Swedish Jobless Rate Highest Since 2021

Sweden’s unemployment rate fell to 8.8% in February 2026 from 9.4% in the same month a year earlier. The total number of unemployed people decreased by 25,800 compared to February 2024, reaching 507,000, including 233,000 women and 274,000 men, corresponding to unemployment rates of 8.5% and 9.1% respectively. Among young people aged 15-24, 169,000 were unemployed, corresponding to a youth unemployment rate of 24.5%, of whom 128,000 were full-time students. Meanwhile, employment among people aged 15-74 rose by 92,000 to 5.25 million, including 2.501 million women and 2.749 million men. The number of long-term unemployed, defined as those jobless for at least 27 weeks, reached 180,000, with 90,000 women and 90,000 men. The average total number of hours worked per week was 170.6 million. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the unemployment rate was 8.5%, while youth unemployment stood at 23.2%.

Sweden’s unemployment rate fell to 8.6% in January 2026 from 10.4% in the same month a year earlier. The total number of unemployed people decreased by 102,000 compared to January 2025, reaching 490,000, comprising 225,000 women and 264,000 men, with unemployment rates of 8.3% for women and 8.9% for men. The number of unemployed young people aged 15–24 fell by 5,300 to 148,000, corresponding to a youth unemployment rate of 23.3%. Meanwhile, the number of employed people aged 15–74 increased by 85,000 to 5.194 million. The number of people in long-term unemployment (unemployed for at least 27 weeks) stood at 191,000, including 94,000 women and 98,000 men. The average total number of hours worked per week amounted to 128.6 million. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the unemployment rate was 8.7%, while youth unemployment stood at 23.9%.

Sweden’s unemployment rate rose to 8.3% in December 2025 from 8% in the same month of the previous year. The total number of unemployed people increased by 23.1 thousand compared to a year earlier, reaching 476.8 thousand, comprising 212,000 women and 265,000 men, with unemployment rates of 7.7% for women and 8.9% for men. The number of unemployed young people aged 15-24, grew by 5.6 thousand to 141.2 thousand, corresponding to an unemployment rate of 21.5%. Meanwhile, employment went up by 61.6 thousand to 5.252 million, lifting the employment rate by 0.6 percentage points to 68.1% and the labor force participation rate by 0.9 percentage points to 75%. The average total number of hours worked per week amounted to 151.3 million. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the unemployment rate stood at 9%.