Nordregio Report Maps Nordic Disability Employment Gaps — Denmark Widest at 54 Percentage Points

Summary

A new Nordregio report published in September 2026, 'Disability Indicators for the Nordic Statistics Database', provides the most comprehensive comparable data yet on disability employment across the Nordic countries. Authored by Hjördís Guðmundsdóttir and covered by the Nordic Labour Journal on 8 October, the report reveals that the disability employment gap for people with severe limitations is widest in Denmark (54 percentage points) and narrowest in Iceland. In all Nordic countries, people with disabilities are significantly more likely to be outside the labour market than their peers. The report identifies standardised indicators from Eurostat and national sources to enable systematic tracking over time, using data up to 2025 for Finland, Norway and Sweden. For employers operating across Nordic markets, this benchmarking tool highlights where policy and practice diverge most sharply from inclusion goals.