Unemployment

Sweden has an unemployment rate that is below the average of EU-27. During the last couple of years Sweden has had an unemployment rate at about 6 percent. However, during 2009 the unemployment rate rose to over 8 percent, largely because of the international economic recession. The Netherlands and Norway have the lowest unemployment rates.

Unemployment -international comparison

Share of labour force, 15-74 years, year 2010

Chart showing Unemployment -international comparison Chart showing Unemployment -international comparison
Source: Eurostat

*The statistics refers to 2009.
Note: the statistics is not seasonally adjusted. Important to note is that statistics from Eurostat continuously is updated and that Eurostat marginally adjusts for comparability. Statistics for the United States and Japan are not adjusted by Eurostat. There are small differences in methodology, direct comparisons with these countries should therefore be made with caution.

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The International Labour Organization, ILO, has constructed an international standard for measuring unemployment. The reason is so that the unemployment statistics can be compared between countries. The diagram presents an international comparison of unemployment statistics for different countries.

The definition of an unemployed person is someone who

  • is not employed
  • can start working within 14 days
  • actively has been looking for a job during the past 4 weeks or
  • is about to start a new job within three months.

The labour force is made up of people between 15-74 years who are either employed or unemployed. Those working in the home and those being on long-term sick-lists are not included in this group. Also students are excluded if they are not prepared to take a job or are not actively looking for one.