The labour market in the Nordic Region

Mann som arbeider på maskin, med hjelm
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The ideal of a good working life has been central to the evolution of the welfare state, the growth of business and the personal development of the people of the Nordic Region. The joint labour market is a cornerstone of the Nordic Region.

Unemployment

Compared to the rest of Europe, unemployment is low in the Nordic Region as a whole. However, both Sweden and Finland are slightly higher than the European average.

Unemployment rate (%)

Part-time work

More women than men work part-time in the Nordic countries. Part-time jobs are more common in the Nordic countries than in the EU as a whole. While the option to take part-time work has a positive effect on the overall employment rate for women, it also has a negative effect on women’s economic status. It leads to inequality in the number of hours worked, and ultimately to lower lifetime earnings.

Part-time work 2021

Cross-border commuting

The Nordic Region has a vision of being the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030. This goal makes it interesting to follow trends in cross-border labour mobility. Commuting in the Øresund Region is one indicator of this. 

Cross-border commuting in the Øresund Region

More facts about the Nordic labour market

The Nordic Statistics database for the labour market presents data for employment, unemployment and cross-border commuting. 

State of the Nordic Region contains analyses, data and statistics on the labour market in the Nordic countries presented from a regional angle. 

Further information about the labour market and Nordic co-operation is available here