Principaux enseignements​​ 

La population de la Suisse, qui s'élève à 8.9 millions d'habitants, est composée de Suisses, d'Allemands, de Français, d'Italiens, de Portugais et de Kosovars. Chaque canton utilise la même monnaie nationale, le franc suisse. Les secteurs les plus importants sont la finance et la banque, les équipements médicaux et l'ingénierie.​​ 

Les lois favorables en matière d'impôts sur les sociétés et l'accessibilité culturelle sont deux des raisons pour lesquelles de nombreuses multinationales s'implantent en Suisse. Notre guide vous dira tout ce qu'il faut savoir sur la location en Suisse.​​ 

Que savoir avant d’embaucher en Suisse​​ 

What to know before hiring in Switzerland?​​ 

Si vous développez votre activité en Suisse pour la première fois, vous devez tenir compte de certaines dispositions légales importantes. Ces normes et ces lois influencent les pratiques d'embauche en Suisse.​​ 

If you’re unsure where to begin, G-P Gia™, our AI-powered global HR agent, can answer your toughest compliance questions across 50 countries — including Switzerland — and all 50 U.S. states. Reduce your reliance on outside counsel and cut the time and cost of compliance by up to 95% with Gia.​​ 

Voici huit choses à savoir sur l'embauche en Suisse.​​ 

1. Statuts employeur-employé​​ 

Toutes les relations employeur-employé doivent respecter les statuts suivants :​​ 

La Suisse reconnaît les syndicats tant qu’ils respectent toutes les exigences légales.​​ 

2. Les cantons en Suisse​​ 

Switzerland is divided into 26 cantons. Though they all fall under the Swiss national umbrella, they’re powerful entities on their own. Each canton has unique traditions and culture. They also have their own ways of self-governing, including laws, constitutions, and governmental structure.​​ 

When hiring employees in Switzerland, be aware of the canton you’re advertising your position in. Candidates’ canton-of-residency will give you insight into translation expectations, tax rates to include in your employment contracts, and considerations on which holidays they are entitled to.​​ 

Les communes - des organes gouvernementaux plus petits résidant dans chaque canton - déterminent comment embaucher en Suisse.​​ 

3. Le marché du travail en Suisse​​ 

More than 5 million people are active in the Swiss labor market. The employment rate is 80.6%. For comparison, the EU rate is 75.8%. Workers are highly skilled and hold degrees from higher learning institutions. In terms of early childhood education and secondary schools, the Swiss education system varies between cantons. The IMD World Talent Ranking 2024 named Switzerland the #1 country for fostering homegrown talent in the world.​​  

4. Les langues en Suisse​​ 

Multilingualism is a core component of Swiss culture, largely due to the Languages Act. This act recognizes German, French, Italian, and Romansh as national languages. German, French, and Italian are also the official languages of the Confederation. Romansh is used officially in communications with Romansh speakers. Roughly two-thirds of the country’s residents speak more than one language. Swiss children learn at least two of the national languages during their early education years.​​ 

Le suisse-allemand est le plus parlé dans les cantons. Le français est courant dans les cantons de l’ouest et l’italien dans le sud. Le romanche est une langue moins utilisée qui provient du peuple rhétique, premiers habitants de la région des Alpes. Certains cantons et démographies possèdent également leurs propres dialectes et expressions familières.​​ 

Tous les contrats de travail, entretiens et affectations doivent tenir compte de la première langue du candidat ou de l'employé. Il est conseillé de faire traduire tous les documents et de faire appel à un interprète si nécessaire.​​ 

5. Heures de travail et congés​​ 

The Swiss Labor Act regulates working hours and time off laws. The maximum workweek is 45 hours for employees in industrial enterprises, office staff, technical personnel, and sales staff in large retail companies. For all other employees, it’s 50 hours. Daily working hours, including breaks and overtime, shouldn’t exceed 14 hours. In practice, the typical working time in Switzerland is 12.5 hours.​​  

