Tools › Salary & business
Holiday pay & holiday supplement
Calculate Swedish holiday pay 2026 under the same-pay rule (0.43% supplement) or the percentage rule (12%), plus compensation for unused days.
How holiday pay is calculated
The Swedish Annual Leave Act gives 25 holiday days per year. The qualifying year runs 1 April–31 March, and the holiday year follows it. With a fixed monthly salary the same-pay rule normally applies: you keep your ordinary monthly salary during the holiday and additionally receive a holiday supplement of 0.43% of the monthly salary per paid holiday day taken. Many collective agreements raise the supplement to 0.8%.
With variable or hourly pay the percentage rule applies: holiday pay is 12% of the qualifying pay during the qualifying year (0.48% per holiday day, which equals 12% at 25 days). The same percentage is used for holiday compensation, paid for earned but unused days when the employment ends – no later than one month after the last day of employment.
Holiday days beyond 20 per year may be saved for up to five years. Certain absence still qualifies for holiday pay, for example sick leave up to 180 days and parental leave up to 120 days. Collective agreements may give both more days and a higher supplement than the law.
Source: the Swedish Annual Leave Act (1977:480), 2026. Guidance only – your collective agreement takes precedence over the statutory minimum.
| Item | Level | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday days per year | 25 | statutory minimum |
| Holiday supplement per day | 0,43 % | same-pay rule, fixed monthly salary |
| Holiday supplement per day | 0,80 % | common level in collective agreements |
| Holiday pay | 12 % | percentage rule, variable pay (0.48% per day) |
| Holiday compensation | 12 % | unused days when employment ends |
| Saved days | beyond 20 per year, for 5 years | Annual Leave Act, section 18 |
Updated for 2026 · Source: Skatteverket / SCB · About the calculations