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Labour statistics based on administrative sources (RAMS) and gross pay statistics based on administrative sources (LSUM) 2020

The number of gainfully employed persons decreased by 1.6 percent

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2021-11-25 9.30

The number of gainfully employed persons decreased by 79 800 people in 2020 compared with the previous year, a decrease of 1.6 percent. Gross pay increased by 1.0 percent in the corresponding period.

In 2020, there were 4 981 700 gainfully employed persons, a decrease of 1.6 percent compared with 2019. Among all gainfully employed persons, women accounted for 2 399 100, equivalent to 48.2 percent, and men accounted for 2 582 700, equivalent to 51.8 percent. Gross pay increased by 1.0 percent compared with the previous year and amounted to SEK 1 886 billion in 2020. Women’s gross pay increased by 1.4 percent and men’s gross pay increased by 0.8 percent.

Proportion of gainfully employed people aged dropped among those aged 20-64 years

In 2020, the proportion of the population that was gainfully employed was 78.3 percent among people aged 20 to 64 years. The proportion of gainfully employed people was 77.5 percent among women and 79.1 percent among men. The highest proportion of gainfully employed women was 81.6 percent, in Jämtland County, and the highest proportion of gainfully employed men was 82.9 percent, in Jönköping County. Among both women and men, the proportion of those gainfully employed was lowest in Skåne County, at 73.6 percent for women and 75.1 percent for men. The proportion of gainfully employed people decreased across all counties between 2019 and 2020.

Proportion of population gainfully employed and change in the gross pay compared with a year ago, by sex and county, 2020
  Proportion of population gainfully employed persons, 20-64 years (%) Change in proportion of population gainfylly employed, 20-64 years (percentage points) Change in gross pay (%)
  Women Men Women Men Women Men
Blekinge 77.7 78.2 ‑0.3 ‑0.4 1.5 ‑0.2
Dalarna 79.2 81.0 ‑0.6 ‑0.8 0.7 ‑0.4
Gotland 80.2 79.8 ‑0.3 ‑0.2 2.1 1.2
Gävleborg 77.5 79.8 ‑0.3 ‑0.5 0.8 ‑0.5
Halland 81.5 82.6 ‑0.8 ‑1.0 1.8 1.1
Jämtland 81.6 82.3 ‑0.2 ‑0.6 1.1 0.7
Jönköping 79.7 82.9 ‑0.9 ‑0.9 0.7 ‑0.5
Kalmar 78.4 80.8 ‑0.5 ‑0.4 0.8 ‑0.1
Kronoberg 77.3 80.1 ‑1.0 ‑0.9 0.5 ‑0.6
Norrbotten 81.2 81.5 ‑0.2 ‑0.2 0.5 0.4
Skåne 73.6 75.1 ‑0.6 ‑0.6 2 1.7
Stockholm 78.3 79.3 ‑1.3 ‑1.2 1.9 1.8
Södermanland 75.9 77.9 ‑0.7 ‑1.4 2 ‑0.8
Uppsala 76.6 78.4 ‑1.5 ‑1.6 2.1 1.1
Värmland 77.1 76.7 ‑0.9 ‑1.0 0.5 ‑1.1
Västerbotten 78.7 80.7 ‑0.9 ‑0.9 1.3 0.6
Västernorrland 79.8 81.3 ‑0.2 ‑0.4 0.7 0
Västmanland 76.5 79.5 ‑1.1 ‑1.1 1.2 ‑0.4
Västra Götaland 77.8 79.6 ‑1.1 ‑1.2 0.6 0.1
Örebro 76.7 78.9 ‑0.9 ‑1.1 0.9 ‑0.2
Östergötland 76.8 78.6 ‑0.3 ‑0.8 1.5 0.8
National level 77.5 79.1 ‑0.9 ‑1.0 1.4 0.8

Largest share of women is in health and social care

Among women, the largest number was employed in health and social care, 27 percent, which corresponds to 636 800 people, followed by education, 17 percent. Among men, the largest number was employed in mining, quarrying and manufacturing, 16 percent, which corresponds to 405 500 persons, followed by business services, at 13 percent. The distribution of gross pay also shows that, among women, the largest percentage was employed in health and social care, at 26 percent, followed by the education sector, at 16 percent. Among men, the largest proportions of gross pay were in mining, quarrying and manufacturing, at 17 percent, and business services, at 14 percent.

The number of gainfully employed persons in hotels and restaurants decreased by 12.3 percent, which was the largest drop in an industry sector since last year. There were 159 300 people employed in hotels and restaurants in 2020. The largest increase was noted in the industry sector energy and environment, at 3.9 percent. There were 53 700 people employed in energy and environment in 2020. Hotels and restaurants also accounted for the largest decrease in gross pay between 2019 and 2020, at 10.6 percent. The largest increase in gross pay was noted in energy and environment, at 6.2 percent.

Among the 15 industry sectors presented, seven had an equal gender distribution, which means that one sex accounted for at least 40 percent of the gainfully employed persons. The most balanced participation of men and women was in the hotels and restaurants and financial and insurance activities, in which each sex accounted for 50 percent of gainfully employed persons. The construction industry had the least equal distribution between the sexes; women accounted for 10 percent and men accounted for 90 percent of gainfully employed persons.

Definitions and explanations

Gross pay statistics based on income statements, LSUM, measure gross pay only for the work of employees for one year, while labour market statistics based on administrative sources, RAMS, measure employment for both employees and self-employed persons in November. 

Next publishing will be

The next statistical news in this series will be published on 2022-11-24 at 08:00.

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