Labor Market

The share of Uppsala adults receiving economic assistance fell to 1.03 percent in May, the lowest level since measurements began in 2014.

June 30, 2026 Reported by AI

US job openings climbed to their highest level in two years during May, surpassing analyst expectations. The latest figures from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey showed 7.594 million vacancies.

The 72-year-old factory worker Blåvitt Elofsson from Karlstad unexpectedly became a Social Democrat MP after a resignation. He sees himself as one of the few genuine workers in parliament and stresses the value of hands-on experience. Elofsson now commutes regularly between Värmland and Stockholm to engage in politics.

February 14, 2026 Reported by AI

Wenche Gullaksen, a job seeker around 60 years old, describes how the recruitment process in Malmö and the Nordic region has become an extensive and impersonal challenge. In January, she submitted 45 applications, each requiring hours of customized materials and tests. She questions how the system accommodates older workers encouraged to stay in the workforce longer.

The CDU's economic wing proposes abolishing the legal right to part-time work to create more full-time jobs and combat the skilled labor shortage. Critics warn, however, that this ignores the real causes and could push qualified women out of the workforce. Instead, unions and experts call for expanding childcare infrastructure.

January 19, 2026 Reported by AI

A Bank of Korea report shows the share of young South Koreans aged 20-34 neither working nor job-seeking rose to 22.3% in 2025 from 14.6% in 2019. The trend, linked to AI-driven labor market changes and slowing economic growth, signals structural strains and potential long-term labor shortages. Officials call for reforms to encourage youth re-entry into the workforce.