Recent figures show that the number of employed people in Sweden is increasing and the up-turned trend promises more jobs in the offing, according to employment office officials.

“There are more jobs coming. Our statistics show that the number of positions are increasing steadily, and more of those registered with us find employment,” Hans Tydén of the Swedish Public Employment Office (Arbetsförmedingen) told The Local.

According to new figures, 197,847 Swedes were registered as unemployed at the end of last week. That is 2,739 less than the week before and 31,440 less compared to the same week the previous year.

“Unemployment might not have dropped drastically, but that’s because the labour force is steadily increasing with immigration and young people graduating from schools and universities. But little by little we see a tendency toward less unemployed,” Tydén said.

However, according to the employment office there are still groups in Sweden that find it hard to get out onto the labour market. These include those with a low standard of education, the disabled and non-European immigrants.

“But things are getting better for these groups as well. It is just that the development is slower and the increases smaller,“ Tydén said.

According to Tydén, the trend is indicating that Sweden’s unemployed can expect even better times ahead as long as nothing unforeseen happens that affects the country’s economic growth.

“We are going towards a brighter future – at least for the next few years. Provided, of course, that nothing happens in Sweden or in the world to work against us, “ Hans Tydén told The Local.