Working Days – Sweden
Sweden has a fixed system of public holidays (also called red days) that are regulated through legislation and collective agreements. For HR and payroll personnel, it is important to know that Sweden does not have compensation days - if a public holiday falls on a weekend, that day is lost and not replaced.
Annual summary
| Other year | Working days | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 249 | |
| 2026 | 251 | |
| 2027 | 253 | |
| 2028 | 251 |
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Holiday rules and practice in Sweden
How public holidays work in Sweden, and what that means when you count working days.
- Standard work week
- Monday–Friday
- 40 hours per week
- Substitute days
- No
- A public holiday that falls on a weekend is not replaced, so it produces no extra day off.
- Regional variation
- No
- Public holidays apply uniformly across the whole country.
Bank holidays
Sweden uses 'helgdag' (holiday) only. 'Röd dag' (red day) is the common term for any public holiday, referring to how they appear in red on Swedish calendars.
Local terminology
| Working day | arbetsdag |
|---|---|
| Public holiday | helgdag / röd dag |
Worth knowing
- Midsommarafton (Midsummer Eve) is NOT an official public holiday but is universally a non-working day.
- Christmas Eve (Dec 24) is NOT an official public holiday but universally treated as free.
- Midsummer Day always falls on the Saturday between June 20–26.
- No substitute days — if holiday falls on weekend, it is lost.
Frequently asked questions
What applies if a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday - does the employee receive a compensation day?
No. Sweden does not have a compensation day principle. If a public holiday falls on a weekend, that day is lost and is not replaced with a day off during the week. This applies to all official public holidays and is an important difference compared to some other countries.
Are Midsummer Eve and Christmas Eve official public holidays?
No, they are not formally statutory public holidays, but they are universally non-working days in Sweden and are treated practically as public holidays by employers. They are often called 'red days' and should be planned for as non-working days in payroll systems and workforce scheduling.
How many official public holidays are there annually in Sweden?
Sweden has 13 recurring official public holidays: New Year's Day, Epiphany, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Ascension Day, Whit Sunday, National Day of Sweden, Midsummer Day, All Saints' Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Additionally, Midsummer Eve, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve are generally non-working days.
Do payroll calculations follow any special rules for public holidays in Sweden?
Public holidays are generally non-working days and salary is paid normally according to the employment contract and collective agreements. Many collective agreements regulate compensation for work on public holidays separately. Always check the relevant collective agreement or employment contract for your industry and employee category.
Does Midsummer Day always fall on the same date each year?
No. Midsummer Day always falls on the Saturday between 20-26 June. This means the date varies from year to year, and HR systems must be updated annually to reflect the correct date for Midsummer Day in payroll calculations and scheduling.