In the third quarter of 2011, the jobless rate stood at 7.2%.
An estimated 688,000 people were unemployed in the third quarter of the year, from a total active population of 10.145 million, INS said.
The jobless rate stood at 7.2% among men, while unemployment reached 6.3% among women.
The figures refer to people aged between 15 and 64 and are based on the definition recommended by the International Labor Organization.