The short answer
Employees in Sweden normally have 25 annual leave days, but the right to be absent and the right to receive holiday pay are separate balances. Unless otherwise agreed, at least four consecutive weeks should be scheduled between June and August. The employee states preferences, the employer consults and then decides the dates if no agreement is reached, normally giving notice at least two months before leave begins.
Twenty-five days do not all have to be paid
The Annual Leave Act normally provides 25 days. A recent hire may be entitled to take them without having earned full semesterlön for every day.
That creates two balances: semesterdagar for available leave and betalda semesterdagar for paid leave. The HR portal or payslip should distinguish them.
A collective agreement may improve the number, calculation or earning year. Start with the contract and agreement, not a colleague's total.
| In Swedish | What it means | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| semesterdagar | annual leave days | The general balance. |
| betalda semesterdagar | paid annual leave days | The balance that preserves pay. |
The four weeks that empty offices
The main rule provides at least four consecutive weeks between June and August, called huvudsemester. That is why Swedish offices may run slowly in July without everyone taking identical dates.
The period can be moved by agreement or for special reasons under the applicable framework. Continuous operations use schedules and collective agreements to arrange rotations.
If you want July, ask early. The right concerns a main summer period, not a guarantee of every chosen date.
| In Swedish | What it means | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| huvudsemester | main annual leave period | The four summer weeks under the main rule. |
| Jag önskar semester vecka 28 till 31. | I would like leave in weeks 28 to 31. | Swedish workplaces often use week numbers. |
A request is not the decision
You submit a semesteransökan or your semesterönskemål. The employer arranges leave after consultation and decides within the law and agreement when no agreement is reached.
When the employer makes the decision, notice should normally arrive at least two months before leave, with later notice possible only in particular circumstances. Approval in the HR system matters more than an informal comment at fika.
Do not buy a non-refundable ticket before receiving clear approval.
| In Swedish | What it means | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| semesteransökan | annual leave request | The formal request in an HR system. |
| Är semestern godkänd? | Has the leave been approved? | Ask before booking. |
Saving days and reading the balance
Paid days above twenty can normally be saved within statutory and agreement limits. The balance then separates current-year days from sparade semesterdagar.
Before year-end, check what must be taken, what can be saved and what will be paid or carried forward.
On the Swedish payslip, also find semesterlön or semestertillägg. They connect the leave calendar to the amount paid.
In team discussions, ju, väl and nog soften a suggested date. During the free weeks, a Swedish library card gives you a free place to keep using the language.
Sources
- Government Offices of Sweden: Annual Leave Act (1977:480)2015-01-01
- Arbetsgivarverket: Semester2026-09-18
Rules and processing times change. Check the official page for your own case before acting on anything here.
Questions people ask
- How many annual leave days do employees get in Sweden?
- The general rule is 25 days a year. A collective agreement may give more, and not every day is necessarily paid in the first year.
- Do I have a right to four weeks in July?
- The main rule is four consecutive weeks between June and August, not necessarily all of July or every date requested.
- Who decides the annual leave dates?
- The employee states preferences and the employer consults. If no agreement is reached, the employer sets the dates under the law and applicable agreement.
- Can Swedish annual leave days be saved?
- Paid days above twenty can normally be saved, subject to statutory limits and collective agreement rules.
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