Les heures supplémentaires ne sont autorisées que dans des circonstances exceptionnelles. Elle doit être compensée par une prime de salaire 25% ou un congé équivalent. Les employés doivent bénéficier d'au moins 11 heures consécutives de repos chaque jour. Cette durée peut être réduite à 8 heures une fois par semaine, à condition que le repos moyen sur deux semaines soit d'au moins 11 heures. Les travailleurs bénéficient d'une pause continue d'au moins 35 heures par semaine, y compris le dimanche.​​  

Employees are entitled to three weeks of sick leave within the first year of employment with a company. Each canton has its own paid time off and sick leave restrictions.​​  

Pregnant employees get 14 weeks of paid maternity leave, and fathers are entitled to two weeks of paternity leave.​​  

Regardless of their canton, every employee gets four weeks of vacation time each year, or five if the employee is 20 or younger. Employees and employers can negotiate additional time off in their contracts if desired.​​  

Cantons have their own local and public holidays. National Day on August 1 is the only federal holiday. If National Day falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, it’s common to give employees a long weekend. Switzerland also celebrates New Year’s Day, Easter, and Christmas Day, but specific regulations for those times vary between employers. Employees can choose extra salary instead of taking a paid holiday.​​ 

6. Contrats de travail​​ 

Employees can be temporary, agency-supplied, part-time, or full-time. The first month of employment is considered the probationary period. You can extend this to a maximum of three months in your employment contract. If at any point you choose to end the working relationship, you must give at least a seven-day notice.​​  

Les contrats de travail ne sont pas obligatoires mais sont courants et fortement recommandés puisque certains termes ne sont légalement reconnus que s’ils sont écrits. Les contrats sont contraignants. Les employeurs ne peuvent pas aller à l’encontre des termes du contrat convenu. La Suisse dispose de plusieurs lois protégeant les syndicats et certains employés, comme les femmes ou les mineurs. Les employeurs sont tenus de fournir une lettre écrite détaillant la date de début, la fonction du poste, le salaire et le nombre d'heures que les employés travailleront chaque semaine.​​ 

Indefinite contracts are common in Switzerland. “Chain” contracts are viewed unfavorably by Swiss courts. Chain contracts are a series of fixed-term contracts initiated back-to-back with the same employee. The practice can be considered an abuse of rights if used to circumvent the protections of permanent employment, such as job security and notice periods. Once the last day of the contract is finished, the employee-employer relationship is over, with no notice required.​​ 

You and your team member can agree upon an equal duration for giving a departure or termination notice. This notice shouldn’t be less than one month in the first year of employment, and two months for every length of employment up to nine years. Three months is customary beyond that. You can’t terminate employees if they’re pregnant, ill, or on maternity leave. You only need to pay severance if employees are 50 or older and have worked for you for 20+ years.​​ 

G-P EOR has an Employment Contact Generator to help you draft compliant employment contracts when you hire employees in Switzerland that meet all legal requirements and best practices.​​ 

7. Masse salariale et avantages sociaux​​ 

The Swiss Federal Act on Gender Equality (GEA) requires all companies with 100 or more employees to conduct an internal audit to ensure pay equality is enforced.​​ 

Switzerland doesn’t have a single federal minimum wage. Minimum pay obligations can come from cantons or municipalities, CBAs, or employment contracts for specific sectors. Otherwise, pay is set by contract and market practice. Employees are paid once at the end of the month.​​  

Statutory overtime includes time worked over the maximum number of legal working hours. Statutory overtime is different from contractual overtime and is only permitted during day or evening shifts on workdays. It must be compensated with a wage supplement of at least 25%.​​  

Les employés peuvent également opter pour un congé plutôt que pour une augmentation de salaire. Les heures supplémentaires légales ne doivent jamais dépasser deux heures par jour et ne peuvent jamais dépasser 170 heures pour les semaines de 45heures ou 140 heures pour les semaines de travail de 50heures. Certaines exceptions peuvent être accordées en cas d’urgence.​​ 

