |
| Bangor | 275 | 4% |
| Enniskillen | 253 | 3% |
| Portadown | 253 | 3% |
| Omagh | 242 | 3% |
| Coleraine | 234 | 3% |
| Strabane | 211 | 3% |
| Knockbreda | 209 | 3% |
| Lisnagelvin | 202 | 3% |
| Newry | 191 | 3% |
| Newtownabbey | 178 | 2% |
| Cookstown | 177 | 2% |
| Dungannon | 163 | 2% |
| Larne | 161 | 2% |
| Armagh | 152 | 2% |
| Lurgan | 148 | 2% |
| Magherafelt | 139 | 2% |
| Downpatrick | 129 | 2% |
| Banbridge | 127 | 2% |
| Ballymoney | 112 | 2% |
| Ballynahinch | 101 | 1% |
| Newtownards | 87 | 1% |
| Carrickfergus | 68 | 1% |
| Andersonstown | 65 | 1% |
| Falls Road | 46 | 1% |
| Newcastle | 43 | 1% |
| Shankill | 24 | 0% |
| Kilkeel | 12 | 0% |
| Unknown | 159 | 2% |
| Total | 7,466 | 100% |
Deprivation
The NI Multiple Deprivation Measure (2017) divides Northern Ireland
into 890 super output areas. Each area is assigned a rank according to
its level of deprivation, 1 being the most deprived and 890 the least.
Further information on the Deprivation Measures can be found in the
notes section.
In the second quarter of the 2026/27 financial year 29% of vacancies were listed in the 20% most deprived areas while 16% of vacancies were located in the 20% least deprived areas.
Figure 6: Notified Vacancies by NIMDM, Quarter Two 2026/27
Chart
Table
| NIMDM Quintile | Number of Vacancies | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Quintile 1 (most deprived) | 2,141 | 29% |
| Quintile 2 | 1,442 | 19% |
| Quintile 3 | 1,231 | 16% |
| Quintile 4 | 1,318 | 18% |
| Quintile 5 (least deprived) | 1,193 | 16% |
| Unknown | 141 | 2% |
| Total | 7,466 | 100% |
Notes
Background
This publication presents statistics on employment vacancies notified
to Department for Communities (DfC) in quarter two 2026/27
(July-September). The information is taken from the department’s vacancy
service JobApplyNI
which went live on 31 March 2022, replacing the previous vacancy service
and websites. JobApplyNI is a free website developed by DfC which offers
a service for organisations advertising vacancies and for jobseekers
searching and applying for jobs.
The previous legacy vacancy management system used the Client
Management System (CMS) and two associated websites (Employers Online
website and Jobseekers Online website). The time series from the
previous system ran from 2014/15 to 2021/22 incorporating improvements
which were made to the methodology for recording and validating vacancy
data from 2013 onwards. The introduction of JobApplyNI has led to
further efficiencies in notifying vacancy statistics.
JobApplyNI allows for more enhanced systematic validations
(e.g. identification of rejected vacancies) and allows for presentation
of updated SOC (2020) codes and as such caution should be exercised when
comparing data from 2022/23 onwards with that from previous
years.
Coverage
The relevant data are extracted from the JobApplyNI system each month
to form a vacancies database which is maintained by the Department’s
Analytics Division. The data presented in this statistical report are
derived from the vacancies database. Ongoing validation work and changes
made to this live database may result in data revisions. These revisions
are performed transparently, as soon as practicable and in accordance
with T3.9 of the UK Statistics
Authority Code of Practice for Statistics.
This factsheet presents vacancies notified to DfC. The statistics
presented do not relate to total unsatisfied demand for staff by
employers, only those vacant positions notified by employers to the
Department.
Trends
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces monthly analysis of
vacancy
statistics but NI companies are not approached because of the
risk of overlap with other surveys conducted by NI Departments.
Estimates for the UK are derived by weighing up the data for Great
Britain using employment estimates (NI accounts for around 3% of UK
employment). The estimated number of vacancies in the UK decreased in
the latest quarter: early estimates for July to September 2026 suggest a
decrease of 21,000 (2.9%) to 691,000, compared with April to June 2026.
Outside of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic period, the last time
there were 691,000 or fewer UK vacancies was in July to September 2014,
when there were 686,000 vacancies. Seasonal factors can also impact
vacancy figures in-year e.g. September would traditionally see higher
levels of vacancies as employers recruit in preparation for the festive
season with December vacancies relatively lower in comparison.
Initial vacancy numbers at the commencement of JobApplyNI during
April – June 2022 include vacancies migrated across from the previous IT
system so totals for this quarter were higher than envisaged. Totals for
Quarter Three 2025/26 published in the factsheet on 04 February 2026
have since been updated to reflect JobStart vacancy revisions.
Methodology and Definitions
Official Statistics
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics
Regulation (OSR).
OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness,
quality and value in the Code of
Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics
should adhere to.
You are welcome to contact us directly with
any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can
contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR
website.
UK Standard Occupational Classification 2020 (SOC 2020):
DfC assigns each vacancy the SOC 2020 code which best reflects the
main duties of the post. Vacancies are broken down by the nine SOC 2020
Major Group levels. Examples and information can be found in the SOC
2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions of unit groups - Office for
National Statistics.
UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2007 (SIC 2007):
Employers are assigned the SIC 2007 code which best reflects their
dominant activity by DfC. All vacancies are assigned the SIC 2007 code
of the notifying employer. Vacancies are broken down by SIC 2007 section
level. Information about SIC 2007 is available in the UK
Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2007 (SIC
2007): Structure and Explanatory Notes.
Note: Some employer organisations and vacancies have been reclassified from ‘Other Service Activities’ into more specific Industrial classifications, impacting data from the third quarter of the 2024/25 financial year onwards.
Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017 (NIMDM 2017)
The NIMDM 2017 is the official measure of deprivation in Northern Ireland and provides a relative measure of deprivation for geographical areas. NIMDM 2017 gives an overall measure of seven types of deprivation:
- Income Deprivation
- Employment Deprivation
- Health Deprivation & Disability
- Education, Skills & Training Deprivation
- Access to Services
- Living Environment
- Crime & Disorder
Northern Ireland’s 890 Super Output Areas (SOA) are ranked in terms
of deprivation level, which in turn, are grouped into five equal bands
known as quintiles. Vacancy statistics are presented by these quintile
bands: ranks 1-178 (most deprived), ranks 179-356, ranks 357-534, ranks
535-712 and ranks 713-890 (least deprived). Northern Ireland Multiple
Deprivation Measure ranks are based on the Super Output Area (SOA)
classification of the vacancy. SOA classifications are assigned to
vacancies using the latest Central Postcode Directory based on the
postcode of the employer’s account. When a valid employer’s account
postcode is not available, the postcode of the vacancy is used. Although
an employer’s account is within a particular SOA, the job may be based
elsewhere in Northern Ireland, in the UK or in the Republic of Ireland.