Ageism and employment trends in Sweden

Sweden is addressing age-related employment challenges through both governmental initiatives and sector-specific labor market shifts.

To combat discrimination and stereotypes against older workers, the Swedish government, led by Minister for Older People Anna Tenje, established a national council. This group includes academic experts tasked with identifying tools to address prejudices in the labor market, particularly as Sweden has faced concerns regarding low employment rates for individuals over age 55.

In the engineering sector, a disconnect has emerged between demand and age-based unemployment. While recent data shows a 7.6 percent increase in job postings for engineers due to investments in infrastructure, industry, and defense, older professionals face significant hurdles. Data indicates that unemployment rates for engineers rise sharply with age, reaching 3.5 percent by age 64—nearly four times the rate seen in 44-year-olds. This trend persists even as employers report shortages of experienced talent necessary for digitalization and the climate transition.