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Young people may miss out on billions in summer wages

Last updated: 2020-06-02

Many young people are at a risk of not having a summer job due to the coronavirus pandemic. These jobs are mainly in trade, tourism and public activities, according to Statistics Sweden’s figures.

Many young people are at a risk of not having a summer job due to the coronavirus pandemic

Shuttered amusement parks, no social care jobs and less border trade means fewer summer jobs to apply for this year. Last year, upper secondary school pupils earned just over SEK 6 billion in salaries and wages from their jobs during the summer months between June and September.

August is the main month in which young people aged 16–19 years have an income from a job. In 2019, they earned SEK 2.3 billion in total during that month.

In August, 23 percent of summer workers had an income from jobs in the public sector and 77 percent worked in the business sector. The average income for young people aged 16–19 years was SEK 11 700 in the public sector, while incomes were somewhat lower in the private sector.

“The availability of summer jobs varies among the sectors across the country. In municipalities close to the Norwegian border, such as Strömstad, there are many summer jobs in trade. The hotel and restaurant sector offers many job opportunities for young people in municipalities such as Båstad, Sunne, and Borgholm,” says Fredrik W Andersson, statistician at Statistics Sweden.

The number of upper secondary school pupils working varies greatly among the municipalities. In August, 84 percent of the pupils in Borgholm and Gotland had an income from jobs, while the corresponding figure in Lidingö in Stockholm County was 38 percent.

The incomes also vary greatly. In Gällivare, Kiruna, Överkalix and Arvidsjaur, young people aged 16–19 years earned between SEK 19 000 and SEK 20 600 in August 2019. The four municipalities with the lowest average income were Sundbyberg, Danderyd, Täby and Lidingö, with average incomes between SEK 8 700 and SEK 9 800 during the same month.

In total, young people aged 16–19 years earned SEK 11.8 billion in the entire 2019 income year.

The Excel file below presents statistics on summer jobs for all municipalities.

Facts: The largest percentage of upper secondary school pupils had summer jobs here

The municipalities in which the largest percentage of upper secondary school pupils had summer jobs in 2019:

1) Borgholm, 84.5 percent
2) Tanum, 84.3
3) Strömstad, 84.2
4) Sorsele, 83.9
5) Dorotea, 81.6
6) Sotenäs, 79.8
7) Ödeshög, 78.5
8) Tjörn, 77.6
9) Hjo, 77.6
10) Gotland, 77.4

Facts: The smallest percentage of upper secondary school pupils had summer jobs here

281) Forshaga, 41.6 procent
282) Stockholm, 41.2
283) Degerfors, 40.9
284) Botkyrka, 40.8
285) Danderyd, 40.4
286) Burlöv, 40.2
287) Storfors, 40.1
288) Lund, 39
289) Järfälla, 38.3
290) Lidingö, 37.9

Links:

Statistics on summer jobs, by municipality (Excel file)

Read more articles at scb.se on how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting society