Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sweden
Sweden: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 6.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sweden, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sweden is 6.9%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sweden peaked at 10.0% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 6.9%, in 2025.
That places Sweden 169th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sweden, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.6% | — |
| 1992 | 8.2% | +7.1% |
| 1993 | 9.0% | +9.7% |
| 1994 | 9.2% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 10.0% | +8.8% |
| 1996 | 10.0% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 9.6% | -4.0% |
| 1998 | 9.2% | -3.3% |
| 1999 | 9.2% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 8.8% | -4.1% |
| 2001 | 8.5% | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 8.4% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 8.1% | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 8.2% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 8.1% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 8.1% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 8.0% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 7.8% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 8.1% | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 8.2% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 7.8% | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 7.9% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 8.0% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 7.8% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 7.7% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 7.5% | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 7.4% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 7.2% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 7.3% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 7.5% | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 7.3% | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 7.1% | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 7.0% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 6.9% | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 6.9% | -1.1% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 6.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.5%, 72% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 6.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.3%, 61% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.1% | 7.6% | 10.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 8.2% | 7.8% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.7% | 7.2% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.1% | 6.9% | 7.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More work & labour data for Sweden
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0422 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0602 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5427 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 10,837 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 788.88 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,587 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,780 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 11,367 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sweden?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sweden was 6.9% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 10.0% in 1995.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.9% in 2025.
- How does Sweden rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Sweden ranks 169th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers in vulnerable employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).