Employment rate increased among women

In 2016, the population aged 15–74 years increased by 65 000 persons and amounted to an average of 7 323 000 persons. The number of persons in the labour force was 5 277 000, an increase of 53 000 compared with 2015. This corresponds to an activity rate of 72.1 percent for the population.

On average 4 910 000 persons were in employment in 2016. The number of employed persons increased by 73 000 during 2016. Since 2005, the number of employed persons has increased by 563 000. The number decreased only in 2009. Compared with 2015, the number of employed men increased by 32 000 and was 2 562 000. The number of employed women rose by 41 000 to 2 348 000. Among foreign born persons, 887 000 were employed, which was an increase of 49 000; the number of employed Swedish born persons was 4 023 000, an increase of 24 000.

The employment rate increased by 0.5 percentage points to 67.1 percent in 2016. Among women the employment rate increased by 0.7 percentage points to 65.1 percent, and among men it was 69.0 percent. Among foreign born persons, the employment rate was 60.1 percent, while among people born in Sweden the rate was 68.8 percent, an increase of 0.4 percentage points compared with 2015.

The number of employed persons continued to increase in Stockholm County, where it increased by 23 000 persons to 1 198 000 persons. In Norrbotten County, the number of employed persons increased by 6 000 persons to 124 000 persons.

As in recent years, the number of employed persons in ‘Financial operations, business services’ increased. In 2016, the number of employed persons in this industry increased by 23 000 to 826 000. In ‘Construction’ the number of employed increased by 17 000 to 325 000.

Among the employed persons aged 15–74 years, 247 000 were underemployed, of which 116 000 were men and 131 000 were women. This is a decrease compared with last year, in which 19 000 were men and 25 000 were women.

Number of permanent employees increased by 85 000

The number of permanent employees was 3 680 000 in 2016, which was an increase of 85 000 persons compared with 2015. It was the third year in a row that the number of permanent employees increased. The number of permanently employed women increased by 44 000 to 1 800 000, and the number of permanently employed men increased by 41 000 to 1 880 000. The number of temporary employees amounted to 739 000, of which 335 000 were men and 405 000 were women.

Number of hours increased to 150.8 million

The total number of hours worked per week amounted to 150.8 million hours on average in 2016, which was an increase of 5.3 million hours per week compared with 2015. Of those hours, 1.3 million hours were attributable to persons working abroad.

Youth unemployment decreased

The number of unemployed persons aged 15–74 was 367 000 on average in 2016, a decrease of 20 000 persons compared with 2015. The number of unemployed women decreased by 16 000 and amounted to 165 000, while the number of unemployed men amounted to 202 000. The largest decrease in the number of unemployed persons occurred in Skåne County, where the number of unemployed persons decreased by 7 000 to 58 000. Among foreign born persons, the number of unemployed persons amounted to 164 000. The number of unemployed persons born in Sweden decreased by 25 000 to 202 000.

In 2016, an average of 6.9 percent of persons in the labour force aged 15–74 were unemployed, which is a decrease of 0.5 percentage points compared with 2015. The unemployment rate among women decreased by 0.7 percentage points to 6.5 percent, while the unemployment rate among men was 7.3 percent. The unemployment rate among foreign born persons was 15.6 percent. Among people born in Sweden, the unemployment rate was 4.8 percent, which is a decrease of 0.6 percentage points.

The number of unemployed young people aged 15–24 years decreased by 11 000 to 121 000, while the unemployment rate decreased by 1.4 percentage points, amounting to 18.9 percent. As in 2015, the number of long-term unemployed persons also decreased in 2016 and amounted to 12 000, which is a decrease of 3 000 compared with 2015.

Persons not in the labour force

In 2016, there were on average 2 046 000 persons aged 15–74 who were not in the labour force. The number of retired persons increased by 18 000 and amounted to 952 000. The number of persons with poor health decreased by 16 000, amounting to 308 000. The number of full-time students was 520 000.

More young people are externally recruited

Among persons aged 15–74, the number of those externally recruited was 362 000 on average per quarter in 2016, compared with 2015, when 368 000 persons were externally recruited. The number of externally recruited men and women was 172 000 and 190 000 respectively per quarter in 2016. Among those externally recruited, 40.1 percent, or 145 000 persons, were young people aged 15–24. Young people are more likely to be externally recruited than older persons.

On average, 69 000 persons were internally recruited per quarter in 2016, of which 32 000 were men and 37 000 were women. Internal recruitment is more common in the private sector than in the public sector.

A more detailed report of the labour market situation for the entire population aged 15–74 is available in the Statistical Report for 2016.

Labour force surveys: 2016