The gainfully occupied increased by 4.3 per cent between 2008 and 2012, according to updated labour market time series data.

The National Statistics Office said that when compared to 2008, registered full-time jobs went up by 6,291, reaching 152,306 in 2012, while registered unemployment increased by 714 to 6,838.

The economic sectors which recorded the highest increases in full-time jobs were professional, scientific and technical, followed by human health and social work.

The number of full-time jobs within the manufacturing sector declined by 1,649 to 20,076.

Private sector employment in 2012 increased by 7,051, or 6.8 per cent, while public sector employment decreased by 760.

Public sector employment decreased by 1.8 per cent. Female employment went up by 14.1 per cent.

In 2012 part-time jobs increased by 20.4 per cent when compared to 2008.

When compared to 2008, persons with a part-time job as their primary occupation went up by 21.3 per cent, and those whose part-time job was their secondary occupation rose by 19.3 per cent.