Statistics Sweden’s Statistical Report presents the labour market situation for the population aged 15–74. The number of employed persons increased by 99 000 to 5 034 000 in the second quarter of 2017, compared with the same quarter of the previous year. The employment rate, that is, the percentage of employed persons in the population, was 68.1 percent, an increase of 0.6 percentage points. Among men, the employment rate was 70.1 percent, an increase of 0.7 percentage points. Among women, the employment rate was 65.9 percent. Among Swedish born persons, the employment rate was 69.7 percent. Among foreign born persons it was 62.1 percent, an increase of 2.1 percent. Among foreign born men the employment rate increased by 2.5 percentage points and was 66.3 percent and among foreign born women it was 58.2 percent.

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.

For the sixth quarter in a row, the number of employed persons in construction increased. The number of employed persons also increased in information and communication in the second quarter of 2017.

Employed persons include underemployed persons, that is, those who want to and are able to work more than they do. In the second quarter of 2017, the number of underemployed persons decreased by 21 000, and amounted to 240 000. This was the eighth quarter in a row in which the number of underemployed persons decreased.

The total number of employees increased by 86 000 and amounted to 4 536 000. The number of permanently employed persons increased by 76 000 to 3 764 000. The number of permanently employed women increased by 32 000 to 1 839 000, and the number of permanently employed men increased by 44 000 to 1 925 000. There were 771 000 temporary employees. For the seventh quarter in a row, the number of private sector employees increased, and amounted to 3 021 000. This was an increase of 37 000 compared with the second quarter of 2016. At the same time, the number of municipal employees increased by 54 000 to 1 176 000.

Among the population aged 15 to 74, 60.6 percent were at work. The percentage of men at work was 64.2 percent, and the percentage of women was 56.8 percent. Among foreign born persons, 55.7 percent were at work, an increase of 1.8 percentage points.

In the second quarter of 2017, the number of hours worked on average was 155.4 million per week. In calendar-adjusted figures, this amounts to a 0.8 percent increase in the number of hours worked.

In the second quarter of 2017, 394 000 persons aged 15–74 were unemployed. The unemployment rate was 7.3 percent.

Seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows that both the number of unemployed persons and the unemployment rate decreased compared with the previous quarters. The seasonally adjusted and smoothed unemployment rate was 6.6 percent.

In the second quarter of 2017, 147 000 persons aged 15–24 were unemployed, a decrease of 13 000 persons. This means that the unemployment rate among young people was 21.8 percent.

Among persons aged 65–74 years, the employment rate was 17.3 percent in the second quarter of 2017. In that age group, the employment rate among men was 21.2 percent and 13.5 percent among women.

Persons aged 15–74 who reported sick accounted for 9.8 percent of persons not in the labour force, a decrease of 1.0 percentage points compared with the second quarter of 2016. The number of persons who reported sick in the second quarter of 2017 was 286 000, a decrease of 25 000 persons compared with the same period in 2016.

Between the first and second quarter of 2017, flow statistics indicate a net outflow of persons aged 15–74 from the not in the labour force category. There were 85 000 persons who went from being not in the labour force to being unemployed, and 40 000 persons went from being not in the labour force to being employed. At the same time, flow statistics show a net flow from unemployment to employment.

The labour market at a glance, second quarter 2017

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

Population aged 15–74:

The employment rate was 68.1 percent (67.8 percent), an increase of 0.6 percentage points.

The number of employed persons was 5 034 000 (5 013 000), an increase of 99 000 persons compared with the second quarter of 2016.

The unemployment rate was 7.3 percent (6.6 percent).
The number of unemployed persons was 394 000 (354 000).
The economic activity rate was 73.4 percent (72.6 percent), an increase of 0.4 percentage points.
The number of people in the labour force was 5 428 000 (5 367 000), an increase of 94 000 persons compared with the second quarter of 2016.

Population aged 20–64:

The employment rate was 82.1 percent (81.8 percent), an increase of 0.6 percentage points.
The unemployment rate was 6.2 percent (6.0 percent).

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