Sweden Long Working Hours Rate (2025)
Sweden's Long Working Hours Rate: 1.2 % of employed persons in 2025, -0.4pp YoY. Eurostat (LFSA_QOE_4A6R2), 2018–2025.
Sweden (2025)
1.2
% of employed persons
-0.4pp YoY
YoY Change
-0.4pp
percentage points
Trend
down
Series length
8
years of data
Data
| Year | % of employed persons | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.2 | -0.4pp |
| 2024 | 1.6 | -1.1pp |
| 2023 | 2.7 | -0.1pp |
| 2022 | 2.8 | +0pp |
| 2021 | 2.8 | +1.6pp |
| 2020 | 1.2 | -0.1pp |
| 2019 | 1.3 | -0.1pp |
| 2018 | 1.4 | n/a |
About this Dataset
Sweden recorded 1.2% of employed persons usually working 49 or more hours per week in 2025, 1pp below the EU-27 average of 2.2%. The rate has declined from 1.4% in 2018.
Data sourced from Eurostat Labour Force Survey via SDMX REST API (LFSA_QOE_4A6R2, nace_r2=TOTAL). Values use harmonised LFS methodology.
The chart shows the full trend from 2018; the table lists annual values with year-on-year changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
In 2025, **1.2%** of employed persons in Sweden usually worked 49 or more hours per week, 1pp below the EU-27 average of 2.2%. This figure has been declining since 2018, when it stood at 1.4%.
The long working hours rate in Sweden has trended downward from 1.4% in 2018 to 1.2% in 2025. The EU-wide trend is gradually declining, driven by Working Time Directive enforcement, collective bargaining, and the growth of flexible work arrangements.
Sweden's rate of 1.2% in 2025 is 1pp below the EU-27 average. Among EU member states with available data, rates range from about 0.5% (Poland, Italy) to approximately 5.7% (Slovakia). Sweden's position is broadly in line with EU norms.
Eurostat publishes this indicator via the EU Labour Force Survey (LFS), dataset LFSA_QOE_4A6R2. It measures the percentage of employed persons aged 15 and over who report usually working 49 or more hours per week in their main job. The EU Working Time Directive (2003/88/EC) limits average weekly hours to 48, making this indicator a proxy for potential non-compliance and a key input to occupational health and ESG assessments.