Employments April 2026

The increase in the number of employments continues

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2026-06-30 8.00

The number of ongoing employments increased by 1.1 percent compared to April the previous year. During the same period, hours worked increased by 3.2 percent, amounting to 682 million hours. The proportion of sickness absence was 1.7 percent. The total gross pay was 208 000 million SEK.

Ongoing employments

The number of ongoing employments increased in April 2026 by 1.1 percent compared to the same period the previous year, amounting to 5 441 000.

The number of employments lasting more than six months was
4 313 000 and the number of employments lasting six months or less was 1 128 000.

Percentage change compared to the same month in the previous year

Hours worked

The total number of hours worked amounted to 682 million, which was an increase of 3.2 percent compared to the same period the previous year.

Gross pay

The total gross pay amounted to 208 000 million SEK, which was an increase of 4.3 percent compared to the same period the previous year.

Proportion of sickness absence

The total proportion of sickness absence for April 2026 was 1.7 percent. For women, it was 2.0 percent, while for men it was 1.4 percent.

Ongoing employments, length of employment and flow in employments

  April 2026 Change compared to the same period the previous year Proportion of ongoing employments
  Number Number (%) (%)
Ongoing employments 5 441 000 57 000 1.1 100.0
Women 2 666 000 28 000 1.1 49.0
Men 2 774 000 29 000 1.1 51.0
Length of employments > 6 months 4 313 000 43 000 1.0 79.3
Women 2 102 000 24 000 1.1 38.6
Men 2 211 000 19 000 0.9 40.6
Length of employments <= 6 months 1 128 000 15 000 1.3 20.7
Women 565 000 4 000 0.8 10.4
Men 563 000 10 000 1.9 10.4
Started employments 204 000 4 000 1.8 3.8
Women 98 000 2 000 2.3 1.8
Men 106 000 1 000 1.4 1.9
Terminated employments 191 000 -7 000 -3.4 ..
Women 94 000 -3 000 -2.8 ..
Men 97 000 -4 000 -3.9 ..

Proportion of sickness absence

  April 2026
  Proportion (%) Change compared to the same period the previous year, percentage points
Total 1.7 -0.1
Women 2.0 -0.1
Men 1.4 0.0
Business sector 1.6 0.0
Central government 1.3 -0.1
Regions 2.3 -0.1
Municipalities 2.5 -0.1

Definitions and explanations

Employments (ANST) consists of two parts. One part is register-based and is based on employer declarations at the individual level (PAYE) collected by the Swedish Tax Agency. The second part consists of the Sickness Absence during the Sick Pay Period (SuS), a sample survey where Statistics Sweden collects the data from employers.

The purpose of the register-based part is to depict the state of the labour market and its development over time. The statistics are used, among other things, for economic forecasts and are part of the European Union's labour market statistics.

The variable worked time is not entirely register-based; instead, it is derived from a model.

The purpose of SuS is to highlight sickness absence during the sick pay period, which is the first 14 days of sickness absence funded by the employer. The statistics are used for forecasts, analyses, and decision-making.

Next publishing will be

2026-08-28

Statistical Database

More information is available in the Statistical Database