Good Jobs in Northern Ireland 2024

Following the Minister for the Department for the Economy’s vision setting out the four key priorities for DfE’s economic mission, where one objective is to increase the proportion of working-age people in Good Jobs, NISRA was commissioned to develop the Good Jobs in Northern Ireland measure.

• Good Jobs in Northern Ireland 2024

The Department for the Economy (DfE) has defined a ‘good job’ as one that offers an employee of working age, that is between the ages of 16 and 64, the following:

• A permanent contract; and
• A non zero-hour contract; and
• Earning the Real Living Wage or more.

Key facts from ‘Good Jobs in Northern Ireland 2024’ are listed below.

The rate of good jobs in Northern Ireland has fallen from the peak in 2022

1. The rate of good jobs in Northern Ireland stood at 66.7% in 2024, marking a 4.2 percentage point (pps) drop from its peak in 2022.
2. The percentage of good jobs in Northern Ireland showed a steady increase from 2017 to 2022, rising from 63.4% to 70.9%. Over the last two years, the trend reversed with consecutive declines. In 2023, the good jobs rate decreased slightly by 0.4pps, followed in 2024 by a 3.8pps drop in 2024.
3. It should be noted that public sector pay awards were made following the ASHE 2024 reference date and are therefore not included in the 2024 results.

Belfast has the highest proportion of good jobs in Northern Ireland

1. By location of the job at 73.1% Belfast boasts the highest good jobs rate in Northern Ireland, and is the largest employer in NI, with 30% of all employee jobs.
2. Causeway Coast and Glens has the lowest rate at 54.4%, which is over 6pps lower than the next lowest area.

Good jobs rate highest in the Transport and Communication sector

6. The ‘Transport and Communication’ sector in Northern Ireland boasts the highest rate of good jobs in 2024, with 83.2% of positions in the industry deemed good.
7. The ‘Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing’ sector has the lowest percentage, with fewer than half of the roles meeting this standard (46.5%).

Good jobs rate highest for employees in their forties

8. People in the 40-49 age group have the highest proportion of good jobs, with 77.7% employed in such positions. Employees under the age of thirty have the lowest proportion of good jobs, 17.0% of those in the 16-21 age group and 59.1% of those in the 22-29 age group.
9. The 60+ age group is the only cohort to experience a decline in the good job rate, falling from 67.4% in 2017 to 63.1% in 2024.

Good jobs rate highest in Managers, directors and senior officials

10. ‘Managers, directors, and senior officials’ in Northern Ireland hold the highest proportion of good jobs, with 91.8% of these roles classified as good.  ‘Elementary occupations’ have the lowest share of good jobs, with31.7% of positions meeting this standard.

Good jobs rate highest in ‘Financial Services/Fintech’ priority sector

11. Almost all jobs in the ‘Financial Services/Fintech’ sector are classified as good (95.4%).
12. ‘Life and Health Sciences’ have seen the most significant growth in the number of good jobs since 2017.

Share this page