Older people who become unemployed have more difficulty getting a new job and more often get stuck in long-term unemployment, according to official sources. This issue is critical because Sweden has an aging population that needs to work longer, and since Sweden has an aging population, it becomes particularly important for future skills supply to utilize all who want and can work, not least older people, as Sandra Offesson, a labor market analyst at the Swedish Public Employment Service, stated. The Swedish Public Employment Service assesses that the older group has weaker competitiveness in the labor market, with research showing that middle-aged and older job seekers are deselected in connection with recruitment.
The chance of being contacted by an employer decreases already in the 40s age group, and then decreases with increasing age, and age discrimination, which occurs independently of the job seeker's qualifications, negatively affects the demand for older labor. People older than 55 years are generally established in the labor market and rarely become unemployed, but there is a risk that older people leave the labor market prematurely, which negatively affects the supply of labor. According to Sandra Offesson, age discrimination can lead to older people not applying for jobs, increasing this risk.
To prevent unemployment among older people, skills development throughout working life is central, and it is also important to raise the issue of discrimination and ageism with employers to influence attitudes. An active labor market policy can make a difference, though the specific measures included in such a policy remain unclear. The exact number of older people currently unemployed in Sweden and the definition of 'long-term unemployment' used in reports are not specified, and the concrete steps being taken to address discrimination with employers are unknown.