Am I allowed parental leave in Sweden?
Yes — you have a strong statutory right to parental leave, and the Social Insurance Agency pays parental benefit. There are 480 days per child to share between the parents, and a sole custodian can use them all. 390 days are paid at sickness-benefit level (about 80%), between 250 kr (basic level) and 1,259 kr a day depending on income, and 90 days at the lowest level, 180 kr a day — so the final 90 days are not 80% of anything. 90 days are reserved for each parent and cannot be transferred, not even if you both agree. You have the right to be fully off work until the child is 18 months, and the days expire when the child turns 12. In some cases days can be transferred to a related adult.
📋 The rules
- 480 days per child to share between the parents
- 390 days at ~80% (250–1,259 kr/day by income)
- 90 days at the lowest level = 180 kr/day
- 90 days reserved for each parent, non-transferable
- Right to be fully off until the child is 18 months
🔓 Exceptions
- A sole-custody parent can use all 480 days themselves
- Days can in some cases be transferred to a related adult
- The days expire when the child turns 12
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The Parental Leave Act runs on damages rather than fines: an employer who disadvantages or dismisses someone because of parental leave breaches the Act and can be ordered to pay damages. The cost that hits families, though, is often self-inflicted. 90 days are reserved for each parent and cannot be transferred — if one parent does not use their days, the days are lost rather than moved to the other. And every day, including the 90 at the lowest level (180 kr/day), expires when the child turns 12, with nobody reminding you.
📎 Official sources
- Social Insurance Agency · Parental benefit →
- Social Insurance Agency · Current amounts →
- Parental Leave Act (1995:584) · Riksdagen →
❓ Frequently asked
How many parental days are there?
480 days per child to share between the parents, of which 90 days are reserved for each of you. A sole custodian can use all 480 days themselves, and in some cases days can be transferred to a related adult.
How much is parental benefit?
390 days are paid at sickness-benefit level, about 80%, between 250 kr and 1,259 kr a day depending on income. The remaining 90 days are paid at the lowest level, 180 kr a day, whatever you earn.
Can I give all my days to my partner?
No. 90 days are reserved for you and cannot be transferred to the other parent, not even if you both agree. If you do not take them, they are simply lost — they do not move across to your partner.
How long can I be off work?
You have the right to be fully off work until the child is 18 months, whether or not you draw parental benefit. The right to leave and the right to the money are two separate things.
When do the days expire?
The parental benefit days expire when the child turns 12, and that includes the 90 days at the lowest level. Save days for too long and they simply disappear, with no compensation and no reminder.
🔎 Common searches
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