The change in the number of unemployed and in the unemployment rate for women, between February 2021 and February 2022 may be overestimated. This since unemployment was overestimated in February 2021 and underestimated in February 2022. The distribution among non-respondents might explain the possible underestimation in unemployment this month.

Since 1 January 2021, the Swedish LFS is following the new EU framework regulation on social statistics (Regulation (EU) 2019/1700). More information on the alignment to the regulation is available on the LFS product page under “Information on the introduction of the new 2021 framework regulation in the LFS” (scb.se).

The changes have caused breaks in the LFS time series. To make the series comparable in time, a selection of series has been linked backwards to 2005 according to the new practise. At the same time as the LFS February, these series are published for quarters and years. Later this year further series will be published.

Labour force

In February 2022, there were 5 536 000 persons aged 15–74 in the labour force, not seasonally adjusted. The number of women in the labour force was 2 586 000. The number of men was 2 950 000. The relative labour force participation rate was 73.7. Among women, it was 70.0 percent and among men, it was 77.2.

Seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows an increase in both the number and share of persons in the labour force compared with nearby months. The number of persons in the labour force amounted to 5 581 000 persons, corresponding to a labour force participation rate of 74.3.

Employment

In February 2022, there were 5 101 000 employed persons aged 15─74, not seasonally adjusted, which is an increase of 151 000 compared to the corresponding month a year ago. There were 2 391 000 employed women, an increase of 90 000, and 2 710 000 employed men, an increase of 61 000. The employment rate increased by 2.0 percentage points to 67.9 percent. Among women, the employment rate was 64.7 percent, an increase of 2.4 percentage points. Among men, it was 70.9 percent, an increase of 1.6 percentage points.

Smoothed and seasonally adjusted data indicates an increase in both the number and share of employed persons compared with recent months. There were 5 150 000 employed persons, corresponding to an employment rate of 68.6 percent.

There were 553 000 people absent for the whole week in February 2022. Compared with previous months, smoothed and seasonally adjusted data shows an increase in the number of people absent for the whole week. The number amounted to 833 000.

Employees

In February 2022, there were 4 555 000 employees, not seasonally adjusted. This is an increase of 118 000 compared with the corresponding month last year. Among women, there were 2 252 000 employees, an increase of 82 000. Among men, there were 2 303 000 employees.

There were 3 903 000 permanent employees in the same period. Among women, there were 1 891 000 permanent employees, an increase of 67 000. The number of permanent employees among men was 2 011 000.

There were 652 000 temporary employees. Among them, 361 000 were women and 292 000 were men.

For seasonally adjusted and smoothed data, the number of employees was 4 630 000. The corresponding figure for permanent employees was 3 927 000 and for temporary employees 703 000. Compared with previous months, seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows an increase in the number of employees, and in permanent employees as well as in temporary employees.

Hours worked

The average number of hours worked in February 2022 amounted to 164.6 million per week, not seasonally adjusted.

Seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows a decrease in the average number of hours worked per week compared to nearby months. The number amounted to 150.7 million.

Unemployment

In February 2022, there were 435 000 unemployed persons aged 15–74 years, not seasonally adjusted. This is a decrease of 96 000 compared with the corresponding month last year. It corresponds to an unemployment rate of 7.9 percent, a decrease of 1.8 percentage points compared to February 2021. Among the unemployed persons, there were 195 000 unemployed women, which is a decrease of 68 000. The number of unemployed men amounted to 240 000. Among women, the unemployment rate was 7.5 percent, a decrease of 2.8 percentage points. Among men, the unemployment rate was 8.1. Among those who were unemployed, 160 000 had been unemployed for more than six months.

There were 141 000 unemployed young people aged 15–24 years, corresponding to an unemployment rate of 24.2 percent. Among unemployed young people, 90 000 persons were full-time students.

Among persons aged 15–74 years, seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows a decrease in both the number and share of unemployed persons compared to nearby months. In February 2022 there were 430 000 unemployed persons, which corresponds to an unemployment rate of 7.7 percent.

Among young people aged 15–24, seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows a decrease in both the number and share of unemployed persons compared to nearby months. The number of unemployed young people amounted to 140 000, corresponding to an unemployment rate of 22.4 percent.

Impact of COVID-19 on the labour market

In view of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, additional questions concerning the impact of COVID-19 have been added to the LFS. Based on these questions, 134 000 employed persons aged 15–74 years stated that they were absent during the whole reference week related to COVID-19. This means that among persons who were absent during the entire reference week, 24.6 percent were absent due to COVID-19. This proportion was 24.5 percent among women and 24.7 percent among men.

Among employees aged 15–74 years who were absent during the entire reference week, 25.2 percent, which corresponds to 120 000 persons, stated that their absence was linked to COVID-19. This proportion was 24.7 percent among women and 25.9 percent among men. Furthermore, among employees who were absent during part of the week, 140 000 persons, that is, 23.4 percent, stated that their absence was linked to COVID-19. Among self-employed persons and unpaid family members aged 15–74 years, 32.4 percent felt that they had less work due to the coronavirus pandemic, while 17.8 percent felt that they had more work.

Regarding those people who were not employed in February 2022 and who had finished their work March 2020 or later, 42 000 of them stated that it was as a result of the pandemic.

To be classified as unemployed in the LFS, a person must be without a job, must be able to start work and must have sought work. This means that people who are without a job, but who have not been seeking work or are not available to start work are not classified as being unemployed, but are, instead, not in the labour force. In February 2022, 1 978 000 persons aged 15–74 years were outside the labour force. Among these people, 31 000 stated that they would have been available to work but had not looked for work due to COVID-19.

2022-04-27 08:00.