Population by Labour market status, August 2025

Population by Labour market status, August 2025

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2025-10-30 8.00

People in employment aged 15 to 74 numbered 5 319 000 in August in 2025. The number of employed was essentially unchanged, with only a marginal increase of 2 000 people compared with August 2024. In the 20 to 65 age range, 293 000 people were unemployed. This equals a share of 5.7 percent expressed as a percentage of the labour force and is an increase of 0.2 percentage point compared with the same period of the previous year.

People in employment

The number of people in employment aged 15 to 74 was essentially unchanged in August compared to the same period the previous year, but the trend varies depending on sex and region of birth.

Percentage change in the number of employed compared to the same period the previous year, 15 to 74 years

In the 20 to 65 age range the employment rate – the number of employed people in relation to the population – was 79.7 percent among women and 80.4 percent among men. Compared with August 2024, the employment rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points for women and by 0.3 percentage points for men. 

The unemployed

The number of unemployed people aged 20 to 65 in August was 293 000, which is an increase of 13 000 compared to the same period the previous year.

The relative unemployment rate - the proportion of unemployed people in relation to the labour force - was 5.7 percent for both women and men. This equals an increased unemployment rate among women of 0.3 percentage point, and 0.2 percentage point among men compared with the same period of 2024.

Unemployment is higher among foreign born people than among those born in Sweden. In August the unemployment rate was, among foreign born people 12.3 percent and among people born in Sweden 3.4 percent.

Change in the relative unemployment rate compared to the same period the previous year, 20 to 64 years

Employed, 15 to 74 years

  August 2025 July 2025 August 2024 Change since August 2024 (%)
Employed 5 319 000 5 369 000 5 317 000 0.0
Women 2 593 000 2 623 000 2 589 000 0.2
Born in Sweden 2 018 000 2 040 000 2 024 000 -0.3
Foreign born 575 000 584 000 564 000 1.9
Men 2 726 000 2 745 000 2 729 000 -0.1
Born in Sweden 2 097 000 2 113 000 2 105 000 -0.4
Foreign born 628 000 632 000 624 000 0.7

People in the labour force, 20 to 65 years

  August 2025 July 2025 August 2024 Change since August 2024
Employed 4 881 000 4 908 000 4 880 000 0.0
Women 2 381 000 2 398 000 2 376 000 0.2
Men 2 500 000 2 510 000 2 504 000 -0.2
Employment rate (%) 80.1 80.6 80.3 -0.2
Women 79.7 80.4 79.9 -0.2
Born in Sweden 84.7 85.2 84.9 -0.2
Foreign born 66.5 67.5 66.6 0.0
Men 80.4 80.7 80.7 -0.3
Born in Sweden 83.9 84.2 84.1 -0.3
Foreign born 71.0 71.4 71.2 -0.2
Unemployment 293 000 282 000 280 000 4.6
Women 143 000 136 000 136 000 5.4
Born in Sweden 56 000 53 000 52 000 8.4
Foreign born 87 000 83 000 84 000 3.5
Men 150 000 146 000 144 000 3.9
Born in Sweden 77 000 74 000 72 000 6.6
Foreign born 73 000 72 000 72 000 1.3
Relative unemployment rate (%) 5.7 5.4 5.4 0.2
Women 5.7 5.4 5.4 0.3
Born in Sweden 3.0 2.8 2.7 0.2
Foreign born 13.8 13.1 13.6 0.2
Men 5.7 5.5 5.4 0.2
Born in Sweden 3.9 3.7 3.6 0.2
Foreign born 11.0 10.7 10.9 0.1

People not in the labour force, 20 to 65 years

  August 2025 July 2025 August 2024 Change since August 2024 (%)
Students 38 000 25 000 37 000 1.5
Women 22 000 14 000 21 000 1.1
Men 16 000 10 000 16 000 2.1
Retirees 77 000 73 000 80 000 -4.2
Women 39 000 36 000 41 000 -5.1
Men 38 000 37 000 40 000 -3.3
Sick 227 000 227 000 229 000 -0.8
Women 125 000 125 000 127 000 -1.2
Men 102 000 102 000 103 000 -0.3
Others 579 000 578 000 569 000 1.8
Women 277 000 275 000 272 000 1.9
Men 302 000 303 000 297 000 1.7

Definitions and explanations

BAS, Population by Labour market status, presents statistics based on administrative data concerning aspects such as number of people in employment, unemployed people, and people outside the labour force for the registered population aged 15 to 74. The statistics can be used to describe current status, but also the progression over time. It illuminates both the entire population and smaller groups, such as detailed age groups at the municipal level.

The statistics contain estimates of the number of people broken down by labour market status: Employed, unemployed, student, retiree, sick and others. The definition of labour market status is hierarchical, which means that a person can only be assigned one labour market status, and it is determined according to the order of precedence above.

The labour force consists of employed people and the unemployed.

The labour market status categories that are outside the labour force are student, retiree, sick and others. There are fewer people outside the labour force in the summer than during other parts of the year. This is mainly because some people who are students during term time work during the summer and are then classified as employed.

Next publishing will be

2025-11-28

Statistical Database

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