“Young people are the group that suffer when unemployment rises, as they are entering the labour market where there is considerable competition,” said Torbjörn Israelsson at the Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) to the Dagens Nyheter daily.
More than half of those in work aged 15-24 do so under temporary employment contracts. The figure covers both those working extra jobs while studying and those for whom work is their only income.
According to the Public Employment Service unemployment statistics of all those registered as looking for work, some 22 percent of the age group are registered job-seekers.
Discounting all those who work extra while studying full-time, this figure then drops to 13.4 percent.
Torbjörn Israelsson pointed out that while youth unemployment is high, it was also disproportionately high even prior to the 2008-2010 finance crisis.
The Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) has called for the government to act to address the issue of temporary employment contracts and youth unemployment.
“We want to guarantee everyone labour market experience already during their time at high school. This should be a right,” said Lasse Thörn at LO.
TT/The Local/pvs
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