Population by Labour market status, January 2026
Population by Labour market status, January 2026
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2026-03-31 8.00
People in employment aged 15 to 74 numbered 5 135 000 in January 2026. The number of employed increased by 28 000 people compared with January 2025. In the 20 to 65 age range, 295 000 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 28 000 people in January 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 78.2 percent among women and 79.0 percent among men. Compared with January 2025, the employment rate increased by 0.2 percentage points for both men and women.
The unemployed
The number of unemployed people aged 20 to 65 in January was 295 000, which is a decrease of 10 000 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 5.9 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 12.2 percent and among people born in Sweden 3.6 percent.
Change in the relative unemployment rate compared to the same period the previous year, 20 to 64 years
Employed, 15 to 74 years
| January 2026 | December 2025 | January 2025 | Change since January 2025 (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed | 5 135 000 | 5 187 000 | 5 107 000 | 0.5 |
| Women | 2 506 000 | 2 530 000 | 2 490 000 | 0.6 |
| Born in Sweden | 1 938 000 | 1 959 000 | 1 935 000 | 0.2 |
| Foreign born | 568 000 | 571 000 | 555 000 | 2.2 |
| Men | 2 629 000 | 2 657 000 | 2 617 000 | 0.5 |
| Born in Sweden | 2 012 000 | 2 037 000 | 2 010 000 | 0.1 |
| Foreign born | 617 000 | 621 000 | 607 000 | 1.7 |
People in the labour force, 20 to 65 years
| January 2026 | December 2025 | January 2025 | Change since January 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed | 4 800 000 | 4 813 000 | 4 779 000 | 0.4 |
| Women | 2 341 000 | 2 344 000 | 2 328 000 | 0.5 |
| Men | 2 459 000 | 2 469 000 | 2 451 000 | 0.3 |
| Employment rate (%) | 78.6 | 78.9 | 78.4 | 0.2 |
| Women | 78.2 | 78.4 | 78.1 | 0.2 |
| Born in Sweden | 82.9 | 83.1 | 82.8 | 0.1 |
| Foreign born | 65.9 | 66.0 | 65.3 | 0.6 |
| Men | 79.0 | 79.3 | 78.8 | 0.2 |
| Born in Sweden | 82.3 | 82.6 | 82.2 | 0.0 |
| Foreign born | 70.3 | 70.4 | 69.5 | 0.8 |
| Unemployment | 295 000 | 285 000 | 305 000 | -3.3 |
| Women | 142 000 | 138 000 | 146 000 | -2.4 |
| Born in Sweden | 57 000 | 54 000 | 56 000 | 0.7 |
| Foreign born | 85 000 | 84 000 | 89 000 | -4.3 |
| Men | 153 000 | 147 000 | 160 000 | -4.1 |
| Born in Sweden | 81 000 | 76 000 | 80 000 | 0.1 |
| Foreign born | 73 000 | 71 000 | 79 000 | -8.4 |
| Relative unemployment rate (%) | 5.8 | 5.6 | 6.0 | -0.2 |
| Women | 5.7 | 5.5 | 5.9 | -0.2 |
| Born in Sweden | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 0.0 |
| Foreign born | 13.6 | 13.3 | 14.3 | -0.8 |
| Men | 5.9 | 5.6 | 6.1 | -0.3 |
| Born in Sweden | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 0.0 |
| Foreign born | 11.0 | 10.8 | 12.0 | -1.0 |
People not in the labour force, 20 to 65 years
| January 2026 | December 2025 | January 2025 | Change since January 2025 (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 173 000 | 170 000 | 175 000 | -1.4 |
| Women | 97 000 | 96 000 | 98 000 | -1.4 |
| Men | 76 000 | 74 000 | 77 000 | -1.4 |
| Retirees | 74 000 | 72 000 | 76 000 | -2.2 |
| Women | 36 000 | 35 000 | 37 000 | -2.7 |
| Men | 38 000 | 36 000 | 38 000 | -1.8 |
| Sick | 226 000 | 225 000 | 229 000 | -1.4 |
| Women | 124 000 | 124 000 | 126 000 | -1.6 |
| Men | 102 000 | 102 000 | 103 000 | -1.2 |
| Others | 536 000 | 539 000 | 529 000 | 1.4 |
| Women | 252 000 | 255 000 | 247 000 | 2.0 |
| Men | 284 000 | 284 000 | 282 000 | 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.