The Swedish IT sector is expected to maintain a steady hiring pace of +23 percent for the second quarter of 2025. Despite this positive outlook, Sweden remains well below the global average and sits 16 percentage points lower than the same period last year, according to the Experis Labor Market Barometer.
Stable but slowing IT recruitment in Sweden
The IT and tech industry has long been a driving force in the Swedish labor market. Helen Remnås, CEO of Experis Sweden, notes that while the forecast shows a decline in recruitment pace compared with previous years, the level of hiring is still strong. She stresses the importance of IT companies investing in both recruitment and skills development to stay competitive on the international stage.
Software and systems developers were the fourth most common occupation in Sweden in 2023, according to Statistics Sweden (SCB). Ahead of Q2 2025, 40 percent of IT employers expect to expand their workforce while 17 percent anticipate a reduction, resulting in a net hiring forecast of +23 percent.
Global optimism within the IT sector
While Sweden shows one of the stronger national sector forecasts, the figures are notably lower than last year’s estimate of +39 percent for IT recruitment. Globally, the outlook is more optimistic: the IT sector leads employment growth for the 16th consecutive quarter with a projected increase of +35 percent.
In Sweden, 59 percent of IT employers cite business expansion and new roles as reasons for ongoing recruitment. At the same time, layoffs are occurring primarily due to cost-cutting measures and organizational restructuring.
Helen Remnås emphasizes that skills shortages in Swedish IT remain significant. The lower employment forecast appears driven more by economic uncertainty than by a reluctance to hire, underlining the need for continued focus on workforce development and reskilling.
Sweden in a global context
Overall, Swedish employers have a cautiously positive view of the labor market. The forecast for the entire Swedish labor market in Q2 2025 stands at +19 percent, the highest level since Q1 2024. Internationally, North America and Asia are leading growth with employment forecasts of +34 and +30 percent respectively.
Top lists: Strong industries in Sweden and globally
Swedish industry forecasts for Q2 2025
- Service sector and wholesale & retail trade: +26%
- Banking, finance and real estate: +24%
- IT sector: +23%
- Health, healthcare and life sciences: +22%
- Transport, logistics and automotive industry: +22%
- Raw materials, green industries, construction and service companies, defense industry: +21%
- Telecom and media: +3%
- Energy and public utilities: -8%
World’s strongest industries
- IT sector: +35%
- Banking, finance and real estate: +32%
- Health, healthcare and life sciences: +28%
- Raw materials, green industries, construction and service companies, defense industry: +27%
- Service sector and wholesale & retail trade: +24%
- Transport, logistics and automotive industry: +23%
- Telecom and media: +15%
- Energy and public utilities: +14%
Facts: Employment trends and methodology
Employment trend is calculated as the difference between the share of employers expecting an increase in staff and those expecting a decrease. For Q2 2025, 33 percent of Swedish employers expect to expand their workforce while 14 percent anticipate a reduction, resulting in a net trend of +19 percent across the broader labor market.
The Experis Labor Market Barometer is based on responses from more than 40,000 employers across 41 countries, including 788 Swedish employers. The survey was conducted in January 2025 and serves as a global indicator of labor market trends used by decision-makers and analysts worldwide.
Next report
ManpowerGroup’s Labor Market Barometer for the third quarter of 2025 will be published on June 10, 2025. Watch for updated trends and forecasts covering both the Swedish and global labor markets.