Find work in Switzerland
Swiss Confederation — 8.8 million people, Swiss Franc (CHF), German, French, Italian, Romansh. Full employment compliance handled for you, paid every Friday.
Capital
Bern
Population
8.8 million
GDP / capita
$93,720
Currency
CHF
Swiss Franc
Time zone
UTC+1 (CET) / UTC+2 (CEST)
Working in Switzerland: what to expect
Key employment law provisions that affect your engagement. Corpshore handles compliance so you don't have to navigate this alone — but knowing your rights matters.
Standard workweek
45h max
41.5-45 hours (depending on sector; no universal statutory limit)
Annual leave
8 public holidays
20 days (4 weeks); 25 days for workers under 20
Maternity leave
14 weeks at 80% of salary (since 2005)
Paternity leave
2 weeks at 80% (since 2021)
Notice period
1-3 months depending on tenure. 1 month (year 1), 2 months (years 2-9), 3 months (10+ years).
Severance
No general statutory severance. Workers aged 50+ with 20+ years' service receive 2-8 months' salary.
Overtime rules
25% premium for hourly employees. Salaried employees may have overtime compensated with time off. Maximum 140-170 overtime hours per year.
Probation period
1 month (extendable to 3 months by agreement)
Tax landscape in Switzerland
Indicative tax ranges for general orientation. Always consult a qualified tax advisor for your specific situation. Tax year: Calendar year (Jan-Dec).
- Income tax
- Federal: 0.77% to 11.5%. Cantonal/communal taxes add 12-35%, making combined rates 22-46%.
- Corporate tax
- Federal: 8.5% on profit. Cantonal varies widely (Zug: ~12% combined; Geneva: ~24%).
- Social contributions
- AHV/IV/EO: 5.3% each (employee/employer). BVG pension: varies. ALV (unemployment): 1.1% each up to ceiling.
- VAT / GST
- 8.1% (standard); 3.8% (accommodation); 2.6% (food, medicine, print media)
Treaty network
Over 100 tax treaties
Your fee is always zero
Corpshore charges the hiring business, never you. You receive 100% of the agreed rate, regardless of tax jurisdiction.
How you get paid in Switzerland
SIX Interbank Clearing (SIC) handles CHF transfers. SEPA for EUR. Swiss banking infrastructure is among the world's most reliable. Stripe and Wise support CHF natively.
Bank transfer (SIC/euroSIC)
Stripe Connect
Wise
Settlement
Every Friday
No net-30 waits, no chasing invoices
Platform fee
Zero, forever
The business pays Corpshore, never you
Currency
CHF
Local currency where supported
Regulatory landscape in Switzerland
Corpshore manages compliance so you can focus on the work. Here's what shapes the regulatory environment for workers in Switzerland.
Worker classification
AHV (social insurance) determines status based on economic dependency, organisational integration, and entrepreneurial risk. Pseudo-self-employment (Scheinselbstandigkeit) can trigger retroactive AHV contributions.
Data protection
New Federal Act on Data Protection (nDSG, effective September 2023). Aligns closely with GDPR but is a separate framework. FDPIC (Federal Data Protection Commissioner) enforces.
Right to work
EU/EFTA nationals: bilateral agreements provide near-free movement (subject to safeguard clause). Non-EU: highly restricted; quotas apply for L (short-term) and B (residence) permits.
Non-compete enforceability
Enforceable under Swiss Code of Obligations (Art. 340-340c) if: in writing, limited to 3 years, geographically defined, and does not unreasonably restrict livelihood. No mandatory compensation.
Collective bargaining
Gesamtarbeitsvertrag (GAV) system. Coverage varies by sector (~50% overall). Swiss social partnership model favours negotiation over legislation.
Working culture in Switzerland
Business culture
Punctual, precise, and thorough. Swiss value quality and reliability. Meetings start exactly on time. The four-language culture (German, French, Italian, Romansh) means communication norms vary by region. Direct but polite.
Key industries
Talent pool strengths
Historical context
Switzerland's canton-based federal system creates 26 distinct tax and regulatory environments within a country smaller than West Virginia. This internal competition, combined with direct democracy (any law can be challenged by popular referendum), produces an unusually business-friendly and adaptable regulatory environment. The Crypto Valley phenomenon in Zug, where the canton actively lowered barriers for blockchain companies, exemplifies this approach.
At a glance
- Official name
- Swiss Confederation
- Languages
- German, French, Italian, Romansh
- Time zones
- UTC+1 (CET) / UTC+2 (CEST)
- Data region
- Europe
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