Employers typically pay 80% — with a yearly limit — of an employee’s salary if they have suffered a work-related injury. The amount may differ depending on the industry or specific insurance plan. Employers are responsible for establishing a social security relationship between their employees and their canton’s social security office. Social security includes contributions to Maternity Leave Insurance (MSE), Disability Insurance (DI), Child Benefits Insurance (FZ), and pension, or Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI). Social security rates are 6.4% for the employer and 6.4% for the employee.​​ 

Bonuses and 13th-month salary are not required but are common. Employers may award bonuses contractually or at their discretion. Note that Switzerland has strict bonus guidelines for the financial industry. This is to prevent excessive risk-taking and ensure that compensation practices don’t undermine financial stability.​​ 

If an employee has been with your company for longer than three months, works at least eight hours each week, and meets income requirements, they can participate in an employer-sponsored pension fund. The current minimum for AHV pension is CHF 1,260. Employers are also responsible for accident insurance.​​  

You can easily administer benefits plans with G-P EOR. Our in-house experts continuously monitor employment laws to meet country-specific regulations and norms. Build and manage benefits plans through our platform to provide a smooth employee experience.​​  

8. Impôts​​ 

Switzerland's federal income tax rate is progressive, with a maximum rate of 11.5% for the highest income bracket. It's important to note that cantonal and municipal taxes also apply. This can greatly impact your total tax amount, depending on where you’re based. The federal VAT rate is 8.1%.​​ 

9. Equality, data privacy, and recruitment practices​​ 

Recruitment and employment practices have to comply with the Federal Gender Equality Act. This prevents direct and indirect gender-based discrimination across the employment lifecycle, including:​​ 

Employers have to make sure equal pay for work of equal value. Objective, job-related criteria for recruitment, compensation, promotion, and termination decisions have to apply.​​ 

Employers with 100 or more employees in Switzerland need to do an internal equal pay analysis using a scientifically valid method. Analysis has to be independently verified and the results communicated to employees within the required timeframe. This is separate from the general equal pay obligation for all employers.​​ 

Candidate personal data has to be collected and processed in accordance with Swiss data protection requirements. This includes the Federal Act on Data Protection and the employment-specific limits in the Swiss Code of Obligations. Recruitment data has to be:​​ 

Background checks can only be done when proportionate, job-relevant, and properly disclosed.​​ 

Hiring models for global companies in Switzerland​​ 

The best model when you decide to hire employees in Switzerland depends on your overall business goals.​​  

Modèle​​  Meilleur pour​​  Key points​​  Principaux risques​​ 
Enregistrement direct de l’employeur​​  Hiring in Switzerland without a local entity.​​  Register with Swiss social security and tax authorities. Run Swiss payroll. Manage permits, benefits, and employment compliance.​​  High admin burden. Cantonal process differences. Risk of payroll, tax, or permit errors.​​ 
Employer of Record, like G-P EOR​​  Fast process to hire in Switzerland without setting up an entity.​​  EOR is the legal employer. Provider manages payroll, benefits, and contracts. Have to be properly licensed for staff leasing.​​  Unlicensed provider risk. Less direct control. Clients can still have workplace and supervision duties.​​ 
Subsidiary or branch​​  Long-term operations in Switzerland.​​  Creates a formal local presence. Supports direct hiring and local management. Best for larger or permanent teams.​​  Higher setup and maintenance cost. More corporate, tax, payroll, and HR compliance duties.​​ 
Prestataire indépendant​​  Short-term, specialist, project-based work.​​  Contractors have to work independently. Use deliverable-based terms. Verify self-employed status where possible.​​  Misclassification risk. Back social security and tax exposure. Employment rights can apply retroactively.​​ 
 

Principaux centres d'embauche en Suisse​​ 

Some Swiss cities are known for particular industries. Knowing what each city has to offer can help you channel your hiring efforts to the right place and fill roles faster when you hire in Switzerland.​​  

