Deciding to leave a job is rarely just about the new opportunity. In Sweden your move is shaped by your notice period, your contract and, very often, a collective agreement. Knowing the rules in advance lets you resign cleanly and protect the reference you will want later.
Your notice period when you resign
If you resign from a permanent position and nothing else has been agreed, the Employment Protection Act, known as LAS, sets a notice period of one month. This is the statutory baseline under the Employment Protection Act (SFS 1982:80). Many workplaces, however, are covered by a collective agreement that lengthens this, commonly to between one and three months depending on your sector and how long you have been employed. Always check your own contract and any applicable agreement before you hand in your notice.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Notice periods and conditions depend on your individual contract and any collective agreement at your workplace. When in doubt, ask your union or the workplace HR function for the rule that applies to you.
Notice when the employer ends the job
The picture differs when the employer terminates your employment. Under LAS, the notice period an employer must give increases with your length of service, ranging from one month up to six months for the longest-serving employees. Dismissals must also have a valid basis. Because the details and the 2022 reforms to the law can be intricate, rely on the primary source and, where relevant, professional advice rather than on summaries.
How to resign well
- Put it in writing. A short, dated letter or email stating your last day removes any ambiguity about when your notice period starts.
- Work your notice. You are generally expected to keep working through the notice period unless you and the employer agree otherwise.
- Mind your holiday. Untaken paid holiday is handled at the end of employment; ask HR how your balance will be settled.
- Leave on good terms. Sweden is a small labour market and references are taken seriously, so a graceful exit pays off.
Before you sign the next contract
Read the new offer carefully, especially the notice terms, any probationary clause and the collective agreement it references. Our guide to understanding your employment contract explains each part in plain English. If you are weighing a move within the same field, the occupation profiles on our sister site Allayrken.se can help you compare pay and prospects, and you can browse current openings on Platsbanken.