The market for finance and IT consultants – autumn 2026

Unemployment in Sweden is still high after the recession, yet many employers find it hard to recruit. For controllers, finance professionals and IT specialists, the shortage is rarely about the number of applicants – it is about experience.

High unemployment – and a shortage at the same time

The Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) expects unemployment to average 6.5 per cent in 2026 and fall to 6.1 per cent in 2027 as the recovery gathers pace. At the same time, the agency describes recruitment problems despite the many unemployed.

According to Statistics Sweden (SCB), Swedish employers were short of a total of 61,000 people in 2025, compared with 70,000 the year before. The shortage has eased somewhat – but it remains, even in a period with many jobseekers.

Finance: experience is what is scarce

The most common recruitment problem employers report to Arbetsförmedlingen is that there are too few or no applicants with sufficient professional experience. This applies to every industry except public services.

In the finance function this is especially clear. Roles such as controller, financial controller and finance director require the person to handle closing, forecasts and management’s questions from day one. That cannot be learnt on the job once a vacancy has already arisen.

In our experience, demand is greatest for controllers and finance directors who can take responsibility straight away – at closing, in budgeting and when a key person suddenly leaves. These are the roles that often take longest to recruit, because the experience requirements are high. That is why more and more companies solve the urgent need with an interim consultant and recruit for the long term in parallel.

IT: developers are in short supply despite the recession

In IT, employers were short of 4,000 people in the group IT architects, systems developers and test managers in 2025, according to SCB – mainly software and systems developers. A further 700 were missing in operations, support and networks.

In IT, we increasingly see demand where IT meets finance: BI solutions for the finance department, ERP system changes and tools that automate reporting. These need people who understand both the technology and the numbers – a combination that is hard to find.

AI: a higher threshold for newcomers – new demands on the experienced

Arbetsförmedlingen notes that AI may reduce job opportunities for new graduates in some occupations, and that the uncertainty may make employers more hesitant to hire. As a result, experienced people become even more sought after – and newcomers to the labour market find it harder to land their first job.

Our assessment is that AI is taking over more and more of the routine work in the finance function – bookkeeping entries, reconciliations, simple reports and summaries. That does not reduce the need for finance professionals, but it changes what they need to know. Demand is shifting towards analysis, management control and the ability to question the numbers, and towards people who can lead the introduction of new tools safely.

We see the same shift in IT. There is a growing need for developers and BI specialists who can connect AI with existing systems and data, with due regard for security and GDPR. That makes the combination of finance and IT expertise particularly valuable.

What it means for you as an employer

• Expect experience to take time to find. Start recruiting early and be clear about what the role actually requires.
• Interim bridges the gap. An experienced interim consultant covers the need while you recruit for the long term.
• Temp-to-hire reduces the risk. You test the collaboration in real work before you hire.
• Combine finance and IT. System changes, BI and AI in the finance function require people who understand both the numbers and the technology.