Employment forms and probation under Swedish law
Permanent employment is the main rule. Probation may run for six months at most, and fixed-term employment converts to permanent after more than twelve months in total within a five-year period.
What the rules say
- The Employment Protection Act: an employment contract runs until further notice unless otherwise agreed.
- The Employment Protection Act: probationary employment may be agreed for no more than six months.
- The Employment Protection Act: fixed-term employment converts after more than twelve months within five years.
The requirements line by line
| Question | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Main rule | An employment contract runs until further notice unless otherwise agreed. Fixed-term employment needs support in statute or collective agreement. | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
| Threshold | A probationary period may last no more than six months and turns into permanent employment unless ended before it expires. | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
| Fixed-term employment | Fixed-term employment converts to permanent employment after more than twelve months in total within a five-year period. | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
| Employer duty | The employer must give written information on the terms of employment within one week of the employee starting work. | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
Thresholds and limits
| Limit | What it triggers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Six months | Maximum probationary period | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
| Twelve months within five years | Fixed-term employment converts to permanent | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
| One week | Deadline for written information on the terms | SFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd |
What it means for the company
Track the limits per person, not per contract. Total time with the same employer is what counts, and a missed limit makes the employment permanent without any decision being taken.
What it means for the individual
All time with the employer counts inside the five-year window, including interrupted periods.
Source lines
- Svensk författningssamling, RiksdagenSFS 1982:80, lagen om anställningsskydd · read 2026-08-25 · proof f1eab88968ac7fb7
Next step
Go through the staff list and note start date, employment form and total time for each person.
This page reports what the sources say, with the identifier and address of the publisher. It is not legal advice and does not decide an individual matter.
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