Labour Force Surveys (LFS), population aged 15-74, by economic indicator. Smoothed and seasonally adjusted estimates. Month 2013M01 - 2020M10

month 2020M10 Subdued labour market with signs of improvement In October 2020, there were 5 492 000 (±54 000) people aged 15–74 years in the labour force, not seasonally adjusted. There were 2 914 000 (±38 000) men and 2 578 000 (±40 000) women in the labour force. The relative labour force participation rate was 72.8 (±0.7) percent. Among women this rate was 69.6 (±1.1) percent and among men the rate was 75.9 (±1.0) percent. There were 564 000 (±31 000) young people aged 15–24 years in the labour force. The relative labour force participation rate for young people was 48.9 (±2.7) percent. According to seasonally adjusted and smoothed data, there were 5 543 000 people in the labour force and the labour force participation rate was 73.5 percent. Both the number of people in the labour force and the labour force participation rate have recovered from the lowest figures in March. The levels in October were comparable to February, when the effects of COVID-19 were not yet discernible in the Swedish labour market. In October 2020, there were 5 062 000 (±55 000) employed people aged 15–74 years, not seasonally adjusted, which is 76 000 fewer than in the same month a year ago. There were 2 381 000 (±42 000) employed women, a decrease of 62 000, and 2 681 000 (±42 000) employed men. The employment rate decreased by 1.2 percentage points and amounted to 67.1 (±0.7) percent. For women the rate dropped by 1.8 percentage points and amounted to 64.3 (±1.1) percent, and for men the rate was 69.9 (±1.1) percent. There were 447 000 (±31 000) employed young people aged 15–24 years and the employment rate among young people was 38.8 (±2.6) percent. According to seasonally adjusted and smoothed data, there were 5 050 000 employed people. This is a decrease of 105 000 people, of whom 58 000 were young people, compared with February 2020. The employment rate was 67.0 percent, which is 1.5 percentage points less than in February 2020. However, since the lowest figure in June, there have now been signs of an upturn in employment. In October 2020, there were 4 552 000 (±60 000) employees, according to non- seasonally adjusted data. There were 3 867 000 (±59 000) permanent employees and 685 000 (±46 000) temporary employees. Compared with February 2020, seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows a decrease of 97 000 employees, of whom 24 000 were permanent employees, while 73 000 were temporary employees. As with the employment rate, there are signs of improvement compared with June, when the lowest figure was noted. In October 2020, the average number of hours worked was 165.3 (±2.4) million per week, not seasonally adjusted. In calendar-adjusted figures, this corresponds to a decrease of 4.1 percent compared with the corresponding month a year ago. Seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows that the average number of hours worked per week was 147.8 million, which is 8.1 million hours per week less than in February 2020. In 2020, the smallest number of hours worked per week was noted in April; since then, this figure has increased by 4.3 million hours. There were 4 585 000 (±61 000) people employed and in work in October 2020, not seasonally adjusted. Calendar-adjusted, this corresponds to a decrease of 2.3 percent compared with the same month a year ago. The LFS estimates the number of people who were absent from their principal occupation for the whole week or for part of the week by main reason for absence. In October 2020, this figure was 1 308 000 (±56 000). There were 488 000 (±38 000) people absent for the whole week in October 2020, not seasonally adjusted. Among these, 153 000 (±22 000) were absent due to illness, while 17 000 (±8 000) were absent for the whole week due to lack of work. There were 83 000 (±16 000) people absent due to holidays. People who are absent due to lack of work or lay-offs are often absent for only part of the week. There were 77 000 (±15 000) people in total absent for the whole week or part of the week due to lay-offs. There were 61 000 (±14 000) people who stated lack of work as their main reason for absence. Seasonally adjusted and smoothed data showed that there were 4 245 000 people in work, which is 121 000 fewer than in February 2020. There were 805 000 people absent for the entire week. In 2020, the lowest number of employed people in work was recorded in April. Since April, this figure has increased by 138 000 people. In October 2020, there were 430 000 (±34 000) unemployed people aged 15–74 years, not seasonally adjusted, which is 101 000 more than in the corresponding month a year ago. This corresponds to an unemployment rate of 7.8 (±0.6) percent, which is an increase of 1.8 percentage points. The number of unemployed men increased by 59 000 and amounted to 233 000 (±27 000), and the number of unemployed women increased by 42 000 and amounted to 197 000 (±25 000). Among men, the unemployment rate increased by 1.9 percentage points to 8.0 (±0.9) percent and among women the unemployment rate increased by 1.7 percentage points to 7.7 (±0.9) percent. There were 117 000 (±21 000) unemployed young people aged 15–24 years, which corresponds to a youth unemployment of 20.7 (±3.4) percent. Among people aged 15–74 years, seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows an increase of 97 000 unemployed people, and an increase of 1.8 percentage points in the unemployment rate compared with February 2020. In October 2020, there were 494 000 unemployed people, which corresponds to an unemployment rate of 8.9 percent. However, seasonally adjusted and smoothed data showed minor changes in unemployment since June, when the highest unemployment rate in 2020 was noted. Among young people aged 15–24 years, seasonally adjusted and smoothed data shows an increase in both the number and proportion of unemployed people compared with February 2020. The number of unemployed young people increased by 26 000 and amounted to 152 000, and the unemployment rate increased by 5.5 percentage points to 25.5 percent.