Hire in Switzerland

Typical time to hire

1-3 weeks for contractor, 3-6 weeks for full-time

Entity requirement

Swiss GmbH (Sarl/Srl) or AG (SA). Registration at cantonal Handelsregisteramt.

EOR available

Yes — from $399/employee/month through a Corpshore entity

Contractor of record

Yes — from $39/worker/month

Standard workweek

41.5-45 hours (depending on sector; no universal statutory limit)

Maximum weekly hours

45 hours

Minimum annual leave

20 days (4 weeks); 25 days for workers under 20

Public holidays

8 per year

Maternity leave

14 weeks at 80% of salary (since 2005)

Paternity leave

2 weeks at 80% (since 2021)

Notice period

1-3 months depending on tenure. 1 month (year 1), 2 months (years 2-9), 3 months (10+ years).

Severance

No general statutory severance. Workers aged 50+ with 20+ years' service receive 2-8 months' salary.

Probation

1 month (extendable to 3 months by agreement)

Overtime rules

25% premium for hourly employees. Salaried employees may have overtime compensated with time off. Maximum 140-170 overtime hours per year.

Income tax range

Federal: 0.77% to 11.5%. Cantonal/communal taxes add 12-35%, making combined rates 22-46%.

Corporate tax

Federal: 8.5% on profit. Cantonal varies widely (Zug: ~12% combined; Geneva: ~24%).

Social contributions

AHV/IV/EO: 5.3% each (employee/employer). BVG pension: varies. ALV (unemployment): 1.1% each up to ceiling.

VAT / GST

8.1% (standard); 3.8% (accommodation); 2.6% (food, medicine, print media)

Tax year

Calendar year (Jan-Dec)

Treaty network

Over 100 tax treaties

Worker classification

AHV (social insurance) determines status based on economic dependency, organisational integration, and entrepreneurial risk. Pseudo-self-employment (Scheinselbstandigkeit) can trigger retroactive AHV contributions.

Data protection

New Federal Act on Data Protection (nDSG, effective September 2023). Aligns closely with GDPR but is a separate framework. FDPIC (Federal Data Protection Commissioner) enforces.

Right to work

EU/EFTA nationals: bilateral agreements provide near-free movement (subject to safeguard clause). Non-EU: highly restricted; quotas apply for L (short-term) and B (residence) permits.

Non-compete

Enforceable under Swiss Code of Obligations (Art. 340-340c) if: in writing, limited to 3 years, geographically defined, and does not unreasonably restrict livelihood. No mandatory compensation.

Collective bargaining

Gesamtarbeitsvertrag (GAV) system. Coverage varies by sector (~50% overall). Swiss social partnership model favours negotiation over legislation.

SIX Interbank Clearing (SIC) handles CHF transfers. SEPA for EUR. Swiss banking infrastructure is among the world's most reliable. Stripe and Wise support CHF natively.

• Swiss salaries are among the highest globally, reflecting the extremely high cost of living
• Cantonal tax competition means effective corporate rates vary enormously (Zug vs. Geneva can differ by 12+ percentage points)
• Not an EU member but has bilateral agreements providing near-free movement for EU/EFTA nationals
• Zurich and Geneva are major financial centres; the greater Zurich area (Crypto Valley in Zug) leads in blockchain