Statistics Sweden’s Statistical Report presents the labour market situation for the population aged 15–74. The report shows that the number of employed persons increased by 113 000 to 4 924 000 in the first quarter of 2017 compared with the same quarter of the previous year. At the same time, seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows that the number and percentage of employed persons continue to increase compared with adjacent quarters. Among foreign-born persons, the number of employed persons continues to increase – a development that began in the second quarter of 2010.

For the fifth quarter in a row, the number of employed persons in construction increased. The number of employed persons in financial operations, business services and health and social care increased as well in the first quarter of 2017.

Among the employed are persons who want to and would be able to work more than they normally do, the ‘underemployed’. In the first quarter of 2017, the number of underemployed decreased by 21 000 to 240 000. This was the seventh consecutive quarter with a decreasing number of underemployed. The number of underemployed women decreased by 13 000 to 126 000 and the number of underemployed men amounted to 115 000.

Compared with the first quarter of 2016, the number of both permanently and temporarily employed persons increased. The total number of gainfully employed people increased by 100 000 to 4 424 000. The number of permanently employed people increased by 74 000 to 3 714 000 and the number of temporarily employed persons increased by 26 000 to 710 000. The number of permanently employed women increased by 30 000 to 1 814 000 and the number of permanently employed men increased by 45 000 to 1 900 000. For the sixth quarter in a row, the number of private sector employees increased and amounted to 2 925 000, an increase of 38 000 compared with the first quarter of 2016. The number of municipal employees increased as well, by 57 000 to 1 157 000. Seasonally adjusted and smoothed data indicates that the number of permanent and temporary employees increased compared with adjacent quarters.

Compared with the first quarter of 2016, non-seasonally adjusted data show a decrease in the number of unemployed people aged 15–74 of 19 000 to 378 000. In the first quarter of 2017, 167 000 women and 211 000 men were unemployed. The unemployment rate was 7.1 percent among the population, a decrease of 0.5 percentage points. Among women, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.5 percentage points to 6.6 percent and among men it decreased by 0.6 percentage points to 7.6 percent. Seasonally adjusted and smoothed data indicate that the number and percentage of unemployed people have decreased compared with the previous quarters. In the quarter, the number of unemployed people amount to 356 000 and the unemployment rate amounted to 6.7 percent in the group aged 15–74.

In the first quarter of 2017, 59.4 percent of the population aged 15–74 were at work, an increase of 0.9 percentage points. The share of men at work increased by 1.1 percentage point to 62.5 percent and the share of women at work amounted to 56.2 percent. Among foreign-born persons, 53.9 percent were at work, an increase of 2.6 percentage points.

In the first quarter of 2017, there were 158.4 million hours worked on average per week. Among men, the number of hours worked on average per week was 89.5 million and among women, it was 68.9 million.

Between the fourth quarter of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017, flow statistics indicate a net inflow of 47 000 persons to the unemployed group aged 15–74. The increase consists of an inflow of 61 000 persons who were previously not in the labour force and an outflow of 14 000 persons to the group of persons in employment. At the same time, 7 000 persons went from being in employment to the group of persons not in the labour force, resulting in a reduction of 54 000 in the group of persons not in the labour force.

The labour market at a glance, first quarter 2017

Non-seasonally adjusted values (seasonally adjusted and smoothed values are given in brackets).

Population aged 15–74:

• The employment rate was 66.7 percent (67.6 percent), an increase of 0.8 percentage points.
• The number of employed persons was 4 924 000 (4 986 000), an increase of 113 000 persons compared with the first quarter of 2016.
• The unemployment rate was 7.1 percent (6.7 percent), a decrease of 0.5 percentage points.
• The number of unemployed persons was 378 000 (356 000), a decrease of 19 000.
• The economic activity rate was 71.9 percent (72.4 percent), an increase of 0.5 percentage points.
• The number of people in the labour force was 5 303 000 (5 342 000), an increase of 94 000 persons compared with the first quarter of 2016.

Population aged 20–64:

• The employment rate was 80.8 percent (81.7 percent), an increase of 0.8 percentage points.
• The unemployment rate was 6.5 percent (6.0 percent) a decrease of 0.3 percentage points.

A more detailed report on the labour market situation for the entire population aged 15-74 is available in the Statistical Report on the first quarter in 2017.