Employment contracts and working conditions in Sweden

What should an employment contract contain?

An employment contract is an agreement between you and your employer. In some cases, a collective agreement sets the framework for the terms of employment.

An employment contract does not always have to be in writing. However, your employer must provide written information about the key terms of your employment within one month after you start work.

This information should include:

• personal details, workplace details and your employment start date
• your duties and job title
• type of employment and notice periods
• salary, fringe benefits and how often you are paid
• paid holiday entitlement and normal working hours
• whether a collective agreement applies
• terms for working abroad for more than one month 

Common employment terms in Sweden

Permanent employment (tillsvidareanställning)

Permanent employment is the most common type of employment in Sweden. This means that the employment continues until further notice rather than ending on a fixed date.

According to the Swedish Employment Protection Act, employment is considered permanent unless otherwise agreed.

Fixed-term employment (tidsbegränsad anställning)

There are different types of fixed-term employment in Sweden. These include fixed-term project employment, seasonal work such as summer jobs, temporary replacement positions and employment after the age of 67.

Probationary employment (provanställning)

In Sweden, permanent employment often starts with a probationary period. The probationary period can last for up to six months and allows both you and the employer to assess whether the employment is a good match.

Fringe benefits (förmåner)

Fringe benefits are more common in Sweden than in Denmark, including in the public sector. These benefits can include subsidised fitness and health-related activities, such as gym memberships.

Collective agreements

A collective agreement is negotiated between employers and trade unions within different industries and regulates terms such as salary, working hours and other working conditions.

The agreement is made between an employer or employers’ organisation and a trade union. Individual employees cannot negotiate or sign a collective agreement themselves.

Salary and wage payments

Pay in Sweden is usually paid as either a monthly salary or an hourly wage. Full-time employees are often paid a monthly salary, but some employees are paid by the hour instead.

Salaries are usually paid once a month. Some employers pay salaries at the end of the same month, while others pay salaries the following month. For example, work carried out in January may be paid in February.