The seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed was 140,300 in April, down from 143,500 when compared to the March 2018 figure and a decrease of 16,700 when compared to April last year.
The unemployment rate for males was recorded at 6.2 percent, down from 6.4 percent in March and compared to 7.3 percent a year earlier; while for females it was recorded at 5.5 percent, down from 5.6 percent the previous month and from 6.1 percent in April 2017. The number of males unemployed decreased by 2,400 from the previous month to 80,300, while the number of females unemployed fell by 800 to 60,000.
The youth unemployment rate fell to 12 percent in April from 12.5 percent in the previous month. It was the lowest jobless rate since May 2008.
Unemployment has fallen sharply since the jobless rate hit a high of 16 percent in early 2012.