Population by Labour market status, September 2025

Population by Labour market status, September 2025

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2025-11-28 8.00

People in employment aged 15 to 74 numbered 5 299 000 in September in 2025. The number of employed increaseb by 13 000 people compared with September 2024. In the 20 to 65 age range, 287 000 people were unemployed. This equals a share of 5.5 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 increased by 13 000 people in September 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 79.9 percent among women and 80.4 percent among men. Compared with September 2024, the employment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points for women and by 0.2 percentage points for men. 

The unemployed

The number of unemployed people aged 20 to 65 in August was 287 000, which is an increase of 9 000 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 an increased unemployment rate among women of 0.2 percentage point, and 0.1 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 September the unemployment rate was, among foreign born people 12.1 percent and among people born in Sweden 3.3 percent.

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

Employed, 15 to 74 years

  September 2025 August 2025 September 2024 Change since September 2024 (%)
Employed 5 299 000 5 319 000 5 285 000 0.3
Women 2 590 000 2 593 000 2 579 000 0.4
Born in Sweden 2 011 000 2 018 000 2 011 000 0.0
Foreign born 579 000 575 000 568 000 2.0
Men 2 709 000 2 726 000 2 706 000 0.1
Born in Sweden 2 081 000 2 097 000 2 084 000 -0.2
Foreign born 628 000 628 000 622 000 0.9

People in the labour force, 20 to 65 years

  September 2025 August 2025 September 2024 Change since September 2024
Employed 4 891 000 4 881 000 4 885 000 0.1
Women 2 388 000 2 381 000 2 380 000 0.3
Men 2 503 000 2 500 000 2 504 000 -0.1
Employment rate (%) 80.2 80.1 80.3 -0.1
Women 79.9 79.7 80.0 -0.1
Born in Sweden 84.8 84.7 84.8 0.0
Foreign born 67.0 66.5 66.9 0.1
Men 80.4 80.4 80.6 -0.2
Born in Sweden 83.9 83.9 84.1 -0.2
Foreign born 71.0 71.0 71.1 0.0
Unemployment 287 000 293 000 277 000 3.4
Women 139 000 143 000 134 000 4.0
Born in Sweden 54 000 56 000 51 000 6.4
Foreign born 85 000 87 000 83 000 2.5
Men 147 000 150 000 143 000 2.9
Born in Sweden 75 000 77 000 71 000 5.5
Foreign born 73 000 73 000 72 000 0.2
Relative unemployment rate (%) 5.5 5.7 5.4 0.2
Women 5.5 5.7 5.3 0.2
Born in Sweden 2.8 3.0 2.7 0.2
Foreign born 13.4 13.8 13.4 0.1
Men 5.6 5.7 5.4 0.1
Born in Sweden 3.8 3.9 3.6 0.2
Foreign born 10.8 11.0 10.9 0.0

People not in the labour force, 20 to 65 years

  September 2025 August 2025 September 2024 Change since September 2024 (%)
Students 115 000 38 000 112 000 2.6
Women 65 000 22 000 63 000 2.2
Men 51 000 16 000 49 000 3.1
Retirees 74 000 77 000 77 000 -4.7
Women 37 000 39 000 39 000 -5.4
Men 37 000 38 000 39 000 -4.0
Sick 226 000 227 000 229 000 -0.9
Women 124 000 125 000 126 000 -1.3
Men 102 000 102 000 102 000 -0.5
Others 508 000 579 000 505 000 0.7
Women 236 000 277 000 235 000 0.6
Men 272 000 302 000 270 000 0.8

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

2025-12-22

Statistical Database

More information is available in the Statistical Database