 Les principaux centres talent en Suisse sont les suivants :​​ 

Principaux secteurs d'activité en Suisse​​ 

Understanding Switzerland’s main industries helps you benchmark salaries and benefits when hiring employees in Switzerland. You can use this insight to make smart choices about where to invest and grow your workforce.​​  

 Les principales industries en Suisse sont les suivantes :​​ 

Coût de l'embauche d'un employé en Suisse​​ 

Cost of hiring in Switzerland​​ 

Whether you’re hiring one employee or an entire team, the process of hiring in Switzerland comes with inevitable expenses.​​  

Budget for the following:​​ 

According to Gia, the total annual employer burden rate in Switzerland, which includes costs triggered on top of salaries, is between 10% and 20% of gross salary. Rates will depend on the employee’s salary, industry, and canton. Gia leverages G-P’s 13+ years of global employment experience, along with insights from almost a million real-world scenarios, to provide accurate, up-to-date employment law information.​​ 

De quoi une entreprise a-t-elle besoin pour embaucher en Suisse ?​​ 

EU/EFTA vs. non-EU/EFTA workers​​  

Thanks to the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP), hiring citizens from EU/EFTA member states involves few administrative hurdles. Employers don’t need to give priority to local Swiss workers or justify why an EU/EFTA candidate was selected. For short-term contracts (up to 90 days per calendar year), companies only need to submit an online notification before the employee begins work. For longer arrangements, the employee registers with their local Swiss commune of residence to get a residence/work permit (such as an L or B permit). This gives them immediate access to the Swiss labor market.​​ 

Non-EU/EFTA nationals​​ 

Hiring candidates from non-EU/EFTA countries (including the UK and U.S.) is more regulated. Under the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration (FNIA), employers have to prove that local recruitment efforts failed. Non-EU/EFTA permits are restricted almost exclusively to personnel like managers, senior specialists, or university graduates with specialized experience.​​ 

Permit quotas and administrative timeline​​ 

The Swiss government has a strict annual national quota on work permits for non-EU/EFTA nationals. The work permit needs a multi-tiered approval process involving cantonal labor authorities and the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). Employers have to start the permit application in advance. The employee can’t begin work until formal authorization.​​ 

It’s in your best interest to establish a relationship with a canton’s local economic offices or embassy. You don’t need a legal entity to hire in Switzerland, but if you choose to start a Swiss company, you can choose between:​​ 

Branches are a common route for international companies, and require you to pay local taxes and maintain at least one Swiss resident with legal authority. You must have all legal documentation, contracts, and established financial accounts prepared.​​  

Hire employees in Switzerland without setting up your own entity with G-P EOR. Build your team in Switzerland at a lower cost and with peace of mind that you’re complying with each canton’s unique requirements.​​ 

Les étapes de l'embauche en Suisse​​ 

Key steps to hiring in Switzerland​​ 

 The process of hiring in Switzerland follows five basic steps: advertising the job, evaluating applications, interviewing candidates, sending job offers, and onboarding new employees.​​ 

1. Publier les postes vacants​​ 

Tout d'abord, rédigez une description détaillée du poste. Définissez le rôle, les responsabilités et les qualifications dont vous avez besoin. Pour certaines professions dont le taux de chômage est élevé, les employeurs sont légalement tenus d'informer les offices cantonaux de l'emploi des postes vacants avant de les annoncer publiquement. Cela garantit un accès prioritaire aux demandeurs d'emploi inscrits et le respect de la loi fédérale sur les services de l'emploi.​​ 

2. Évaluer les candidatures​​ 

Une fois que les demandeurs d'emploi ont postulé à vos nouveaux postes, vous pouvez évaluer leurs candidatures et déterminer quels sont les candidats les plus aptes à occuper le poste. La loi suisse interdit toute discrimination fondée sur le sexe, l'âge, l'origine, la race, la religion, le handicap, l'orientation sexuelle ou d'autres caractéristiques protégées à tous les stades du recrutement. La Constitution fédérale suisse et la loi sur l'égalité entre les femmes et les hommes en font état.​​  

