The provisions on young peoples’ work environment, AFS 2012:03 (available in Swedish), applies to all work carried out by young people. The work should be professional and not association activities, leisure time or hobby occupations. To assess whether work is professional, one takes into consideration whether the work is of an economic nature and if there is a performance requirement. Furthermore, it has significance if the young person works regularly and long-term.

Younger children

Those who are under 13 years of age may not work, but certain exceptions exist. The exceptions are about very light and non-dangerous work within the closest family without other employees. Examples of very light and safe work are garden work, light animal feeding work, fruit and berry picking, as well as the clearing of garden beds.

Younger children can perform and rehearse within cultural activities and with sport and advertising events if the Swedish Work Environment Authority has given permission for it.

Older children

Older children may have light and non-dangerous work. The work may not entail great responsibility or be physically or mentally difficult. This means that older children may not be responsible for something that is valuable or carry out anything that could lead to someone being hurt. Neither may they carry out, for example, heavy lifting or work in environments where there is a risk of violence or conflicts. Older children may never sell age-restricted goods such as moist snuff, alcohol and tobacco.

Young people

Young people, that is to say young people who are at least 16 years of age during the on-going calendar year, may have normal and non-dangerous work. They may not carry out working tasks that are in appendix 1 of the provisions, if the exceptions are not fulfilled. The exemptions that exist are if the work task

• is included in education and occurs in school or in a place that is reserved for education
• is included in supervisor-led practical work for young people
• is carried out by young people who have completed an upper secondary school education or similar training for the task.

Prohibited working tasks

The are working tasks that may never be carried out by someone under the age of 18 years. The ban applies to, among other things:

• work with asbestos
• diving work
• security work according to the Security Company Act
• transport of money and securities to or from financial institutions or areas outside the workplace.