Integration - Earned income and work-related compensation 2001-2020
Increasing share with earned income among refugees and their family
The share of refugees and family members of refugees with earned income and work-related compensation has increased during the 2000s, but the share with this type of income is still lower in this group, compared both to other foreign-born persons and to those born in Sweden.
In the report Integration – Earned income and work-related compensation 2021-2020, the level of income is studied for refugees and family members of refugees, for foreign-born persons immigrated for other reasons and for Swedish-born persons. Income level is measured as number of Income Base amounts, where the highest level, 3 Income Base amounts or more, corresponded to at least SEK 200 000 in 2020.
The distribution by income level has varied among refugees and their family during the period 2001–2020. There are fluctuations between the years, for example 2009 and 2010, linked to the financial crisis, and 2020, during the first year of the covid-19-pandemic. There is also a long-term trend towards an increased share with earned income and work-related compensation.
It is mainly the share with income of at least 3 Income Base amounts and the share without income that has varied over time. Among women, the proportion of refugees and relatives of refugees with an income of at least 3 Income Base amounts has increased from 35 per cent in 2001 to 41 per cent in 2020. Among men, the proportion was 44 per cent in 2001 and 51 per cent in 2020.
The share with earned income and work-related compensation of at least 3 Income Base amounts is lowest among refugees and their relatives and highest among those born in Sweden. The pattern is the opposite in terms of the share without this type of income.
| Refugees and family members of refugees | Other foreign-born persons | Born in Sweden | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Income Base amounts or more | 41 | 54 | 73 |
| 2-3 Income Base amounts | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| 1-2 Income Base amounts | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| SEK 100-1 Income Base amounts | 8 | 7 | 5 |
| No income | 37 | 26 | 10 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Men | |||
| 3 Income Base amounts or more | 51 | 63 | 77 |
| 2-3 Income Base amounts | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| 1-2 Income Base amounts | 8 | 5 | 4 |
| SEK 100-1 Income Base amounts | 9 | 5 | 5 |
| No income | 25 | 22 | 11 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Definitions and explanations
The population included in the report are persons aged 20–64 who have been registered in Sweden during the whole year.
Earned income and work-related compensation refers to the sum of gross salary in cash and income from active business activities and work-related compensation, such as sickness benefit, parental allowance, and temporary parental allowance for care of children. Earned income and work-related compensation is only reported when gross salary or income from active business activities is greater than zero. A person who, for example, only had parental allowance during the year thus receives SEK 0 in earned income and work-related compensation and is included in the group without income.
The level of income is measured in relation to the number of Income Base amounts the income constitutes:
- 3 Income Base amounts or more
- 2–3 Income Base amounts
- 1–2 Income Base amounts
- SEK 100–1 Income Base amounts
- No income
The Income Base amount is used for example for calculation of the general income pension. Income base amounts are calculated every year and follow wage growth in Sweden.
The Income Base amount for the year 2020 was SEK 66 800.
Publication
Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.