Population by Labour market status, February 2026
Population by Labour market status, February 2026
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2026-04-28 8.00
People in employment aged 15 to 74 numbered 5 123 000 in February 2026. The number of employed increased by 27 000 people compared with February 2025. In the 20 to 65 age range, 297 000 people were unemployed. This equals a share of 5.8 percent expressed as a percentage of the labour force and a decrease of 0.2 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 27 000 people in February 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 78.1 percent among women and 78.8 percent among men. Compared with February 2025 the employment rate increased by 0.3 percentage points for men and 0.2 for women.
The unemployed
The number of unemployed people aged 20 to 65 in February was 297 000, which is a decrease of 11 000 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 women and 6.0 percent for men. This equals a decreased unemployment rate among men of 0.3 percentage point and among women of 0.2 percentage points compared with the same period of 2025.
Unemployment is higher among foreign born people than among those born in Sweden. In January the unemployment rate was, among foreign born people 12.3 percent and among people born in Sweden 3.7 percent.
Change in the relative unemployment rate compared to the same period the previous year, 20 to 64 years
Employed, 15 to 74 years
| February 2026 | January 2026 | February 2025 | Change since February 2025 (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed | 5 123 000 | 5 135 000 | 5 095 000 | 0.5 |
| Women | 2 501 000 | 2 506 000 | 2 487 000 | 0.6 |
| Born in Sweden | 1 934 000 | 1 938 000 | 1 931 000 | 0.2 |
| Foreign born | 567 000 | 568 000 | 555 000 | 2.2 |
| Men | 2 621 000 | 2 629 000 | 2 609 000 | 0.5 |
| Born in Sweden | 2 006 000 | 2 012 000 | 2 004 000 | 0.1 |
| Foreign born | 615 000 | 617 000 | 605 000 | 1.7 |
People in the labour force, 20 to 65 years
| February 2026 | January 2026 | February 2025 | Change since February 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed | 4 790 000 | 4 800 000 | 4 769 000 | 0.4 |
| Women | 2 337 000 | 2 341 000 | 2 326 000 | 0.5 |
| Men | 2 452 000 | 2 459 000 | 2 444 000 | 0.3 |
| Employment rate (%) | 78.5 | 78.6 | 78.3 | 0.2 |
| Women | 78.1 | 78.2 | 77.9 | 0.2 |
| Born in Sweden | 82.8 | 82.9 | 82.7 | 0.0 |
| Foreign born | 65.8 | 65.9 | 65.3 | 0.6 |
| Men | 78.8 | 79.0 | 78.6 | 0.3 |
| Born in Sweden | 82.0 | 82.3 | 82.0 | 0.0 |
| Foreign born | 70.1 | 70.3 | 69.2 | 0.9 |
| Unemployment | 297 000 | 295 000 | 308 000 | -3.5 |
| Women | 142 000 | 142 000 | 145 000 | -2.4 |
| Born in Sweden | 57 000 | 57 000 | 56 000 | 0.4 |
| Foreign born | 85 000 | 85 000 | 89 000 | -4.2 |
| Men | 155 000 | 153 000 | 163 000 | -4.4 |
| Born in Sweden | 82 000 | 81 000 | 82 000 | -0.2 |
| Foreign born | 74 000 | 73 000 | 81 000 | -8.7 |
| Relative unemployment rate (%) | 5.8 | 5.8 | 6.1 | -0.2 |
| Women | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.9 | -0.2 |
| Born in Sweden | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 0.0 |
| Foreign born | 13.6 | 13.6 | 14.3 | -0.8 |
| Men | 6.0 | 5.9 | 6.2 | -0.3 |
| Born in Sweden | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 0.0 |
| Foreign born | 11.1 | 11.0 | 12.2 | -1.1 |
People not in the labour force, 20 to 65 years
| February 2026 | January 2026 | February 2025 | Change since February 2025 (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 195 000 | 173 000 | 196 000 | -0.8 |
| Women | 110 000 | 97 000 | 111 000 | -1.0 |
| Men | 85 000 | 76 000 | 86 000 | -0.6 |
| Retirees | 74 000 | 74 000 | 76 000 | -2.8 |
| Women | 36 000 | 36 000 | 37 000 | -3.2 |
| Men | 38 000 | 38 000 | 38 000 | -2.4 |
| Sick | 224 000 | 226 000 | 228 000 | -1.6 |
| Women | 123 000 | 124 000 | 125 000 | -1.8 |
| Men | 101 000 | 102 000 | 103 000 | -1.4 |
| Others | 524 000 | 536 000 | 517 000 | 1.5 |
| Women | 244 000 | 252 000 | 239 000 | 2.2 |
| Men | 280 000 | 284 000 | 277 000 | 0.9 |
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.
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