Vérifiez bien que les offres d’emploi, les critères de sélection et les questions d’entretien sont exempts de biais.​​  

3. Entretiens avec les candidats​​ 

Next, interview candidates who made it onto your shortlist. Use job-relevant selection criteria and structured interviews to ensure fairness and consistency.  Gia can help you create interview questions that follow anti-discrimination laws when hiring employees in Switzerland, so you can find the best fit for the role while complying with local regulations.​​  

Il est recommandé de conserver la documentation du processus de recrutement, y compris les notes d’entretien et les décisions de sélection, pendant au moins cinq ans.​​ 

4. Faites des offres d'emploi​​ 

Il est maintenant temps de notifier le candidat que vous avez choisi. Rédiger un contrat de travail écrit conforme au droit du travail suisse. Le contrat doit comprendre des termes essentiels tels que l'intitulé du poste, les fonctions, le salaire, les heures de travail, les délais de préavis et toute convention collective applicable.​​ 

5. Intégrer les nouveaux employés​​ 

Inscrivez le nouvel employé auprès de la sécurité sociale suisse (AVS), de l'assurance accident, du régime de retraite (LPP) et, le cas échéant, auprès des autorités fiscales compétentes. Établir la paie pour garantir le paiement correct des salaires, les déductions pour la sécurité sociale, les cotisations de retraite et les impôts.​​ 

Engager des entrepreneurs en Suisse​​ 

Travailler avec des entrepreneurs indépendants en Suisse peut être un moyen rentable de tester le marché et d'établir une présence sans l'engagement d'employés à plein temps. Les entrepreneurs basés en Suisse comprennent le comportement des consommateurs, les règles et les pratiques commerciales locales. Ils seront prêts à commencer à travailler rapidement avec leur propre équipement et des processus de travail établis.​​  

Hiring contractors allows you to easily adjust your workforce based on your business needs, without the complexities and costs of employment.  ​​ 

Avant de conclure un accord avec un prestataire indépendant en Suisse, tenez compte des éléments suivants :​​ 

1. Employés vs. prestataires indépendants​​ 

It’s important to understand the difference between employees and independent contractors. In Switzerland, employment contracts for employees often include exclusivity clauses and specify working hours, location, and duties. Services agreements for contractors focus on deliverables and outcomes, emphasizing the worker’s autonomy and independence.​​  

Les entreprises embauchent des employés pour effectuer un travail et, en retour, leur versent un salaire régulier. Les entrepreneurs doivent organiser eux-mêmes leurs régimes de sécurité sociale et de retraite. Contrairement aux salariés, les entrepreneurs fixent leurs horaires, utilisent leur propre matériel et travaillent sur des projets spécifiques, plutôt que d'avoir un rôle permanent.​​ 

2. Pénalités en cas d'erreur de classification​​ 

Classifying someone as a contractor when they’re not can lead to severe penalties. If misclassification occurs during your efforts of hiring in Switzerland, you may need to:​​ 

3. Comment payer les entrepreneurs en Suisse​​ 

G-P Contractor™ takes away the messy, time-consuming process of hiring and paying international contractors. You can create and issue contracts and pay contractors with just a few clicks, all while ensuring a compliant process.​​ 

Embauchez des employés et des entrepreneurs en Suisse avec G-P​​ 

Our SaaS and AI-powered products – EOR, Contractor, and Gia – help companies of all sizes build and manage global teams.​​  

With more than a decade of experience, the largest team of HR, legal, and compliance experts, and a global proprietary knowledge base, G-P is the recognized leader in global employment when you need to hire employees in Switzerland.​​ 

Make your expansion to Switzerland easier with G-P. Contact us or book a demo today.​​ 

Embaucher avec G-P​​