Maximum probation period, by country
The longest probation the statute allows, whether it can be stretched, and how quickly either side may end the job while it runs. Austria allows one month, the Netherlands two (less for short fixed-term contracts), France two to four months by job category, Spain two months or six for qualified technicians, and Germany, Sweden and Norway six months. Notice during probation ranges from none at all in Austria and the Netherlands to two weeks in Germany and Norway's 14 days, with France scaling notice to time served.
| Country | Maximum length | Extension or repeat | Notice during probation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 1 month | None: either side may end it at any time | |
| Germany | 6 months | 2 weeks | |
| Spain | 2 months (6 for qualified technicians; 3 in firms under 25 staff) | Count is interrupted by sick leave, birth and similar if both agree; void if the same job was done before | No notice period stated: either party may end it |
| France | 2 months (workers and employees), 3 (supervisors and technicians), 4 (managers) | Once, if an extended branch agreement allows it: up to 4, 6 or 8 months in total | Employer: 24 hours to 1 month by time served; employee: 48 hours (24 hours under 8 days) |
| Netherlands | 2 months (open-ended); 1 or 2 months (fixed-term over 6 months); none for 6 months or less | No new probation with the same employer unless the job clearly needs different skills | None: either party may end it with immediate effect |
| Norway | 6 months (half the contract for a temporary job) | Extended by the length of the employee's absence, if told in writing | 14 days, mutual, unless agreed or set by collective agreement otherwise |
| Sweden | 6 months | Becomes permanent employment if no notice is given by the end | Employer: at least 2 weeks' notice that probation will be ended early or not made permanent |
Country by country
Austria
- Rule
- ABGB § 1158 and Angestelltengesetz § 19
- ABGB § 1158 covers a probationary employment relationship in general; the Angestelltengesetz § 19 states the one-month maximum for salaried employees (Angestellte).
- The statutes quoted do not say whether probation can be extended, so that column is left empty.
Ein auf Probe oder nur für die Zeit eines vorübergehenden Bedarfes vereinbartes Dienstverhältnis kann während des ersten Monates von beiden Teilen jederzeit gelöst werden. Ein Dienstverhältnis auf Probe kann nur für die Höchstdauer eines Monats vereinbart und während dieser Zeit von jedem Vertragsteil jederzeit gelöst werden. Germany
- Rule
- BGB § 622(3) and TzBfG § 15(3)
- The two-week notice applies during an agreed probation of up to six months; a collective agreement may set different notice periods.
- For a fixed-term contract the probation must be proportionate to the expected duration of the contract and the kind of work (TzBfG § 15(3)).
- The statutes quoted do not say whether probation can be extended, so that column is left empty.
Während einer vereinbarten Probezeit, längstens für die Dauer von sechs Monaten, kann das Arbeitsverhältnis mit einer Frist von zwei Wochen gekündigt werden.Von den Absätzen 1 bis 3 abweichende Regelungen können durch Tarifvertrag vereinbart werden. Wird für ein befristetes Arbeitsverhältnis eine Probezeit vereinbart, so muss diese im Verhältnis zu der erwarteten Dauer der Befristung und der Art der Tätigkeit stehen. Spain
- Rule
- Estatuto de los Trabajadores art. 14
- The limits apply only where no collective agreement sets them. For temporary contracts of up to six months the maximum is one month unless a collective agreement says otherwise.
- Ending the contract during probation is void for a pregnant worker, from the start of pregnancy until the suspension period begins, unless the reasons are unrelated to pregnancy or maternity.
- The 3-month limit for firms under 25 staff applies to workers who are not qualified technicians.
En defecto de pacto en convenio, la duración del periodo de prueba no podrá exceder de seis meses para los técnicos titulados, ni de dos meses para los demás trabajadores. En las empresas de menos de veinticinco trabajadores el periodo de prueba no podrá exceder de tres meses para los trabajadores que no sean técnicos titulados.Será nulo el pacto que establezca un periodo de prueba cuando el trabajador haya ya desempeñado las mismas funciones con anterioridad en la empresa, bajo cualquier modalidad de contratación.excepto los derivados de la resolución de la relación laboral, que podrá producirse a instancia de cualquiera de las partes durante su transcursointerrumpen el cómputo del mismo siempre que se produzca acuerdo entre ambas partes France
- Rule
- Code du travail art. L1221-19 to L1221-26
- These are the maximum durations for an open-ended contract (CDI). Shorter periods may be set by a later collective agreement or in the contract itself.
- Probation and its renewal must be expressly stated in the engagement letter or the contract; they are never presumed.
