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Freelancing in Switzerland: What foreign nationals need to know

Whatever industry you are in, you might be tempted to use your skills and abilities as a freelancer. These are some of the rules you need to comply with in Switzerland.

There are some rules freelancers in Switzerland must comply with.
Whether you freelance from your home, a rented office, or out in the open, you must follow some rules. Photo by George Milton from Pexels

Before covering the rules and regulations of freelancing, one question that many people may ask is whether there is a difference between freelancing and self-employment.

Both fit under the category of  “independent workers” or “independent contractors”, but the lines between the two can be a bit murky.

All freelancers are self-employed, but not all self-employed people are freelancers. The latter usually have more structured business models, while the former are more “free” in their activities (hence the term “freelancer”), handling multiple projects and clients at once, often without the need for a physical office.

Legally speaking, however, both are pretty much the same.

What rules should you follow if you are foreigner?

If you hope to get a visa or a work permit to work as a freelancer in Switzerland, that is not going to happen. As many Swiss residency permits are tied to an employer, moving to Switzerland in order to become a freelancer will not confer a work permit. 

You can become a freelancer only if you are already living in the country, with a legal status that allows you to work here, which usually means either a C or B permit.

Do you have to officially register as a freelancer?

This is where another difference between being a self-employed entrepreneur and a freelancer lies.

The so-called sole proprietorship commercial registration is required only when the annual income from a business exceeds 100,000 francs, which some small, owner-operated businesses may earn, but most freelancers can only dream of.

If, however, you are lucky enough to make that much money, you must register here.

For all the other one-person businesses, registration is optional.

However, you do have other obligations as a freelancer. These are the regulations you must comply with:

Taxes

Even if your income is sporadic, you should keep detailed record of all your earnings and business-related expenses, which you will need to declare for tax purposes.

Keeping records for your taxes is a must for a freelancer. Photo by Recha Oktaviani on Unsplash

If you have a high volume of clients and income, this site can help you manage your accounting.

The amount of taxes you have to pay will depend on your income and the canton where you live.

You can find more information about how to file taxes as a freelancer here.

READ MORE: What freelancers in Switzerland need to know about paying tax

Social security

You have received your social security (AHV / AVS) number when you moved to Switzerland and you have automatically become affiliated with your cantonal compensation office.

Making social security contributions at a maximum rate of  9.7 percent of your income is a must as well.

This is a requirement even if you are in Switzerland temporarily; if you leave the country before you retire, you will receive old-age payments proportional to your contributions even if you live abroad.

Insurance

You must take out a compulsory health insurance policy, including, if you are self-employed, accident coverage.

And if you rent an office, you also need to get a personal liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung / responsabilité civile / la responsabilità civile) to cover any damages you may inadvertently inflict on the rented space.

READ MORE: What is Swiss liability insurance and do you need it?

Do you actually need an office?

While some freelancers like to have a physical space to work in, others prefer to work anywhere with decent wi-fi connection.

This kind of work / lifestyle has given rise to the term “digital nomads” — people who are not tied down to any one physical or geographical location, but work from wherever they happen to be.

You can find our more about this growing trend here:

Working remotely from Switzerland: What are the rules for foreigners?

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WORKING IN SWITZERLAND

Where in Switzerland do workers get a day off on December 8th?

You may know that December 8th is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and that it's a public holiday in half of the Swiss cantons.

Where in Switzerland do workers get a day off on December 8th?

This year, December 8th falls on a Friday, meaning that workers in 13 (predominantly Catholic) Swiss cantons and municipalities will get to enjoy a work-free day.

What exactly is being celebrated?

This Catholic feast day marks the Immaculate Conception, which many may imagine was Mary’s conception of Jesus.

In fact, it actually marks the conception of Mary herself. Her mother Saint Anne became pregnant in the usual, biological way, Catholics believe, but the conception was ‘immaculate’ because God intervened, absolving Mary of original sin.

According to Catholic dogma, all humans are born with original sin, which is why babies are baptized shortly after birth to make them “worthy” of entry to Heaven. But Mary was never tainted by original sin, kept “immaculate” from the moment of her conception because God knew she would one day give birth to Jesus Christ.

While the event has been marked since as early is the seventh century, December 8th was first officially declared a holy day by the Vatican in 1854 by Pope Pius IX.

READ MORE: Public holidays: What days will you get off work in Switzerland in 2024?

How is it marked?

For some people, this date means a day off work (when the holiday falls on a weekday) and getting together for a family lunch.

However, if the holiday falls on a weekend, as for instance Easter Sunday does, you do not get an extra weekday holiday in lieu – though some churches have moved their service to the following day in the past whenever the holiday would coincide with a Sunday of Advent.

Switzerland has many churches and chapels dedicated to Mary and you can find them in different parts of the country, such as the St. Marien (Basel), Marienkirche (Bern) and the Ticino-based pilgrimage church Madonna del Sasso.

Which cantons give workers the day off?

If you happen to work in one of the following cantons or municipalities, then you’re in luck as you will not be expected to show up for work on December 8th: Appenzell Innerrhoden, Fribourg, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, Valais, and Zug.

The public holiday is also celebrated in nearly all of Solothurn with the exception of the Bucheggberg District, one of the ten districts within the canton.

In Aargau, the public holiday is only marked in Laufenburg, Muri, and parts of Rheinfelden (Hellikon, Mumpf, Obermumpf, Schupfart, Stein, Wegstetten).

Immaculate Conception is also a public holiday in parts of Graubünden though not canton-wide.

Does this mean everything will be closed?

Nor necessarily. Shops and museums in municipalities have the option to obtain a Sunday permit if they wish to remain open on December 8th and given that we are approaching the Christmas period, it can be assumed that many will choose to do so. It is best to check out your local canton’s website for further information on what shops will be open on the Friday.

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