Population by Labour market status, March 2024
Weaker labour market situation in March 2024
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2024-05-31 8.00
People in employment aged 15 to 74 numbered 5 116 000 in March 2024, which is essentially unchanged compared to March 2023. In the 20 to 65 age range, 283 000 people were unemployed. This equals a share of 5.6 percent expressed as a percentage of the labour force and is an increase of 0.4 percentage point compared with the same period of the previous year.
People in employment
The number of people in employment aged 15 to 74 decreased in March 2024 by 1 000 compared with the same period of 2023, amounting to 5 116 000. Fewer women than men were employed. A total of 2 491 000 women and 2 625 000 men were employed.
The employment for March 2024 has decreased for both men and women born in Sweden compared to the same period of the previous year. However, foreign born continue to have positive growth, albeit at a decreasing rate, with the increase in employment primarily driven by foreign born women.
In the 20 to 65 age range the employment rate – the number of employed people in relation to the population – was 78.8 percent in March 2024. The employment rate among women was 78.4 percent and 79.1 percent among men. Compared with March 2023, the employment rate increased among women by 0.1 percentage points, while the employment rate among men decreased by 0.4 percentage points.
The unemployed
The number of unemployed people aged 20 to 65 in March 2024 was 283 000, which is an increase of 21 000 compared to the same period the previous year. A total of 131 000 women and 151 000 men were unemployed.
The relative unemployment rate - the proportion of unemployed people in relation to the labour force - was 5.3 percent for women and 5.8 percent for men. This equals an increased unemployment rate among woman of 0.2 percentage point, and 0.6 percentage point among men compared with the same period of 2023.
Unemployment is higher among foreign born people than among those born in Sweden. The relative unemployment rate was, among foreign born people, 13.4 percent for women and 11.6 percent for men. For people born in Sweden the relative unemployment rates was 2.7 percent for women and 3.8 percent for men in March 2024.
| March 2024 | February 2024 | March 2023 | Change since March 2023 (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed | 5 116 000 | 5 109 000 | 5 118 000 | 0.0 |
| Men | 2 625 000 | 2 622 000 | 2 636 000 | ‑0.4 |
| Women | 2 491 000 | 2 487 000 | 2 481 000 | 0.4 |
| Men born in Sweden | 2 020 000 | 2 018 000 | 2 034 000 | ‑0.7 |
| Women born in Sweden | 1 944 000 | 1 941 000 | 1 946 000 | ‑0.1 |
| Foreign born men | 604 000 | 604 000 | 602 000 | 0.3 |
| Foreign born women | 548 000 | 546 000 | 535 000 | 2.4 |
| March 2024 | February 2024 | March 2023 | Change since March 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed | 4 783 000 | 4 784 000 | 4 786 000 | ‑0.1 |
| Men | 2 456 000 | 2 457 000 | 2 467 000 | ‑0.4 |
| Women | 2 327 000 | 2 327 000 | 2 319 000 | 0.4 |
| Employment rate (%) | 78.8 | 78.8 | 79.0 | ‑0.2 |
| Men | 79.1 | 79.1 | 79.6 | ‑0.4 |
| Women | 78.4 | 78.4 | 78.4 | 0.1 |
| Men born in Sweden | 82.5 | 82.5 | 83.0 | ‑0.4 |
| Women born in Sweden | 83.1 | 83.1 | 83.1 | 0.0 |
| Foreign born men | 69.7 | 69.7 | 70.1 | ‑0.4 |
| Foreign born women | 65.8 | 65.7 | 65.2 | 0.6 |
| Unemployment | 283 000 | 283 000 | 261 000 | 8.1 |
| Men | 151 000 | 150 000 | 136 000 | 10.8 |
| Women | 131 000 | 132 000 | 125 000 | 5.3 |
| Men born in Sweden | 75 000 | 74 000 | 64 000 | 16.3 |
| Women born in Sweden | 50 000 | 50 000 | 44 000 | 12.2 |
| Foreign born men | 76 000 | 76 000 | 72 000 | 5.9 |
| Foreign born women | 82 000 | 82 000 | 80 000 | 1.4 |
| Relative unemployment rate (%) | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.2 | 0.4 |
| Men | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.2 | 0.6 |
| Women | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 0.2 |
| Men born in Sweden | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 0.5 |
| Women born in Sweden | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| Foreign born men | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.1 | 0.6 |
| Foreign born women | 13.4 | 13.5 | 13.5 | ‑0.1 |
| March 2024 | February 2024 | March 2023 | Change since March 2023 (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 197 000 | 190 000 | 192 000 | 2.3 |
| Men | 86 000 | 83 000 | 84 000 | 2.4 |
| Women | 111 000 | 108 000 | 109 000 | 2.3 |
| Retirees | 80 000 | 82 000 | 106 000 | ‑25.2 |
| Men | 40 000 | 41 000 | 52 000 | ‑23.5 |
| Women | 40 000 | 41 000 | 54 000 | ‑26.8 |
| Sick | 227 000 | 228 000 | 221 000 | 2.7 |
| Men | 102 000 | 102 000 | 99 000 | 2.8 |
| Women | 125 000 | 126 000 | 122 000 | 2.7 |
| Others | 503 000 | 507 000 | 493 000 | 1.9 |
| Men | 270 000 | 273 000 | 263 000 | 2.9 |
| Women | 232 000 | 234 000 | 231 000 | 0.7 |
Definitions and explanations
BAS, Population by Labour market status, presents statistics based on administrative data concerning aspects such as number of people in employment, unemployed people, and people outside the labour force for the registered population aged 15 to 74. The statistics can be used to describe current status, but also the progression over time. It illuminates both the entire population and smaller groups, such as detailed age groups at the municipal level.
The statistics contain estimates of the number of people broken down by labour market status: Employed, unemployed, student, retiree, sick and others. The definition of labour market status is hierarchical, which means that a person can only be assigned one labour market status, and it is determined according to the order of precedence above.
The labour force consists of employed people and the unemployed.
The labour market status categories that are outside the labour force are student, pensioner, sick and others. There are fewer people outside the labour force in the summer than during other parts of the year. This is mainly because some people who are students during term time work during the summer and are then classified as employed.
Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.