Zürich & Geneva
Working in Switzerland
For candidates considering a position on the lake above Zürich, in Geneva or in a chalet for the season.
A position in Switzerland is a fine thing: good households, good pay, the lake in summer and the mountains in winter. It is also, for many candidates, more complicated than a position at home. This page sets out what to expect. It is a summary, and our Swiss partner will advise on your own case.
The right to work
Citizens of Switzerland, the European Union and the European Free Trade Association may work in Switzerland after registering with the authorities of the canton where they will live. Citizens of other countries, including the United States, need a work permit, which the employer applies for, which is granted only in limited numbers and for particular roles, and which can take months. We cannot place anyone in Switzerland who does not have the right to work there, and we will not ask anyone to travel on the promise of papers to come.
Contracts and pay
Household staff in Switzerland are employed under Swiss law, under a written agreement our partner prepares, and under the standard employment contract for household workers that each canton sets. These fix minimum pay, the length of the working week, rest days, holidays and the value at which board and lodging may be counted against pay. In some cantons a minimum wage also applies. Pay is usually quoted gross, monthly, and paid thirteen times a year.
Health insurance and social security
Everyone living in Switzerland must have basic health insurance, which they buy themselves, usually within three months of arriving. Employers and employees both pay into the Swiss social security and accident insurance schemes, through payroll.
Tax
Foreign staff without a settled permit usually pay income tax at source, deducted by the employer. Beatrice will put you in touch with an adviser who can explain what you will owe at home as well.
Living in
Many Swiss positions are live-in, and chalet positions always are. A chalet in January is a small world: the household, its guests, perhaps three staff, and the snow. We ask candidates going for the first time to talk to someone who has done it, and we will introduce you.
Travelling with a household
Staff placed in Seattle sometimes go with their household to Switzerland for a season. That is a reassignment within your placement, not a new one. Your agreements continue, your record with us shows where you are and from when, and you must have the right to work there before you go.