Persons in long-term: % of total unemployment quarterly in Sweden

Sweden: Persons in long-term: % of total unemployment quarterly was 20.6 in 2026. ▼ Falling

Latest (2026)
20.6
Change on year
down 9.6%
World rank
38th
of 47 countries
All-time high
37.8
in 1998
All-time low
13.4
in 2008
Years of data
27
1998–2026

Persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total in Sweden, 1998–2026

0102030401998201220261998: 37.81999: 29.52000: 30.72001: 21.62002: 19.52003: 20.12004: 21.42007: 14.82008: 13.42009: 16.62010: 21.12011: 19.82012: 19.82013: 20.62014: 212015: 21.62016: 20.32017: 20.62018: 15.52019: 16.42020: 15.22021: 27.92022: 27.42023: 22.92024: 23.42025: 22.82026: 20.6

Source: Eurostat.

Analysis

In 2026, persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total in Sweden stood at 20.6.

That represents a change of down 9.6% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total in Sweden peaked at 37.8 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 13.4, in 2008.

That places Sweden 38th out of 47 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 27 years of available data.

Persons in long-term: % of total unemployment quarterly in Sweden, year by year

Annual values for Persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total unemployment - quarterly data in Sweden, 1998 to 2026.
Year Value Change
1998 37.8 —
1999 29.5 -22.0%
2000 30.7 +4.1%
2001 21.6 -29.6%
2002 19.5 -9.7%
2003 20.1 +3.1%
2004 21.4 +6.5%
2007 14.8 -30.8%
2008 13.4 -9.5%
2009 16.6 +23.9%
2010 21.1 +27.1%
2011 19.8 -6.2%
2012 19.8 +0.0%
2013 20.6 +4.0%
2014 21 +1.9%
2015 21.6 +2.9%
2016 20.3 -6.0%
2017 20.6 +1.5%
2018 15.5 -24.8%
2019 16.4 +5.8%
2020 15.2 -7.3%
2021 27.9 +83.6%
2022 27.4 -1.8%
2023 22.9 -16.4%
2024 23.4 +2.2%
2025 22.8 -2.6%
2026 20.6 -9.6%

Sweden compared with similar countries

  • Sweden's 20.6 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 30.2, 68% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • Sweden's 20.6 is below the median for high income countries, which is 28.5, 72% of the median. (31 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Persons in long-term: % of total unemployment quarterly in Sweden changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2021 +83.6% 15.2 27.9

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 33.65 29.5 37.8 2
2000s 19.76 13.4 30.7 8
2010s 19.67 15.5 21.6 10
2020s 22.89 15.2 27.9 7

Countries ranked near Sweden

  1. 35 United Kingdom 20.9 compare
  2. 35 Slovenia 20.9 compare
  3. 35 United Kingdom 20.9 compare
  4. 39 Cyprus 20.5 compare
  5. 40 Türkiye 19.3 compare
  6. 41 Estonia 16.3 compare

See the full ranking of 49 places →

More work & labour data for Sweden

All data for Sweden →

Frequently asked questions

What is persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total in Sweden?
Persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total in Sweden was 20.6 in 2026, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total recorded in Sweden?
The highest recorded value was 37.8 in 1998.
What is the lowest persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total recorded in Sweden?
The lowest recorded value was 13.4 in 2008.
How does Sweden rank for persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total?
Sweden ranks 38th out of 47 countries with data for 2026.
Is persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total rising or falling in Sweden?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Sweden data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total unemployment - quarterly data. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total in Sweden. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 11 November 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/persons-in-long-term-unemployment-12-months-or-more-percent-of-total-unemployment/sweden/

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About this data

Indicator
Persons in long-term unemployment (12 months or more) - % of total unemployment - quarterly data
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
49 places, 1,275 data points, 1998–2026
Last refreshed