- The notice period cannot extend the probation. If the employer does not respect it, the employee is owed compensation unless guilty of gross misconduct.
dont la durée maximale est : 1° Pour les ouvriers et les employés, de deux mois ; 2° Pour les agents de maîtrise et les techniciens, de trois mois ; 3° Pour les cadres, de quatre mois. La période d'essai peut être renouvelée une fois si un accord de branche étendu le prévoit.1° Quatre mois pour les ouvriers et employés ; 2° Six mois pour les agents de maîtrise et techniciens ; 3° Huit mois pour les cadres. de durées plus courtes fixées dans la lettre d'engagement ou le contrat de travail 1° Vingt-quatre heures en deçà de huit jours de présence ; 2° Quarante-huit heures entre huit jours et un mois de présence ; 3° Deux semaines après un mois de présence ; 4° Un mois après trois mois de présence. celui-ci respecte un délai de prévenance de quarante-huit heures. Ce délai est ramené à vingt-quatre heures si la durée de présence du salarié dans l'entreprise est inférieure à huit jours. Netherlands
- Rule
- BW 7 art. 652 and art. 676
- For a fixed-term contract of more than six months but under two years the maximum is one month; for two years or more it is two months.
- Probation must be agreed in writing and applies equally to both parties. A collective agreement may depart from the one-month limits to the employee's disadvantage; any other clause contrary to the article is void.
- On request the employer who ends the contract during probation must give the employee the reason in writing.
Bij het aangaan van een arbeidsovereenkomst voor onbepaalde tijd kan een proeftijd worden overeengekomen van ten hoogste twee maanden.a. een maand, indien de overeenkomst is aangegaan voor langer dan zes maanden maar korter dan twee jaren; b. twee maanden, indien de overeenkomst is aangegaan voor twee jaren of langer.Er kan geen proeftijd worden overeengekomen indien de arbeidsovereenkomst: a. is aangegaan voor ten hoogste zes maanden;een opvolgende arbeidsovereenkomst betreft tussen een werknemer en dezelfde werkgever, tenzij die overeenkomst duidelijk andere vaardigheden of verantwoordelijkheden van de werknemer eist dan de vorige arbeidsovereenkomst ieder der partijen, zolang die tijd niet is verstreken, bevoegd de arbeidsovereenkomst met onmiddellijke ingang op te zeggengeeft de werknemer op diens verzoek schriftelijk opgave van de reden van opzegging Norway
- Rule
- Arbeidsmiljøloven § 15-6 and § 15-3(7)
- A dismissal during a fixed probation must be justified by the employee's adaptation to the work, professional skill or reliability.
- A new probation cannot be agreed for the same or a substantially similar position, except for a permanent post where the earlier employment and the new probation together do not exceed six months.
- The ministry may allow longer probation than six months for certain groups of employees by regulation.
Prøvetid kan avtales for en periode på inntil seks måneder.Ved midlertidig ansettelse kan prøvetiden ikke overstige halvparten av ansettelsesforholdets varighet.kan arbeidsgiver forlenge den avtalte prøvetiden med en periode som tilsvarer lengden av fraværetBlir arbeidstaker som skriftlig er ansatt på en bestemt prøvetid, sagt opp, må oppsigelsen være begrunnet i arbeidstakers tilpasning til arbeidet, faglige dyktighet eller pålitelighet. gjelder en gjensidig oppsigelsesfrist på 14 dager, med mindre noe annet er skriftlig avtalt eller fastsatt i tariffavtale Sweden
- Rule
- LAS 6 § and 31 §
- This is a fixed-term probationary employment (provanställning) agreed in the contract.
- Unless otherwise agreed, a probationary employment may be ended before the probation runs out.
- If the employee is a union member, the employer must at the same time notify the local union organisation, and both have a right to consultation.
Avtal får även träffas om tidsbegränsad provanställning, om prövotiden är högst sex månader.Görs inte detta, övergår provanställningen i en tillsvidareanställning.Om inte annat har avtalats, får en provanställning avbrytas även före prövotidens utgång. skall underrätta arbetstagaren om detta minst två veckor i förvägskall arbetsgivaren samtidigt med underrättelsen varsla den lokala arbetstagarorganisation som arbetstagaren tillhör Countries not in this table yet
The United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Japan are not shown: the ingested statutes do not state a maximum probation period for them (the UK Employment Rights Act only requires a probationary period to be listed in the written particulars, and Japan's Labour Standards Act only treats probationary workers specially for dismissal notice).
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The table shows the statutory minimum only. Collective agreements, awards and individual contracts often give more than the statute, and some countries let a collective agreement set different terms.
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