Swedish Jobless Rate Rises to 8.9%

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%.

Sweden’s unemployment rate climbed to 8.2% in November 2025 from 7.4% in the same month of the previous year. The total number of unemployed people increased by 52.4 thousand compared to a year earlier, reaching 470.4 thousand, comprising 217,000 women and 253,000 men, with unemployment rates of 8.0% for women and 8.4% for men. The number of unemployed young people aged 15–24, went up by 27.8 thousand to 155.2 thousand, corresponding to an unemployment rate of 23.8%. Meanwhile, employment rose by 73.2 thousand to 5.275 million, lifting the employment rate by 0.7 percentage points to 69% and the labor force participation rate by 1.4 percentage points to 75.2%. The average total number of hours worked per week amounted to 171.4 million. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the unemployment rate stood at 9%.

Sweden’s unemployment rate climbed to 8.9% in October 2025 from 7.8% in the same month of the previous year. This marked the highest level since June, as the number of unemployed people increased by 71.4 thousand compared to a year earlier, totaling to 509.1 thousand, while employment rose by 21.8 thousand to 5.214 million. The employment rate remained unchanged at 68.2%, while the labor force participation rate went up by 1 percentage point to 74.9%. The average total number of hours worked per week amounted to 178.1 million. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the unemployment rate was 9%.