Sunil RaoIn Sweden, the social safety net provides wage protection if you fall ill or cannot work due to medical reasons. Sickness compensation is divided into two phases: employer-paid sick pay sjuklön (employer sick pay) and government sickness benefit sjukpenning (state sickness benefit) administered by Försäkringskassan Försäkringskassan (Swedish Social Insurance Agency).
Navigating the initial qualifying deduction karensavdrag (qualifying sick pay deduction), medical certificate läkarintyg (medical doctor certificate) deadlines, and annual income caps SGI (sickness-qualifying income) is crucial for workers and expats in Sweden.
1. Day 1: The Qualifying Deduction (Karensavdrag)
When you take sick leave, you do not receive pay for the first hours of illness. Under Swedish law, this deduction is called karensavdrag (qualifying sick pay deduction).
Calculated as 20% of your average weekly sick pay, for a standard 5-day, 40-hour work week, the karensavdrag is equal to 1 full day of normal gross salary deducted from your monthly paycheck.
2. Days 2–14: Employer Sick Pay (Sjuklön)
From Day 2 through Day 14 of illness, your employer is legally obligated to pay sjuklön equal to 80% of your regular gross daily wage.
2026 Financial Case Study: Anders earns a gross monthly salary of SEK 45,000/month (daily wage = SEK 2,077). If Anders is sick for 10 working days in a month:
• Day 1 Karensavdrag deduction = −SEK 2,077
• Days 2–10 Employer Sick Pay (9 days @ 80% = 9 × SEK 1,661) = +SEK 14,949
• Total gross income for the 10-day sick period = SEK 14,949 (vs SEK 20,770 normal wage, representing a net loss of SEK 5,821).
3. Day 8 Deadline: Medical Certificate (Läkarintyg)
If your illness lasts longer than 7 calendar days, you must obtain a formal medical certificate läkarintyg from a licensed physician starting on Day 8. Without submitting a valid läkarintyg to your employer, your employer is legally permitted to withhold further sick pay.
4. Days 15+: State Sickness Benefit (Sjukpenning) & SGI Caps
If you remain sick beyond Day 14, your employer stops paying sjuklön (employer sick pay). From Day 15 onwards, you must apply for sjukpenning (state sickness benefit) directly through Försäkringskassan.
Försäkringskassan calculates sjukpenning at 80% of your Sickness-Qualifying Income sjukpenninggrundande inkomst (sickness-qualifying income, SGI). In 2026, SGI is capped at 10 statutory price base amounts prisbasbelopp (price base amount = SEK 57,300), setting the maximum SGI ceiling at SEK 573,000 per year (SEK 47,750/month). Salaries above SEK 47,750/month receive the maximum daily payout of SEK 1,218 per calendar day.
NordDaily Tips
Actionable Tip: Check whether your employment contract includes collective agreement top-ups kollektivavtal (collective bargaining agreement). Many Swedish collective agreements pay an additional +10% to +20% sick pay top-up during extended illness to bridge the gap above the SGI ceiling.
Sources
- Försäkringskassan — Regler för sjukpenning och SGI-tak 2026
- Sjuklönelagen (1991:1047) — Regler för karensavdrag och sjuklön
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Frequently asked questions
How is Karensavdrag (day 1 sick deduction) calculated in Sweden?
Karensavdrag is calculated as 20% of your average weekly sick pay. For a standard full-time employee working 40 hours per week, this deduction is equivalent to 1 day's normal daily wage.
How much sick pay do employers pay in Sweden?
From Day 2 through Day 14 of sick leave, your employer pays sick pay (sjuklön) equal to 80% of your regular gross daily wage.
When is a medical certificate (läkarintyg) required?
You must submit a written medical certificate (läkarintyg) from a licensed doctor to your employer starting on Day 8 of your sick leave period.
Estimate only. Talk to a qualified adviser before acting on anything here.
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