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WORKING IN SWITZERLAND

Work permits and wages: The most common questions foreigners have about life in Switzerland

Whether you are a newcomer to Switzerland or have been living in the country for a while, you may have many questions about life here. We answered some of the most common queries that foreign nationals wonder about.

Published: 8 May 2023 14:58 CEST
Work permits and wages: The most common questions foreigners have about life in Switzerland
Countryside can offer cheaper rents and a lot of charm. Photo: Stefan Lemmerzahl on Unsplash

When you first arrive in Switzerland, your learning curve is likely quite steep.

It may take a while to understand all the complexities — from various laws and rules, to the practicalities of daily life.

Even some longtime residents who think they have learned everything there is to know, may find out that is not the case.

We have compiled the most common questions foreigners ask about various aspects of Swiss life.

Work permits

Can I work in Switzerland without a permit?

If you are an EU/EFTA national, you can be employed in Switzerland for up to three months without a permit.

However, if your job exceeds the three-month period, you must apply for a permit from the municipality where you live.

Citizens of non-EU/EFTA countries (also known as third countries), on the other hand, face much stricter conditions: they can start their jobs in Switzerland only after they have been granted work permits, which are subject to many restrictions.

How long is a work permit valid?

It depends on what kind of permit and passport you hold.

Here too, people from the EU / EFTA states are in a more favourable position than their third-country counterparts.

For the former, the B permit is valid for up to five years, after which it can be extended or switched to a C permit, which entitles the holder to permanent residency.

For non-EU/EFTA nationals, permits are valid for one year; whether or not they can be extended depends on whether their particular skills are in high demand on the labour market, and whether Swiss or EU/EFTA workers can be found to fill those positions.

EU passport trumps the one from a third country. Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

In case of job loss, is a foreigner entitled to unemployment benefits?

If you have a B or C permit, you will receive unemployment pay, as long as you have been working in Switzerland for at least 12 months in the last two years and have been contributing to the social insurance scheme (as every employee must).

As far as short-term permits L are concerned, which are issued for residency periods of three months up to a year, you are not entitled to collect unemployment benefits. 

READ ALSO: Which foreign workers are entitled to unemployment benefits in Switzerland?

Wages

What is a median income in Switzerland?

It is about 80,000 francs a year — meaning that 50 percent of people earn less and 50 percent more.

This link gives you a good overview of what the monthly pay is for various jobs. 

How can I know if I am making a fair salary?

There are ways to find out whether you are being compensated sufficiently for the kind of work and position you have, or whether your salary is lower than normal for your industry (a practice known as “wage dumping”).

If you want to know what a standard wage is for your type of job and industry you can do so by checking out the wage calculator created by UNIA trade union. 

You can figure out how much you should be earning. Photo: Pixabay

It is programmed with the latest salary levels from 72 different industry sectors and 36,000 companies in Switzerland, so it will give you a good indication of what a fair wage is in your case.

READ ALSO : How much do you need to earn in your Swiss canton to be well off?

Housing

Where are the rents highest (and lowest) in Switzerland?

Typically, housing is most expensive (and scarcest) in cities where most employment opportunities are — Zurich and Geneva.

The Zug area, Basel, and parts of Vaud along Lake Geneva, also have a tight (and expensive) housing market.

On the other hand, suburban and rural areas are not —at least so far — as impacted by the urban housing woes, and it is still possible to find affordable accommodations there.

READ ALSO: Should foreigners in Switzerland live in the city or the countryside?

Can a landlord refuse to rent to a foreigner?

Basically, owners have the right to pick the most prospective tenants for their properties —that is, the most financially stable candidates.

There is, however, evidence that some landlords turn down tenants who have foreign names, though this is by no means a widespread practice.

While there is no legislation pertaining specifically to the housing market, Swiss law does prohibit discrimination in all spheres of life “against a person or a group of persons on the grounds of their ethnic origin, race, language or religion.” 

Citizenship

How long must I wait to apply for naturalisation?

This depends on whether you are going through the ordinary or simplified procedure.

For the former, which concerns most applicants, the residency requirement is 10 years. You must also be proficient in the language of your canton , and be well integrated into Swiss society as well.

For a fast-track naturalisation based on a marriage to a Swiss citizen, the residency requirement is five years. However, note that the year up to applying must be spent in the country, and and you must be married to and living with your Swiss spouse for at least three years. 

What permit do I need to apply for citizenship?

While the B permit is sufficient to live and work in Switzerland, it does not make its holder eligible for naturalisation.

The only ‘stepping-stone’, as it were, to citizenship is the C permit. 

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MONEY

Do adult children in Switzerland have to support their parents financially?

Usually, it is the parents’ responsibility to ensure their kids are well taken care of financially. But can Swiss authorities force the children to return the favour in times of need?

Published: 30 April 2024 15:31 CEST
Updated: 5 May 2024 08:14 CEST
Do adult children in Switzerland have to support their parents financially?

In most cases, once children are grown up and out of the house, they are (or at least should be) self-sufficient in terms of finances.

Parents too should breathe a sigh of relief that they are no longer obligated to pay for their children’s expenses, except perhaps for giving them some money here and there as a gift.

This is what happens in the best-case scenario.

But what if things don’t go according to this plan — for instance, if the parents find themselves in financial straits and can’t  afford to pay their bills?

Family obligations

Generally speaking, the truly needy people who don’t have enough income to pay for their basic living expenses will receive financial help from the government, in the very least in the form of the health insurance and housing subsidy.

READ ALSO: Can I get financial help in Switzerland if I’m struggling to pay the bills?

However, before doling out public money, authorities will see whether relatives should be made to help the struggling individuals pay their bills.

(In this context, ‘relatives’ means only those in the direct line of descent: grandparents, parents, and children.)

They will do it by checking the tax status of these relatives — how much they earn and what other financial assets they have — to determine whether, and how much, they should be paying toward their parents’ expenses.

Obviously, you will be expected to pay up only if your own financial situation allows it; you will not be forced to part with your money if you have very little of it yourself.

 ‘Favourable financial circumstaces’

Based on a Federal Court ruling, if the adult child  lives in ‘favourable financial circumstances’ they are required to help out their struggling parents.

The Court defined ‘favourable financial circumstances’ as income and assets allowing a comfortable life.

‘Comfortable life’, in turn, was defined by the Swiss Conference for Social Welfare (SKOS), as a taxable annual income of 120,000 francs for a single person, and 180,000 francs for married couples.

“If you have minors in your household, the limit is increased by 20,000 francs per child,” according to AXA insurance.

It goes on to say that you can deduct an exempt amount from your taxable assets.

“Your annual depletion of assets is deducted from the remaining amount. This means that if you are obligated to provide financial support, you are permitted to use part of your assets yourself each year; you don’t have to devote your entire assets to providing support.”

At between 18 and 30 years of age, this is 1/60th per year; from 31 to 40, 1/50th per year; 41 to 50, 1/40th per year; 51 to 60, 1/30th per year; and from the age of 61,1/20th per year. 

Are there any exemptions to these rules?

Aside from not having sufficient funds, you could be exempted from paying if, say, your parents, or parent, have not lived up to their own financial obligations toward you.

In Switzerland, parents are required to  provide financially for their children until the age of majority, and even beyond that if they are still studying or undergoing vocational training — typically, until the mid-20s.

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