Sweden's unemployment rate experienced a gradual decline at the end of August, largely driven by a significant drop in jobless numbers among foreign-born residents.
According to the latest monthly statistics from the Public Employment Service, the total number of registered unemployed individuals stood at 349,000, representing 6.5 percent of the country's workforce. This marks a slight improvement from the 7.0 percent recorded during the same period last year.
The data highlights a notable reduction in unemployment among foreign-born residents, which fell by 18,000 over the past year to reach 179,000 by the end of August. In comparison, the number of unemployed native-born Swedes saw a more modest decrease of 4,000, bringing their total to 170,000.
Despite these improvements, a substantial gap persists between the two demographics. The unemployment rate for native-born Swedes is currently 4.2 percent, compared to 13.4 percent for foreign-born residents, though the divide continues to contract.
Meanwhile, the labor market showed some signs of strain as the number of people receiving redundancy notices climbed to just over 2,900 in August. Seasonally adjusted figures indicate this represents an increase compared to recent months.
