Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Sweden (Ratification: 1965)

Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention. Active labour market measures. Consultation with the social partners. The Government indicates in its detailed and comprehensive report that Sweden is considered to have a good chance of achieving the ambitious goal of an employment rate well over 80 per cent among people in the age group 20–64 years within the framework of Europe 2020. However, unemployment remains high (almost 8 per cent) and long-term unemployment is higher than before the financial crisis. The Committee notes that the objective of the Government’s employment policy is therefore to reduce unemployment so that it is the lowest in the EU by 2020. While unemployment is high, the number of vacancies is at a historically high level. Moreover, the Government is of the view that the social partners also have a responsibility to stop unemployment from becoming entrenched, and also for the functioning of the labour market more generally. For example, the social partners have an important role in terms of both making it easier for groups with a weak attachment to the labour market to become established and facilitating opportunities for skills development and retraining later in working life. The Committee notes that, to give unemployed people opportunities for education, but also to prevent a lack of vocationally trained people, the Government is, among other things, focusing on adult vocational training at upper secondary school level in the municipal adult education. One area of focus in the Social Fund Programme for the period 2014–20 is skills development for the employed and improving access and quality in work-based learning in secondary schools and adult education. In reply to previous comments with regard to the sickness insurance reforms of Sweden and its consequences on employment, the Government indicates that the level of sickness absence, which in the early 2000s was very high compared with countries with similar systems, has gone down and is now on a level equal to comparable countries. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of its labour market measures on sustainable and productive employment generation. The Committee also requests the Government to continue to include information on measures taken in the area of education and training policies and on their relation to prospective employment opportunities and on the consultations held with the social partners on the matters covered by the Convention.

Youth, long-term unemployed and persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that the number of long-term unemployed people has continued to increase since 2012. Around half of the people registered with the Swedish Public Employment Service have been unemployed for over a year. Moreover, the Government adds that there are still a lot of people, mainly women, who work part time involuntarily. The Committee notes that the Job and Development Guarantee, a labour market policy programme, contains individually designed measures for people who have been outside the labour market for a long period of time. Youth unemployment was measured at 23 per cent in 2014 and thus represented a considerable percentage of total unemployment. Unemployment among young people without an upper secondary education was at 40 per cent in 2014, compared with 16 per cent for young people who have a complete upper secondary education. The Committee notes that almost half of youth unemployment represents students who are studying full time and also looking for work. The Government indicates that the existence of temporary contracts may be a stepping stone into the labour market for young people and other entrants, but adds that it is important not to get stuck in this type of employment for a long period of time. Measures that increase the possibilities of combining work or work experience with education are therefore important in reducing unemployment among young people while also aiming to alleviate shortages in the labour market. The Committee notes that youth measures include education contracts and trainee job wage subsidies. The EU youth employment initiative (YEI) for the years 2014–18 is also being implemented in Sweden as part of the national Social Fund Programme. This initiative will complement and expand the existing labour market policy measures for young people. With respect to persons with disabilities, the Committee notes that the employment rate among persons with disabilities and a reduced capacity to work has increased, from 50 per cent in 2008 to 55 per cent in 2014. However, the gap in employment and unemployment rates between persons with disabilities and others remains. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of employment measures targeting women, youth, long-term unemployed and persons with disabilities.

Immigrants. The Government indicates that people born abroad include labour immigrants, refugees and their close relatives. In 2014, unemployment in the age group 25–74 years was at 20 per cent among adults born outside Europe, which can be compared with just under 4 per cent for adults born in Sweden. A set of new measures targeted towards integrating newly arrived migrants into the labour market took effect in August 2014, including the introduction of conditionality upon acceptance of a suitable job offer. The Committee notes that consultations with the social partners were initiated on new measures to speed up transition from arrival to getting established in the Swedish labour market. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of measures taken to improve the employment situation of immigrants, including updated information on the rates of unemployment for adults born outside Europe, the sector of the economy in which they work, and other relevant information.