Statistics Sweden’s Statistical Report presents the labour market situation of the population. The report shows that the number of employed persons increased by 74 000 to 4 921 000 in the last quarter of 2016 compared with the same quarter of the previous year. At the same time, seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows that the number of employed persons continues to increase compared to adjacent quarters. On the other hand, the percentage of employed persons in the population has increased slightly. Among foreign born persons, the number of employed persons continues to increase – a development that began in the second quarter of 2010.

Compared with the fourth quarter of 2015, the number of gainfully employed persons has also increased, which is explained by an increase of permanent employees by 73 000 to 3 701 000. This increase in permanent employees was relatively evenly divided between men and women. Among temporary employees, on the other hand, there was no change compared with the last quarter of 2015. The number of employed persons in the private sector rose for the fifth quarter in a row, and amounted to 2 947 000. This was an increase of 32 000 persons compared with the same quarter last year. Seasonally and smoothed data indicates that the number of employees and permanent employees has continued to increase. Among temporary employees, there is no clear development compared with adjacent quarters.

Non-seasonally adjusted data does not indicate any significant change in the number and percentage of unemployed persons compared with the fourth quarter of 2015. In the fourth quarter of 2016, 335 000 persons were unemployed, of which 185 000 were men and 150 000 were women. The unemployment rate was 6.4 percent among the population aged 15–74; it was 6.7 percent among men and 6.0 percent among women. In addition, seasonally adjusted and smoothed data does not indicate any clear change.

In the fourth quarter of 2016, 59.2 percent of the population aged 15–74 were in work, which was an increase of 1.1 percentage points compared with the fourth quarter of 2015. Among men, 62.6 percent were in work, and among women the proportion was 55.8 percent, an increase of 1.2 percentage points and 1.0 percentage points respectively.

In the last quarter of 2016, there were 157.8 million hours worked on average per week. When the differences in weekends and other holidays have been taken into account, the number of hours worked increased by 2.0 million hours.

In the last quarter of 2016, 93 000 persons aged 15–24 were unemployed. This means that the youth unemployment rate amounted to 15.8 percent of the labour force. Among the 93 000 unemployed young people, 50 000 were also full-time students. In the same period, there were 71 000 persons aged 15–24 who neither worked nor studied. There were 68 000 young people who consider themselves to be mainly job seekers.

In the last quarter of 2016, 16.1 percent among employed persons were aged 65–74 years. In that age group, 19.7 percent were men and 12.6 percent were women.

Between the third and the fourth quarter of 2016, flow statistics indicate a net inflow of 42 000 persons in the 'not in the labour force' group aged 15–74. The increase consists of a flow of 67 000 persons who were previously employed to not being in the labour force. At the same time, 25 000 persons went from being 'not in the labour force' to being unemployed instead.

The labour market at a glance, fourth quarter 2016

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

Population aged 15–74:

• The employment rate was 66.9 percent (67.1 percent).
• The number of employed persons was 4 921 000 (4 936 000), an increase of 74 000 persons compared with the fourth quarter of 2015.
• The unemployment rate was 6.4 percent (6.9 percent).
• The number of unemployed persons was 335 000 (365 000).
• The labour force participation rate was 71.4 percent (72.1 percent).
• The number of people in the labour force was 5 256 000 (5 300 000), an increase of 68 000 persons compared with the fourth quarter of 2015.

Population aged 20–64:

• The employment rate was 81.0 percent (81.2 percent), an increase of 0.4 percentage points.
• The unemployment rate was 6.0 percent (6.2 percent).

A more detailed report on the labour market situation for the entire population aged 15-74 is available in the Statistical Report on the fourth quarter in 2016.