Sweden has some of the most generous statutory leave entitlements in the world, and the rules governing them are detailed. If you’re employing people in Sweden, here’s what you need to know about holiday pay, sick leave, parental leave, and the statutory benefits your contributions fund.
Annual leave
Sweden’s Annual Leave Act (Semesterlagen) sets the baseline. Most collective agreements match or exceed it, so check whether any agreement applies to your workforce.
How many days do employees get?
All employees are entitled to 25 working days of annual leave per year, equivalent to five weeks. From January 1, 2026, approximately one million white-collar private-sector workers gain an extra paid day as a result of a collective agreement change.
How is holiday pay calculated?
The calculation method depends on how the employee is paid.
For hourly or variable-pay employees, holiday pay is 12% of total gross earnings during the qualifying year (April 1 to March 31).
For salaried employees, it’s the regular monthly salary plus a holiday supplement of 0.43% of monthly salary for each vacation day taken.
Holiday pay is paid when leave is taken, or on termination.
Qualifying year and timing
The qualifying year runs from April 1 to March 31. Employees hired after August 31 are entitled to only five days of leave in their first holiday year.
As the employer, you determine when leave is scheduled. You must, however, schedule at least four consecutive weeks of leave during June, July, or August. Employees may carry over unused days above 20 for up to five years.
Public holidays
Sweden has 13 official public holidays, known as röda dagar (red days). Dates for moveable holidays are shown for 2026.
| Holiday | Swedish name | 2026 date |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Nyårsdagen | January 1 |
| Epiphany | Trettondedag jul | January 6 |
| Good Friday | Långfredagen | April 3 (varies) |
| Easter Sunday | Påskdagen | April 5 (varies) |
| Easter Monday | Annandag påsk | April 6 (varies) |
| International Workers’ Day | Första Maj | May 1 |
| Ascension Day | Kristi himmelsfärds dag | May 14 (varies) |
| National Day of Sweden | Sveriges nationaldag | June 6 |
| Pentecost Sunday | Pingstdagen | May 24 (varies) |
| Midsummer’s Day | Midsommardagen | June 20 (varies) |
| All Saints’ Day | Alla helgons dag | October 31 (varies) |
| Christmas Day | Juldagen | December 25 |
| Second Day of Christmas | Annandag jul | December 26 |
De facto days off
Three additional days aren’t official public holidays but are treated as full days off by most Swedish employers. If your employment contracts or collective agreement don’t address them explicitly, employees will typically expect them.
| Day | Swedish name | 2026 date |
|---|---|---|
| Midsummer Eve | Midsommarafton | June 19 |
| Christmas Eve | Julafton | December 24 |
| New Year’s Eve | Nyårsafton | December 31 |
Sick leave
Employer obligations in the first 14 days
You’re responsible for paying sickness benefit (sjuklön) for the first 14 days of any period of absence. The rate is 80% of regular pay.
Day 1 is a waiting day (karensdag). The employee receives no sick pay on the first day of illness. Payment starts from day 2.
The employee must notify you of their illness on day 1. A medical certificate is required from day 8 onward.
After 14 days
From day 15, responsibility transfers to the Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan). At that point, the employee applies directly to Försäkringskassan for continued sickness benefit. Your obligation ends.
Parental leave
Sweden’s parental leave system (föräldraledighet) is one of the most comprehensive in the world. The state pays the bulk of parental benefits through parental insurance (föräldrapenning), but you need to understand the rules to manage headcount and notice periods effectively.
How many days are available?
Parents are jointly entitled to 480 days of state-paid parental benefits per child. 90 of those days are individually reserved for each parent and can’t be transferred to the other.
The remaining transferable days changed significantly from July 1, 2024. Each custodial parent can now transfer up to 45 of their days to a close relative, friend, or another person covered by social insurance. A single custodial parent can transfer up to 90 days.
Both parents can be home simultaneously for up to 60 days.
When can parental leave be used?
Parental leave can be used until the child turns 12. After the child’s fourth birthday, no more than 96 days can be taken.
Employees must give you at least two months’ notice before starting parental leave. Either parent can also reduce their working hours by up to 25% until the child turns 8, though this reduction is unpaid.
What does the state pay?
The state pays approximately 80% of the employee’s income up to a ceiling set by Försäkringskassan. Many employers top up this amount contractually or through collective agreements. You’ll want to confirm what applies to your workforce.
Birth leave for fathers and co-parents
At the time of birth, the non-birthing parent is entitled to 10 days of paid leave, or 20 days for multiple births. This is paid by the state through föräldrapenning, not by you directly.
Leave accrual during other absences
Employees continue to accrue vacation pay during certain types of absence, up to defined limits.
| Type of absence | Accrual period |
|---|---|
| Illness | Up to 180 days |
| Parental leave | Up to 120 days |
| Study leave | Up to 180 days |
| Military service | Up to 60 days |
Other types of statutory leave
Beyond annual leave, sick leave, and parental leave, Swedish law provides a range of additional leave rights. Employees can take time off for the following reasons without losing their right to return to their position:
- Care for close relatives (närstånde)
- Urgent family matters
- Learning Swedish (for immigrants)
- Starting a business (up to six months)
- Seeking new employment
- Serving in elected political positions
- School-related activities
- Military duty
The terms and compensation for these vary. Some are unpaid, and some have specific qualifying conditions.
Statutory benefits funded through employer contributions
As an employer in Sweden, you pay a social security contribution rate of 31.42% on top of each employee’s gross salary. These contributions fund the following statutory benefits:
| Benefit | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Health insurance | Sickness benefit and medical access |
| Public old-age pension | State retirement pension |
| Survivor’s pension | Benefits for dependants on death |
| Parental insurance | Föräldrapenning payments |
| Work injury insurance | Compensation for workplace accidents |
| Unemployment support | Labour market contribution (a-kassa) |
These contributions are mandatory and cover all employees regardless of contract type. They’re calculated on gross salary and paid to the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket).
Hiring in sweden through an Employer of Record (EOR)
If you’re hiring in Sweden without a local legal entity, an EOR handles employment contracts, payroll, social contributions, and statutory leave compliance on your behalf. This is particularly useful when expanding into Sweden for the first time or hiring a small number of employees where setting up a local entity isn’t practical.
EOR services typically cover the full employment lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding, including all statutory benefit obligations described in this guide.
RemotePass ensures your Sweden employees receive every statutory entitlement on time, from holiday pay accrual to sick pay compliance. Book a demo to learn more.
