Sweden: Inquiry Report Proposes Formalising the “LAS age” as a Legal Term and Aligning it with the Swedish Target Retirement Age

Author: Karolina Sundqvist

The “LAS age” (Sw. LAS-åldern) is not currently a formal legal term but refers to the age up to which employees are entitled to remain in employment with full employment protection under the Swedish Employment Protection Act (Sw. lag 1982:80 om anställningsskydd). This age is currently set at 69 years. A recent government Inquiry proposes introducing the LAS age as a legal term in the Employment Protection Act, and setting it at two years beyond the target retirement age (Sw. riktålder för pension). The legislative amendments are proposed to enter into force on 1 July 2026.

As life expectancy continues to rise in Sweden, extending working life has become essential to maintaining a sustainable pension system. In 2017, the cross-party Pension Group reached an agreement to introduce a target retirement age and link it to various pension-related age thresholds. As of 1 January 2026, pension-related thresholds within the Swedish pension system and certain surrounding security systems will be tied to the target retirement age.

Following the Pension Group agreement, the Government commissioned an Inquiry to examine how the LAS age could be aligned with the target retirement age. The resulting report, SOU 2025:70 Longer Life, Longer Working Life – Extended Right to Remain in Employment, was recently submitted to the Government.

The LAS age, while commonly referenced, is not currently a formal legal term but refers to the age up to which employees are entitled to remain in employment with full employment protection under Swedish the Employment Protection Act. Once this age is reached, employers may terminate employment without objective reasons, and employment protections such as notice periods and re-employment rights are reduced or no longer applicable. The current LAS age is set at 69 years.

The Inquiry proposes introducing the LAS age a legal term in the Employment Protection Act and defining it as the target retirement age plus two years. The target retirement age is determined annually by the Government and takes effect six years later. Accordingly, the LAS age would also be known six years in advance of its implementation. The Inquiry further proposes that any contractual clause, in an individual employment agreement or a collective agreement, requiring an employee to leave their employment before reaching the LAS age should be considered invalid.

The legislative amendments are proposed to enter into force on 1 July 2026.

Key Action Points for Human Resources and In-House Counsel

Companies should be aware of the impending legislation and monitor developments and amendments to the Employment Protection Act regarding the LAS age.