Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Sweden
Sweden: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 8.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Sweden, 1969–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Sweden recorded 8.8% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.9% on the previous year and up 18.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Sweden peaked at 10.4% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 1989.
Sweden ranks 45th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Sweden, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 1.9% | — |
| 1970 | 1.5% | -20.4% |
| 1971 | 2.5% | +69.1% |
| 1972 | 2.7% | +5.7% |
| 1973 | 2.5% | -8.6% |
| 1974 | 2.0% | -19.7% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | -15.4% |
| 1976 | 1.6% | -3.6% |
| 1980 | 2.0% | +21.9% |
| 1982 | 3.2% | +60.9% |
| 1983 | 3.5% | +9.0% |
| 1984 | 3.1% | -10.3% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | -8.8% |
| 1986 | 2.2% | -21.2% |
| 1987 | 2.1% | -3.5% |
| 1989 | 1.5% | -31.1% |
| 1990 | 1.8% | +22.0% |
| 1991 | 3.3% | +80.3% |
| 1992 | 5.8% | +79.1% |
| 1993 | 9.5% | +62.6% |
| 1994 | 9.8% | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 8.9% | -9.1% |
| 1996 | 9.5% | +7.3% |
| 1997 | 10.4% | +8.5% |
| 1998 | 8.9% | -13.7% |
| 1999 | 7.6% | -14.9% |
| 2000 | 5.5% | -28.1% |
| 2001 | 4.7% | -13.5% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 5.6% | +11.9% |
| 2004 | 6.7% | +20.5% |
| 2005 | 7.8% | +16.7% |
| 2006 | 7.1% | -9.5% |
| 2007 | 6.2% | -12.8% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 8.4% | +33.9% |
| 2010 | 8.6% | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 7.8% | -9.4% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 8.1% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 8.0% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 7.4% | -6.6% |
| 2016 | 7.0% | -5.9% |
| 2017 | 6.7% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | -5.3% |
| 2019 | 6.8% | +7.4% |
| 2020 | 8.3% | +21.3% |
| 2021 | 8.8% | +6.2% |
| 2022 | 7.4% | -15.7% |
| 2023 | 7.6% | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 8.3% | +9.1% |
| 2025 | 8.8% | +5.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1970s | 2.1% | 1.5% | 2.7% | 7 |
| 1980s | 2.5% | 1.5% | 3.5% | 8 |
| 1990s | 7.6% | 1.8% | 10.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.3% | 4.7% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.5% | 6.4% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.2% | 7.4% | 8.8% | 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 unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Sweden?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Sweden was 8.8% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 10.4% in 1997.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 1989.
- How does Sweden rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Sweden ranks 45th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.