To main content

Labour Force Surveys (LFS), August 2019

Unemployment increased

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2019-09-17 9.30

In August 2019 there were 5 129 000 employed persons. The unemployment rate was 7.1 percent, an increase of 1.0 percentage points compared with August 2018. The number of hours worked per week amounted to 134.0 million on average. Smoothed and seasonally adjusted data indicates a decrease in the employment rate and an increase in the unemployment rate. The unemployment rate was 7.1 percent.

The figures in this statistical news release are based on collected data that contains quality deficiencies. Revised LFS figures have been published and are available here:

Labour Force Surveys

In August 2019, there were 5 129 000 employed persons aged 15─74, not seasonally adjusted. The number of employed men was 2 674 000. The number of employed women was 2 455 000. This was the fourth consecutive month in which the employment did not increase compared with the same month a year earlier. Prior to that, the number of employed persons had increased every month since September 2016.

The employment rate was 68.3 percent, a decrease of 0.9 percentage points compared with the same month a year earlier. Among men, the employment rate decreased by 1.4 percentage points to 69.9 percent. Among women, the employment rate was 66.5 percent. Smoothed and seasonally adjusted data indicates a decrease in both the number of employed persons and the employment rate, compared with recent months. In August 2019, there were 5 103 000 employed persons, which corresponds to an employment rate of 67.9 percent.

There were 4 660 000 employees aged 15─74 in August 2019, not seasonally adjusted. Among men, the number of employees was 2 336 000. Among women the number was 2 324 000. The number of permanent employees was 3 854 000 in the same period. Among men, the number of permanent employees was 1 976 000. Among women the number was 1 878 000.

There were 806 000 temporary employees. Among men, there were 361 000 temporary employees, a decrease of 34 000 compared with August 2018. Among women the number of temporary employees was 446 000. Compared with nearby months, smoothed and seasonally adjusted data shows minor changes in the number of permanent employees and a decrease in the number of temporary employees.

On average, the number of hours worked in August 2019 amounted to 134.0 million per week, not seasonally adjusted. Smoothed and seasonally adjusted data showed a decrease in the number of hours worked per week compared with recent months. On average, the number of hours worked amounted to 156.2 million per week in August 2019.

In August 2019, there were 393 000 unemployed persons aged 15─74, not seasonally adjusted, an increase of 56 000 compared with August 2018. The number of unemployed men increased by 33 000 to 208 000. There were 185 000 unemployed women. The unemployment rate was 7.1 percent, an increase of 1.0 percentage points compared with August 2018. The unemployment rate was 7.0 percent among women. Among men the unemployment rate increased by 1.1 percentage points to 7.2 percent.

Among young persons aged 15─24 there were 115 000 unemployed persons, an increase of 24 000 compared to August 2018. The unemployment rate among young people was 18.2 percent, an increase of 4.3 percent compared with August 2018. Among the unemployed young persons, 18 000 were full-time students.

Among persons aged 15–74, smoothed and seasonally adjusted data shows an increase in both the number of unemployed persons and the unemployment rate, compared with nearby months. There were 390 000 unemployed persons in August 2019, which corresponds to an unemployment rate of 7.1 percent. The last time the unemployment rate was at this level was in December 2015.

Among young persons aged 15─24, smoothed and seasonally adjusted data shows an increase in both the number of unemployed persons and the unemployment rate. There were 115 000 unemployed young persons, which corresponds to an unemployment rate of 19.4 percent.

Employment rate, persons aged 15–74
Namnlös

Employment rate by sex, smoothed and seasonally adjusted data, persons aged 15–74
Namnlös

Unemployment rate, persons aged 15–74
Namnlös

Unemployment rate by sex, smoothed and seasonally adjusted data, persons aged 15–74
Namnlös

Next publishing will be

2019-10-17 at 9:30.

Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.

Statistical agency and producer

Statistics Sweden, Labour Force Surveys

Address
Solna strandväg 86
171 54 Solna
E-mail
aku@scb.se

Enquiries

Linnea Wikmark Kreuger

Telephone
+46 10 479 44 97
E-mail
linnea.wikmarkkreuger@scb.se

Cajsa Krabbe

Telephone
+46 10-479 43 95
E-mail
cajsa.krabbe@scb.se