Shared parental leave in Denmark and Sweden

If you and the other parent are covered by social insurance in different countries, your parental leave entitlements must be coordinated. This means that parental leave taken in one country is deducted from the leave available in the other.

In Sweden, parents are entitled to 480 days of parental benefit. You can choose how many days of parental benefit to receive each week. To receive the maximum benefit, you must claim 7 days per week.

In Denmark, parental benefit is paid on a weekly basis. One week of Danish parental benefit is equivalent to 7 days of Swedish parental benefit.

In Sweden, parents can take parental leave at the same time by using double days, dubbeldagar. Each day counts as one parental leave day for each parent, meaning that 2 days are deducted in total.

You can use up to 60 double days during the first 24 weeks after your child is born, but no later than before your child turns 15 months. However, you cannot take maternity leave at the same time during the last 13 weeks of the leave period.

Example

If the parent working in Sweden takes parental leave first, the parent working in Denmark must document how much parental leave has been used in Sweden. The Danish authority, Udbetaling Danmark, uses this information to calculate the remaining leave available in Denmark.

Likewise, The Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Försäkringskassan, must receive documentation of how much parental leave has been used in Denmark.

Parental leave paid in Denmark is deducted from the Swedish parental benefit days, föräldrapenningdagar, even if the payments have been made by a Danish employer. Försäkringskassan may request documentation even if no parental leave has been taken in Denmark.

The relevant authority then calculates the remaining days or weeks available to the parent who has not yet taken parental leave, or who is entitled to additional leave.

See our page about parental benefit in Sweden

The mother who works in Sweden and lives in Denmark is entitled to 480 days of parental benefit (390 days at sickness benefit level and 90 days at basic level), minus any days taken in Denmark by the other parent.

The mother can start taking parental leave from Sweden up to 2 months before the expected due date. Please note that any parental leave taken before the birth of the child is deducted from the 390 days at sickness benefit level.

If you live in Denmark and receive parental benefit from Sweden, you must take at least 1/8 parental benefit per day at sickness benefit level, sjukpenningnivå, to retain your entitlement to benefits from Sweden.

If the parent working in Denmark takes parental leave, these days are first deducted from the 390 days at sjukpenningnivå.

Försäkringskassan may request documentation from the Danish authority, Udbetaling Danmark, showing how many days of parental leave have been taken in Denmark. This includes any days for which a Danish employer has paid parental leave to the father/co-mother working in Denmark.

See our page about parental leave in Sweden

The father/co-mother who works in Sweden is covered by Swedish social insurance and is therefore entitled to Swedish parental benefit.

The father/co-mother is entitled to 10 days of temporary parental benefit, tillfällig föräldrapenning, in connection with the birth of the child. These days must be taken within 60 days of the child returning home from the hospital.

The 10 days of tilfällig föräldrapenning are separate from ordinary parental leave. You must apply for them separately and no later than 60 days after the child returns home from the hospital.

The father/co-mother is also entitled to 480 days of Swedish parental benefit (390 days at sickness benefit level and 90 days at basic level), minus any days of Danish parental benefit taken by the mother.