Sweden’s Rusta och matcha program criticized for inefficiency and profit-seeking

An investigation into Sweden’s ‘Rusta och matcha’ program reveals significant failures in its ability to integrate the unemployed into the workforce. Despite the program’s goal of using private companies to improve employment outcomes, research from the Institute for Labour Market Policy Evaluation (Ifau) indicates that the initiative has not produced clearly better results and has instead increased costs for the state.

While the program has been financially lucrative for private owners—who have collected approximately 394 million SEK in dividends—an undercover investigation by SVT found systemic issues. Out of 100 offices surveyed, 43 were found to be complicit in helping job seekers bypass rules, including engaging in undeclared work or ignoring mandatory meetings. Critics argue the system prioritizes corporate profits over the actual employment of the jobless.