Population by Labour market status, December 2025
Population by Labour market status, December 2025
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2026-02-27 8.00
People in employment aged 15 to 74 numbered 5 187 000 in December in 2025. The number of employed increased by 19 000 people compared with December 2024. In the 20 to 65 age range, 285 000 people were unemployed. This equals a share of 5.6 percent expressed as a percentage of the labour force and a decrease of 0.1 percentage points compared with the same period of the previous year.
People in employment
The number of people in employment aged 15 to 74 increased by 19 000 people in December 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 78.4 percent among women and 79.3 percent among men. Compared with December 2024, the employment rate increased by 0.1 percentage points for men and was unchanged for women.
The unemployed
The number of unemployed people aged 20 to 65 in November was 285 000, which is a decrease of 4 000 compared to the same period the previous year.
The relative unemployment rate - the proportion of unemployed people in relation to the labour force - was 5.5 percent for women and 5.6 percent for men. This equals a decreased unemployment rate among men of 0.1 percentage point and is unchanged among women compared with the same period of 2024.
Unemployment is higher among foreign born people than among those born in Sweden. In November the unemployment rate was, among foreign born people 12.0 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
| December 2025 | November 2025 | December 2024 | Change since December 2024 (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed | 5 187 000 | 5 182 000 | 5 168 000 | 0.4 |
| Women | 2 530 000 | 2 526 000 | 2 519 000 | 0.4 |
| Born in Sweden | 1 959 000 | 1 955 000 | 1 960 000 | 0 |
| Foreign born | 571 000 | 570 000 | 559 000 | 2 |
| Men | 2 657 000 | 2 656 000 | 2 650 000 | 0.3 |
| Born in Sweden | 2 037 000 | 2 035 000 | 2 037 000 | 0 |
| Foreign born | 621 000 | 621 000 | 612 000 | 1.4 |
People in the labour force, 20 to 65 years
| December 2025 | November 2025 | December 2024 | Change since December 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed | 4 813 000 | 4 810 000 | 4 800 000 | 0.3 |
| Women | 2 344 000 | 2 342 000 | 2 336 000 | 0.4 |
| Men | 2 469 000 | 2 467 000 | 2 464 000 | 0.2 |
| Employment rate (%) | 78.9 | 78.8 | 78.8 | 0.1 |
| Women | 78.4 | 78.3 | 78.3 | 0.0 |
| Born in Sweden | 83.1 | 83 | 83.1 | -0.1 |
| Foreign born | 66 | 66 | 65.6 | 0.4 |
| Men | 79.3 | 79.2 | 79.2 | 0.1 |
| Born in Sweden | 82.6 | 82.5 | 82.7 | 0.0 |
| Foreign born | 70.4 | 70.3 | 69.9 | 0.5 |
| Unemployment | 285 000 | 284 000 | 289 000 | -1.3 |
| Women | 138 000 | 138 000 | 138 000 | -0.5 |
| Born in Sweden | 54 000 | 54 000 | 52 000 | 3.0 |
| Foreign born | 84 000 | 84 000 | 86 000 | -2.6 |
| Men | 147 000 | 147 000 | 151 000 | -2.2 |
| Born in Sweden | 76 000 | 75 000 | 75 000 | 1.6 |
| Foreign born | 71 000 | 72 000 | 76 000 | -5.9 |
| Relative unemployment rate (%) | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.7 | -0.1 |
| Women | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 0.0 |
| Born in Sweden | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 0.1 |
| Foreign born | 13.3 | 13.4 | 13.9 | -0.5 |
| Men | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.8 | -0.1 |
| Born in Sweden | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 0.1 |
| Foreign born | 10.8 | 10.8 | 11.5 | -0.7 |
People not in the labour force, 20 to 65 years
| December 2025 | November 2025 | December 2024 | Change since December 2024 (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 170 000 | 199 000 | 180 000 | -5.3 |
| Women | 96 000 | 113 000 | 102 000 | -5.6 |
| Men | 74 000 | 86 000 | 78 000 | -4.9 |
| Retirees | 72 000 | 73 000 | 73 000 | -1.9 |
| Women | 35 000 | 36 000 | 36 000 | -2.3 |
| Men | 36 000 | 37 000 | 37 000 | -1.5 |
| Sick | 225 000 | 226 000 | 229 000 | -1.4 |
| Women | 124 000 | 124 000 | 126 000 | -1.6 |
| Men | 102 000 | 102 000 | 103 000 | -1.1 |
| Others | 539 000 | 514 000 | 522 000 | 3.2 |
| Women | 255 000 | 239 000 | 244 000 | 4.3 |
| Men | 284 000 | 275 000 | 278 000 | 2.3 |
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.