Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in Sweden
Sweden: Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals was 2.32 0-6 scale in 2025. ▼ Falling
Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in Sweden, 1985–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in 0-6 scale.
Analysis
Sweden recorded 2.32 0-6 scale for strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 41 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in Sweden peaked at 2.64 0-6 scale in 1985 and was at its lowest, 2.32 0-6 scale, in 2023.
Sweden ranks 14th of 41 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in Sweden, year by year
| Year | 0-6 scale | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 2.64 0-6 scale | — |
| 1986 | 2.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 2.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2.64 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2.54 0-6 scale | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 2.54 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2.49 0-6 scale | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 2.49 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2.49 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2.45 0-6 scale | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 2.45 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2.32 0-6 scale | -5.1% |
| 2024 | 2.32 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 2.32 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.64 0-6 scale | 2.64 0-6 scale | 2.64 0-6 scale | 5 |
| 1990s | 2.6 0-6 scale | 2.49 0-6 scale | 2.64 0-6 scale | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.46 0-6 scale | 2.45 0-6 scale | 2.49 0-6 scale | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.45 0-6 scale | 2.45 0-6 scale | 2.45 0-6 scale | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.38 0-6 scale | 2.32 0-6 scale | 2.45 0-6 scale | 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 strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in Sweden?
- Strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in Sweden was 2.32 0-6 scale in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 2.64 0-6 scale in 1985.
- What is the lowest strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.32 0-6 scale in 2023.
- How does Sweden rank for strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals?
- Sweden ranks 14th out of 41 countries with data for 2025.
- Is strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals (regular contracts). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
The OECD indicators of employment protection are synthetic indicators of the strictness of regulation on dismissals and the use of temporary contracts. For each year, indicators refer to regulation in force on the 1st of January. For more information and full methodology, see OECD Indicators of Employment Protection webpage Last data update: May 2022 OECD statistics contact: ELS.Contact@oecd.org