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EMPLOYMENT

Five official websites to know if you’re planning to work in Switzerland

Whether you already have a Swiss job or are in the process of looking for one, these websites provide information and resources you'll find helpful.

Published: 26 May 2022 11:27 CEST
Updated: 10 October 2022 13:40 CEST
Five official websites to know if you’re planning to work in Switzerland
A number of Swiss websites provide good information for job seekers. Photo by MART PRODUCTION on Pexels

Switzerland is certainly one of the best countries to work in. Its salaries are among the highest in the world, although whether the wages offset the high cost of living is another question.

The country also has strong labour laws encompassing working conditions, employees’ rights, annual leave and other time off, protection from discrimination, and gender equality, among other aspects of employment.

READ MORE: What is a Swiss collective bargaining agreement — and how could it benefit you?

In addition to the basic rules and conditions outlined in this legislation, many employees are also covered by the collective bargaining agreement (CLA), a kind of contract negotiated between Switzerland’s trade unions and employers or employer organisations. 

The type of website that you’ll likely find useful depends on whether you’re still looking for a job in Switzerland or already have one.

If you’re in the former category, you should know that your passport determines how easy or difficult it may be to get a Swiss employer to hire you.

You can find out how to apply for a job in Switzerland in both of the above cases in this separate article.

In a nutshell, if you are a citizen of the European Union or EFTA states (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein), finding a job here is easier than if you are from another country (known in Switzerland as a ‘third nation’).

But first things first…

Before you start your job search, and even if you’ve already found a position, learn about what the Swiss legislation says about your rights and obligations as an employee.

This government website provides a good overview, in English, of what you can expect while working in Switzerland.

As far as official sources go for job seekers, the website of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) features detailed information on how to obtain a Swiss work permit if you are a EU / EFTA citizen or a national of a third country.

There is also separate information for UK citizens, who used to be part of the EU before Brexit but now are considered third-country nationals.

Congratulations, you already have a Swiss work permit

Even if you already have the right to work in Switzerland, you may still have some questions relating to your employment.

This website, put together by the federal, cantonal and communal authorities, is a good resource about short- or long-term employment, as well as self-employment.

All these sites provide good general overview, but you’ll find more specific information on the employment website of the canton in which you work.

There you’ll find all you need to know not only about working in a given canton, but also your rights in case you lose your job.

What about cross-border workers?

At the end of 2021, 362,000 cross-border workers were employed in Switzerland, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Most of them (203,689) come from France, followed by workers from Italy (86,322) and Germany (63, 547). The smallest group (8,489) is from Austria.

These people, who typically commute to and from work on daily basis, but have to return to their main place of residence abroad at least once a week, must obtain the so-called G work permit, which is given only to eligible border area residents.

Border regions are those in close enough geographic proximity to the Swiss border to make daily commuting to and from work feasible.

This site has all the information needed for those who want to become cross-border employees, or already are.

READ MORE: EXPLAINED: Who can work in Switzerland but live in a neighbouring country?

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WORKING IN SWITZERLAND

‘I thought it would be different’: What to expect from a seasonal job in Switzerland

While most foreign nationals who are employed in Switzerland work here long-term, others come specifically for seasonal work.

Published: 16 April 2024 12:35 CEST
'I thought it would be different': What to expect from a seasonal job in Switzerland

In an article published in foreign media on Monday, a South African woman relates her experiences of working in the Swiss Alps during the latest ski season.

Though she had great (and clearly unrealistic) expectations of her two short-stint jobs as a waitress in a ski resort, her hopes were dashed after she was fired from both, subsequently venting her anger on TikTok.

The litany of her complaints includes that her work “was exhausting” and that she and other seasonal personnel were “exploited”.

She even found it unfair that there were … “so many Swiss people”.

“Me not speaking German was really hard. I had to learn so many Swiss drinks. All the beers were in German, so there was a lot to learn.”

It is not clear what the woman thought her job in Switzerland, and in the German-speaking part at that, should legitimately entail, but she concluded that she is “so disappointed with Switzerland. I thought it would be completely different”.

All this brings up the question of what you should reasonably expect from a seasonal job.

But first: what is a ‘seasonal’ job?

As the name suggests, it is temporary, usually short-term work, performed at certain times of the year that are particularly busy for a given industry.

It includes extra help needed by businesses during peak periods — for instance, retailers hiring additional staff during the Christmas shopping season.

In Switzerland, seasonal (mostly foreign) workers are typically hired by winemakers during the grape harvest in early fall, or, as was the case with the South African woman, during the winter sports season.

In the latter case, as relatively few people live permanently in resort areas, there is a shortage of local employees to work in various jobs that are essential for tourism.

Tourists far outnumber the locals in Swiss ski resorts – which means “outsiders” must be hired for the efficient running of the local economy.

However, while the more “glamorous” jobs like ski instructors may be hard to get (sport instructors must have special qualifications and be certified), work in a service sector, which includes hotels, bars, and restaurants, is plentiful.

READ ALSO: How to find a job in winter sports in Switzerland 

What about summer jobs ?

They too are considered “seasonal” but would typically be filled by Switzerland-based students rather than people coming from abroad specifically for this purpose, as is the case with the grape harvesting and winter sports sectors.

In Geneva, however, this type of work has become scarce, though it is still available in most other cantons.

READ ALSO: Why it’s becoming more difficult to get a summer job in Geneva

Are seasonal employees really ‘exploited’, as the South African woman claimed?

Though Switzerland has no special regulations for seasonal workers, the usual labour rules and protections apply to them as well.

Like any other job contracts, short-term ones must also be in writing and outline the rights and obligations of both employer and employee.

However, if you think you are being treated unfairly in your seasonal (or “regular”) job, contact your employer in writing to express your position.

If that doesn’t help, your next course of action should be a union (if there is one) and, as a last resort, the cantonal civil court responsible for settling labour disputes.

How can foreign nationals apply for seasonal work permits?

Rules are determined by the candidate’s nationality – as is the case for “regular”, long-term employment.

This means that people from the European Union and EFTA (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein) can work in Switzerland for up to three months without  a permit (they must, however, declare their arrival in the canton within 14 days).

Rules for people from outside the EU / EFTA depend on how long they plan to work in Switzerland.

If it is up to three months, they must apply for a short-stay L permit.

For work contracts of up to four months, a D visa is needed. 

You can find seasonal work here. 

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