Field:

Foreign controlled enterprises 2018

Foreign control of enterprises increased in Sweden with 207 enterprises in 2018. After the increase there were 14,595 foreign controlled enterprises in Sweden. The number of employees in the foreign controlled enterprises increased with 7,973 persons, which was an increase with 1 percent compared to last year’s survey. This meant that there were 680,393 employees in foreign-owned companies in Sweden in 2018.

Norwegian ownership increased

Norway was the country that accounted for the largest increase of foreign controlled enterprises in Sweden between 2017 and 2018 with an increase of 158 enterprises. Norway is also responsible for the largest increase over a longer period, since 2008 the number of companies owned from Norway has increased by 420.
After the increase Norway is still the country that controls most enterprises in Sweden (2,425 companies) followed by the US (1,397 companies) and Denmark (1,385 companies).

The number of employees increases most in companies controlled from Finland

Several countries increased their number of employees in Sweden in 2018. The largest increases occurred in companies controlled from Finland, the Netherlands and Germany. The increases amounted to 6,816, 4,805 and 4,189 employees. Over a longer period in 2008 to 2018, the largest increase in the number of employees has been in companies controlled from China and Germany with 25,061 and 24,065 employees.

Luxembourg ownership decreased

The number of employees decreased most in companies controlled by Luxembourg, the decrease was 21,460. Over a longer period, some owner countries have reduced the number of employees in Sweden, between 2008 and 2018, the largest reductions in number of employees took place in companies controlled from the UK (31,863 employees) and the US (30,194 employees).

Highest number of employees in German controlled enterprises

Germany is once again the ownership country with the highest number of employees, 80,829; followed by the US and Norway with 73,996 and 73,340 employees respectively. All three countries with the highest number of employees in Sweden in 2018 were also in top the last four years.

A few large enterprises provide most employment

Of the foreign companies in 2018, 41 per cent had no employees and 46 per cent of the companies had 1 to 49 employees in Sweden. These enterprises, however, accounted only for 11 per cent of employees in foreign controlled enterprises. Large enterprises with 250 or more employees accounted for 3 per cent of all foreign controlled enterprises, but their share of employment was 66 per cent of all employees in foreign controlled enterprises. The companies with 50 to 249 employees in Sweden accounted for 10 per cent of the foreign companies and its share of employment was 23 per cent.

Foreign controlled enterprises 2018

Serial number: Statistics 2019:03

Reference number: 2019/095

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