New Zealand's unemployment rate has been revised up 0.1 percentage point to 4.7 per cent, as a result of an update to take into account latest population estimates.

That was due to the inclusion of Maori benchmarks into the updated weights, in addition to incorporating revised population estimates from 2001 onwards.

For the December quarter of last year, the results of the population rebase included a revision in the unemployment rate from the five-year high of 4.6 per cent first published in early February, to 4.7 per cent.

Seasonally adjusted employment for the December quarter, already at the highest level since the survey began, was revised upward by 0.9 per cent to 2.21m.

The revision to the number of people unemployed lifted the total 3.2 per cent to 108,000, while the number not in the labour force was revised up 1.6 per cent to 1.03m.

The labour force participation rate was revised down 0.1 percentage point from its record high to 69.2 per cent.

Source: NZ Herald (www.nzherald.co.nz)