Leave rules · 2026
Annual leave and sick leave rules in Sweden (2026)
Employees in Sweden get at least 25 days of paid annual leave a year on a 5-day week (5 weeks). Sick leave: paid.
Rules as of September 2026 · page built Monday, September 28, 2026Statutory minimums
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25 days a year (200 hours)
Statutory minimum 25 days on a 5-day week at 0 years of service.
This is the legal floor for Sweden; the contract can give more.
| Service | Minimum (5-day week) | In weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Starting entitlement | 25 days | 5 weeks |
25 days of annual leave (Semesterlagen s. 4).
Worked exampleA full-time employee on a 5-day week gets at least 25 days a year.
What the rules mean in practice
In Sweden, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 25 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 5 weeks.
In Sweden, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 25 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 5 weeks. The legal wording: 25 days of annual leave (Semesterlagen s. 4).
Compared with the other 37 jurisdictions LeaveCalc covers, that starting minimum is higher than 32, the same as 3 and lower than 2. Across all of them the range runs from 5 days (the Philippines) to 30 days (the United Arab Emirates). 25 days is about 9.6% of a 260-day working year.
No service-based step is recorded here, so the 25-day minimum applies at every length of service; the official source has the full rule.
Public holidays are in addition to the annual leave minimum. For 2026, the public holiday calendar for Sweden lists 13 holidays, 7 of them on working days. An employee who has all 7 weekday holidays off on top of the 25-day minimum is away from work on at least 32 weekdays in 2026.
Sick leave: Sick pay from the employer for days 2 to 14, then the Social Insurance Agency; not an accrued balance. LeaveCalc rates this entry High confidence, based on the official sources listed below as of September 2026.
Public holidays
Public holidays are in addition to the annual leave minimum. See the 2026 and 2027 public holiday dates for Sweden, with .ics downloads.
Sources
As of September 2026. Statutory minimums only: contracts, collective agreements and local rules can give more.
Questions about leave in Sweden
The statutory minimum is 25 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (5 weeks).
How many days of annual leave do employees get in Sweden?
The statutory minimum is 25 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (5 weeks). 25 days of annual leave (Semesterlagen s. 4).
Does annual leave increase with length of service in Sweden?
No service-based step is recorded here for Sweden: the statutory minimum stays at 25 days a year. Check the official source for the full rule.
Is sick leave paid in Sweden?
Yes. Sick pay from the employer for days 2 to 14, then the Social Insurance Agency; not an accrued balance.
Are public holidays part of annual leave in Sweden?
Public holidays are in addition to the annual leave minimum. In 2026 the calendar for Sweden has 13 public holidays, 7 of them on working days.