Remote& | AI
All country guides

Employment guide

Hire and pay employees
in Sweden

Employment law, payroll compliance, taxes, benefits, and hiring requirements for Sweden — curated and reviewed by Remote&.

Capital
Stockholm
Currency
kr Swedish Krona (SEK)
Working Hours
40 hours per week
Min. salary
01 — Country basics

Sweden at a glance

Capital
Stockholm
Language
Swedish
Currency
kr Swedish Krona (SEK)
Working Hours
40 hours per week
Public Holidays
13 days per year
Tax Year
Jan 1 – Dec 31
Worker misclassification risk
Misclassification in Sweden triggers back payment of statutory employee entitlements (vacation, overtime, etc.) plus additional penalties for failure to fulfill employer obligations, incorrect data submission, and improper classification. Sweden has the highest number of patents per capita in Europe — a strong technology talent market.
02 — Tax obligations

Taxes in Sweden

Employer Contributions

Total employer social insurance: 31.42%

ContributionRate
Total employer tax31.42%
Components include: General payroll contribution, Retirement pension, Health insurance, Labour market fee, Parental insurance, Survivors' pension, Work injury insuranceCombined 31.42%
Employer contributions

Total employer social insurance: 31.42%

ContributionRate
Total employer tax31.42%
Components include: General payroll contribution, Retirement pension, Health insurance, Labour market fee, Parental insurance, Survivors' pension, Work injury insuranceCombined 31.42%
Employee contributions
ContributionRate
Pension7%
Total employee income tax30% – 50%
Income tax brackets

National income tax:

  • Income up to SEK 613,900: 0% national tax (municipal tax only)
  • Income over SEK 613,900: 20% national tax + municipal tax

Municipal tax: Varies by municipality, typically 30%–35% of income.

03 — Remote& EOR

Employer of Record in Sweden

How Remote& Works in Sweden

Standard EOR is not a recognized legal category in Sweden. Remote& directly employs your Swedish workers through a purpose-established Swedish entity, achieving the same compliant outcome — handling payroll, tax filings, statutory benefits, and employment contracts.

PartyRole
Your CompanyManages work tasks, performance, and team direction
Remote&Employs worker via Swedish entity; runs payroll, files taxes, administers benefits
EmployeeWorks for your company under a locally compliant Swedish contract

Ask Remi:

"Hire a machine learning engineer in Sweden — SEK 75,000/month, starting Q2" Remi handles everything: contract, Skatteverket registration, payroll setup, and pension enrollment.
04 — What employees receive

Benefits in Sweden

Statutory
  • State pension: All residents entitled to a state-financed guaranteed minimum pension
  • Workers' compensation insurance: Employers must cover all employees against workplace injury
Common additional
  • Private healthcare plan
  • Flexible and remote work
  • Sabbatical leave options
  • Supplementary pension
  • Training and development budget
  • Relocation package
  • Gym membership
  • Fika break culture (wellness)
05 — Time away from work

Leave entitlements

Leave typeEntitlement
Paid Annual Leave25 days + public holidays
Sick LeaveFirst 14 days covered by employer; remainder covered by Försäkringskassan (employee must apply)
Maternity Leave14 weeks
Paternity Leave10 days
Parental Leave480 days (shared between parents)
06 — Contracts & rights

Employment conditions

Probation

Maximum 6 months.

Health and Safety

Sweden's Work Environment Act requires systematic work environment management (SAM), covering physical and psychosocial factors. The Work Environment Authority enforces compliance, with employee involvement through safety representatives.

Employee Rights & Protections

Swedish workers are entitled to: written employment contract, payslip, equal pay, safe and healthy working environment, reasonable accommodation, priority rights for re-employment, written job conditions, personal data protection, anti-harassment and anti-discrimination protection, and pay transparency.

07 — Payroll cadence

Payments

Payment frequency
Monthly
Payday
Standard payday is the 25th of each month.
08 — Off-boarding

End of employment in Sweden

Companies must have objective grounds (saklig grund) to dismiss employees — Swedish law does not define exhaustive grounds but requires documented justification. Notice of dismissal must be provided in writing at least 2 weeks in advance and must inform the employee of their right to priority re-employment and challenge procedures.

Before terminating for redundancy, employers must explore alternative placements within the organization.

Unemployed or partially unemployed workers receive unemployment benefits (a-kassa) for up to 300 days.

09 — Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Four routes: run payroll from HQ (legally problematic); use contractors (non-compliant for full-time exclusive workers — Swedish law is clear on this); establish a Swedish entity; or partner with Remote& for employment through our purpose-established Swedish entity. Remote& handles everything without you needing to set up locally.

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