Refugee employment rate in Sweden 2010-2019, by gender

The employment rate was significantly higher among male refugees than among female refugees in Sweden over the last nine years. Moreover, whereas the employment rate among men increased steadily, reaching over 67 percent in 2019, it fluctuated among women, being 51 percent that year. The share of employed male refugees was almost the same as the overall average employment rate in Sweden in 2019. That year, the employment rate among Sweden's foreign-born population was 61.6 percent.

General female employment rates higher than among refugees

What is more, the share of female refugees being employed in 2019 was significantly lower than the overall share of women being employed in Sweden that year. It was also lower for male refugees, but the gap was not as large as among the women. In general, men tended to be hired in permanent positions more often than women in Sweden.

Sweden hosts a high number of refugees

Even though Sweden does not house a high number of refugees in terms of total numbers, it does so in terms of its total population and geographical location far away from the major conflicts in the world. In 2020, with 245,000 refugees, it was among the 25 countries worldwide hosting the highest number of refugees. 115,000 of these came from Syria.