Sweden - Unemployment

For Sweden, the labor force survey provides the standard labor force status measures for the country: labor force, employment, unemployment, and rates.

Monthly

Final:

• Measurements:
  • Thousands of persons (Ths. #)
  • Percent (%)
• Adjustments:
  • Seasonally adjusted (SA)
  • Not seasonally adjusted (NSA)
• Native frequency: Monthly
• Start date as reported: As early as 1992m1
• Start date as extended: 1990m1
• End date: Uniformly 2007m10
• Geo coverage: Country

Quarterly

Active:

• Framework: IESS
• Measurements:
  • Thousands of persons (Ths. #)
  • Percent (%)
• Adjustments: Not applicable
• Native frequency: Annual
• Start date: 2021
• Geo coverage:
  • Country
  • NUTS 2 areas (ISWE_aa)
  • NUTS 3 areas (ISWE_aaa)

Predecessors:

• Pre-IESS - 2005 to 2020 ("_20")
• Working age 16 to 64 - 2005Q2 to 2007Q4 ("1664")

Annual

Active:

• Framework: IESS
• Measurements:
  
  • Thousands of persons (Ths. #)
  • Hundreds of persons (Hnd. #)
  • Millions of Swedish kroner (Mil. SEK)
• Adjustment: Not applicable
• Native frequency: Annual
• Start date: 2021
• Geo coverage:
  
  • Country
  • NUTS 2 areas (ISWE_aa)
  • NUTS 3 areas (ISWE_aaa)
  • Select smaller areas (ISWE_nnnn)

Predecessors:

• Pre-IESS - 2005 to 2020 ("_20")
• {1993, 2005} to 2007 ("_07")
• {1976, 1993} to 2004 ("_04")

The source writes:

The Labor Force Survey (LFS) is carried out on an ongoing basis by Statistics Sweden. The objectives of the survey are to describe the current employment conditions and to give information on the development of the labor market.

The results are used, together with other labor market statistics, as the basis for the planning of and decision-making on labor market policy measures, as well as for the follow-up of investment in the labor market. LFS is also an important foundation for general short-term economic evaluations and international comparisons. The results of LFS also provide essential parts of labor market data required for economic and social research. Additionally, the statistics are used generally for mass media information to the public about the labor market.

The most important users of the statistics are the National Labour Market Board, the Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications, the Ministry of Finance, the National Institute of Economic Research and labour market organisations. LFS is also used in the work of Statistics Sweden, partly for national accounts work, partly for labour force analyses and prognoses. Even the media, radio and TV frequently use the statistics.

The presented margin of error corresponds to a 95 percent confidence interval. Because the LFS is a sample survey based on a national random probability sample, there is a degree of uncertainty that can be calculated. The presented information consists of estimations and consideration must be taken to uncertainty/margin of error when drawing conclusions. The interval that is created by the level estimation ± margin of error here is a 95 percent confidence interval, which is an interval with a 95 percent probability including the actual value.

Changes in method

In January 2021, the LFS was adapted to the EU regulation (2019/1700) for social statistics, which caused time series breaks.

Statistics Sweden uses the international unemployment figures for the LFS for October 2007 onwards. Until then, people who have been studying full-time at any time during the three weeks before the reference week were classified as not in the labor force instead of as unemployed. Revised data regarding the number of unemployed people are within the statistical margin of error for all months in 2007 apart from June.

Data are subject to revisions.

Statistics Sweden will be using the international unemployment figures for the LFS for October 2007 onwards. Until that time, people who have been studying full-time at any time during the three weeks before the reference week have been classified as not in the labor force instead of as unemployed. Revised data regarding the number of unemployed people are within the statistical margin of error for all months in 2007 apart from June.

Local terminology

As reported, the so-called "employment rate" is specifically the "employment to population ratio," i.e., EM/WP not EM/LF.

Further reading

At the source:

• Labour Force Surveys (LFS)
• More about the Labour Force Survey
• Labour Force Surveys (LFS), previous definitions

At the data portal:

• Befolkningen 15-74 år (AKU) efter region, arbetskraftstillhörighet och kön. År 2021 (Population aged 15-74 (LFS) by region, labour status and sex. year 2021)
• Befolkningen 15-74 år (AKU) efter region, arbetskraftstillhörighet och kön. Kvartal 2021K1 - 2022K3 (Population aged 15-74 (LFS) by region, labour status and sex. Quarter 2021K1 - 2022K3)

At IMF (SDDS Plus):

• Labor market: Employment (Jan 2022)
• Labor market: Unemployment (Jan 2022)

• 28 Feb 2023, Phillip Thorne - Properties