Citizens from EU/EEA-countries and their relatives 2001-2023
7 out of 10 employed the year after immigration
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2025-12-03 8.00
In 2023, 22 800 immigrants of working age from EU/EEA-countries in registered their residence in Sweden. The majority were men and the most common country of citizenship was Poland. In recent years, the employment rate of registered EU/EEA-citizens has been about 70 percent the year following immigration.
These are the main results from a new report produced by Statistics Sweden (SCB). The statistics are a part of the government assignment 'Work in Sweden', about attracting and retaining international talent.
Immigration from EU/EEA increased following 2004
The number of immigrants from EU/EEA-countries of working age increased after 2004 when the EU nearly doubled the amount of member states. Immigration numbers peaked in 2007 and have since then decreased somewhat over time. In 2023, 22 800 immigrants from EU/EEA-countries of working age registered in Sweden. The majority of them were men (58 percent) and most of them were young. The median age of EU/EEA-immigrants in 2023 where 32 years for women and 34 years for men. Out of the 22 800 registered EU/EEA-immigrants in 2023, 20 percent moved here as a couple.
Increased immigration from EU/EEA after EU-expansion
Poland was the most common country of citizenship
The most common country of citizenship for EU/EEA-immigrants registered in 2023 was Poland, followed by Germany and Romania. It was mostly men that came from Poland and Romania. The gender distribution was more even for citizens from Germany and it was also the most common country that couples came from.
72 percent were employed in 2023
Out of all the EU/EEA-immigrants remaining in Sweden the year following immigration, 7 out of 10 has been employed in recent years. The employment rate has been higher for men than for women over time.
Higher employment rate among men
Construction was the most common industry
Among the EU/EEA-immigrants who were employed in Sweden in 2023 (the year following immigration), construction was the most common industry. Workers in construction were mainly men (93 percent). The second most common industry were hotels and restaurants and it displayed a more even gender distribution.
Definitions and explanations
Description of the population
The statistics cover immigrants from countries within EU/EEA, Switzerland and permanent residents from countries outside the EU/EEA, so-called third countries – called EU/EEA-citizens in the report – that moved to Sweden for the first time 2001–2023. Some of them moved here as a couple. Immigrants that stayed shorter than one year cannot register their residence and are not included in the statistics. Important background variables are age and latest country of citizenship. The main aim is to describe the individual’s employment status.
Employment
Employment numbers refer to the year following immigration and is collected from Statistic Sweden’s longitudinal integration database for health insurance and labour market studies (LISA) and the population by Labour market status (BAS).
A person classified as employed according to BAS has received payment for work during the month of November during the reference year. In order to classify as unemployed, the individual must have received unemployment compensation or be registered as unemployed by the Swedish employment agency.
Adjustments
The numbers regarding retention and employment are adjusted for suspected overcoverage in the population register.
Work in Sweden
This report is part of Statistics Sweden’s joint work with other authorities on the government assignment to attract, establish, and retain international expertise, Work in Sweden. The report focuses on citizens from EU/EEA-countries and their relatives.