Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Sweden
Sweden: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 8.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Sweden, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Sweden stood at 8.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 17.0% 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, 3.2%, in 1991.
Sweden ranks 48th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Sweden, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.2% | — |
| 1992 | 5.7% | +76.4% |
| 1993 | 9.3% | +63.1% |
| 1994 | 9.6% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 8.9% | -7.1% |
| 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 | 8.4% | +10.4% |
| 2025 | 8.7% | +3.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.1% | 3.2% | 10.4% | 9 |
| 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 education data for Sweden
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 77,813 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,302 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 235,975 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 222,360 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 987,895 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 859,847 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8572 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0814 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Sweden?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Sweden was 8.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), 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 3.2% in 1991.
- How does Sweden rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Sweden ranks 48th 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 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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.