Statistics Sweden’s Statistical Report presents the labour market situation of the population. In the first quarter 2018, the LFS figures for February differed from both neighbouring months and the previous year, which may have affected the quarterly estimates in the report. For more information on the February estimates, see the statistical news for February.

In the first quarter 2018, there were 5 017 000 employed persons aged 15–74, up 93 000 from the corresponding quarter in 2017. The number of employed men increased by 65 000 to 2 630 000 and the number of employed women increased by 28 000 to 2 387 000. Among persons born in Sweden, the number of employed persons increased by 51 000 to 4 044 000, and among foreign born persons, the corresponding increase was 42 000 persons, which amounts to 973 000 foreign born employed persons in the first quarter 2018.

The employment rate, that is, the percentage of employed persons in the population, was 67.4 percent, up 0.7 percentage points. Among men, the employment rate increased by 1.0 percentage point to 69.5 percent. Among women, the corresponding figure was 65.2 percent. Among persons born in Sweden, the employment rate was 69.4 percent, up by 1.1 percentage points. Among foreign born persons, the employment rate was 60.3 percent.

Seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows that both the number and proportion of employed persons continue to rise compared with neighbouring quarters.

Compared with the same quarter 2017, the number of employed persons in the economic activity Construction increased by 19 000 to 347 000 and in Information and communication, the number increased by 29 000 to 235 000. In Public administration etc. the number of employed persons increased by 22 000 to 353 000. In Personal and cultural services, the number increased to 265 000, up by 15 000. On the other hand, in Healthcare and nursing, the number of employed persons decreased by 21 000 to 737 000.

The number of employed persons in the private sector continued to increase in the first quarter 2018 and amounted to 3 014 000, up by 89 000 compared with the same quarter last year. The number of men employed in the private sector increased by 60 000 to 1 822 000 and the number of women employed in the private sector increased by 30 000 to 1 191 000. In the municipal sector, the number of employed persons amounted to 1 181 000, up by 24 000. The number of State employees was 296 000.

Among employed persons, there are persons who want to and are able to work more than they normally do, that is, those who are underemployed. Among employed persons aged 15–74, 232 000 were underemployed. Among these persons, 109 000 were men and 123 000 were women. Underemployed persons accounted for 4.6 percent of employed persons.

In the first quarter of 2018, the number of hours worked averaged 158.8 million hours per week. In calendar-adjusted figures, this was an increase of 1.9 percentage points. Men worked, on average, 89.7 million hours per week and women worked 69.1 million hours per week.

In the first quarter 2018, 355 000 persons aged 15-74 were unemployed, down by 24 000. Among these persons, 191 000 were men - down by 20 000 - and 163 000 were women. Among foreign born persons, there were 178 000 unemployed persons and among persons born in Sweden, the number of unemployed persons decreased by 27 000 to 177 000. The unemployment rate decreased by 0.5 percentage points and amounted to 6.6 percent of the labour force. Among women, the unemployment rate was 6.4 percent and among men it decreased by 0.8 percentage points to 6.8 percent. Among persons born in Sweden, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.6 percentage points and amounted to 4.2 percent. Among foreign born persons, the corresponding figure was 15.5 percent.

According to seasonally adjusted and smoothed data, the number and share of unemployed persons decreased from the previous quarters. In the quarter in question, there were 337 000 unemployed persons and the share of unemployed persons aged 15-74 was 6.2 percent.

Among young people in the labour force, that is, people aged 15-24, the share of unemployed persons dropped by 2.1 percentage points to 18.0 percent, which corresponds to 106 000 persons, 66 000 of whom are full-time students. Among men aged 15–24, the unemployment rate decreased by 2.4 percentage points to 19.0 percent, and among women it was 16.9 percent.

The flow statistics show an increase of 20 000 persons among employed persons aged 15-74 between the fourth quarter 2017 and the first quarter 2018. The inflow consists of 21 000 persons who transitioned from unemployment to employment. At the same time, 2 000 persons transitioned from employment to being outside the labour force. The flow statistics also show an increase of 32 000 in the number of unemployed persons.

The labour market at a glance, first quarter 2018

Non-seasonally adjusted values (seasonally adjusted and smoothed values are given in brackets).

Population aged 15–74:

• The employment rate was 67.4 percent (68.3 percent), up by 0.7 percentage points.
• The number of employed persons was 5 017 000 (5 082 000), up by 93 000 compared with the first quarter 2017.
• The unemployment rate was 6.6 percent (6.2 percent).
• The number of unemployed persons was 355 000 (337 000), down by 24 000.
• The economic activity rate was 72.0 percent (72.8 percent), up by 0.6 percentage points.
• The labour force figure was 5 372 000 (5 420 000), up by 69 000 persons compared with the first quarter 2017.

Population aged 20-64:

• The employment rate was 81.4 percent (82.3 percent), up by 0.5 percentage points.
• The unemployment rate was 6.0 percent (5.6 percent), down by 22 000 persons.

A more detailed report on the labour market situation for the entire population aged 15-74 is available in the Statistical Report on the first quarter in 2018.