Parental leave in Sweden
Working in Sweden and expecting a child? Find out how parental leave works, how many days you can take, what financial support you may receive, and what applies if one parent works in Denmark.
Length of parental leave
If you have joint custody of your child, you are each entitled to 240 days of parental leave. Of these, 195 days are income-based and 45 days are paid at the minimum level of 180 SEK per day.
90 days are reserved for each parent and cannot be transferred. The remaining 180 days can be transferred to the other parent. If you have sole custody, you are entitled to all 480 days.
The father or the child’s other parent is also entitled to 10 days of leave in connection with the birth. These days can be taken while the mother is on leave and must be used within 60 days after the child comes home from the hospital.
You must notify your employer at least 2 months before you plan to start your parental leave.
Parental benefit
Parental benefit in Sweden, föräldrapenning, is paid at different levels. Part of the benefit is based on your income, while other parts are paid at a fixed daily rate.
See our page about parental benefits in Sweden
Read about parental benefits at Försäkringskassan
Taking parental leave part-time
There are several ways to share parental leave. If your child is under 18 months old, you are entitled to take full-time leave from work. You can also choose to take leave for part of your working day and receive partial parental benefit.
If your child is under the age of 8, or has not yet completed the first year of school, you are entitled to work part-time and spend the remaining time at home with your child.
To protect your SGI, the income used to calculate your parental benefit, you must take parental benefit at sickness benefit level every day of the week. You must receive at least 1/8 parental benefit per day to remain covered by Swedish social insurance.
After your child turns 1 year old, you must take parental benefit for at least 5 full days per week and an additional 2 days at 1/8 level to protect your SGI in Sweden.
If one parent works in Denmark
If one parent works in Denmark, a set-off system applies to parental leave. This means that parental leave taken in Denmark is deducted from the leave available in Sweden, and vice versa.
Questions about parental leave?
If you have questions about parental leave or parental benefit, contact The Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Försäkringskassan, at Øresunddirekt in Malmö.
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