Per the labor law of Switzerland, the statutory notice periods are:
Notice can be given in writing or orally. Parties may agree on a different notice period. Such an agreement must be in writing, and the agreed notice period must not be less than 1 month.
Fixed-term employment contracts generally end on the agreed-upon date. However, they may be terminated early in the following circumstances:
Fixed-term agreements for more than 10 years require 6 months' notice.
Switzerland has a dual system for the admission of foreign workers. Nationals from European Union (EU) or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries benefit from the Agreement on Free Movement of Persons and, in general, do not need a work permit if they reside in Switzerland. As of January 1, 2026, the transitional restrictions on Croatian nationals have ended, and full free movement of persons now applies to nationals of all EU and EFTA states.
EU/EFTA-based employers posting workers to Switzerland, and self-employed EU/EFTA service providers, may use the online notification procedure (Meldeverfahren) for assignments of up to 90 days per calendar year. Notification is required as soon as the activity exceeds 8 days within a calendar year, and must be submitted at least 8 days before the start of work. Notification is required from the first day in certain sensitive sectors (including construction, hospitality, cleaning, and security).
In regard to non-EU and non-EFTA nationals, only a limited number of management-level employees, specialists, and other qualified individuals are admitted from all other countries.
The following types of permits are issued in Switzerland:
Under the Swiss Code of Obligations, both full-time and part-time employees are entitled to a minimum of 4 weeks of paid annual vacation after the first year of service (5 weeks for employees under 20 years of age). If the employee has worked for less than 1 year, the duration of annual leave is fixed pro-rata.
If employees fall sick during their leave, they are entitled to postpone their leave by providing a medical certificate to their employees. They can also take any remaining days of leave during their notice period or a cash payment in lieu of leave days.
Employees need their employer's approval to take time off. If their leave days are not compatible with the company's needs or interests, their employer can ask them to reschedule. At least 2 weeks of annual leave must be taken consecutively.
Employers must pay their employees the full salary due for the holiday entitlement and fair compensation for any lost benefits in kind. During the employment relationship, the holiday entitlement may not be replaced by monetary payments or other benefits.
Under the Federal Labour Act of Switzerland, the maximum for weekly working hours is 45 for industrial workers, office, technical, and other employees, including salespersons in large retail stores. For all other commercial enterprises, the legal maximum working hours are 50 per week. Regular weekly working hours are determined by employment or collective bargaining agreements.
Nighttime work cannot exceed 9 hours per shift; however, if the employee works only for a maximum of 3 out of 7 consecutive nights, the working time may be increased to 10 hours per shift.
Permanent or regular evening, night, and Sunday work must be considered indispensable for either technical or economic reasons. Time off equal to 10% of the hours of night work performed must be provided for night work carried out on 25 or more nights per calendar year.
Under the Swiss Code of Obligations, the right to maternity leave applies to full-time, part-time employees, and self-employed persons if they were insured under the OASI/AHV scheme for 9 months prior to childbirth and have worked for at least 5 months during their pregnancy. The minimum length of maternity leave is 14 weeks, starting from the delivery date. Employees who return to work before the end of the maternity leave lose their entitlement to compensation. Women are not allowed to work for 8 weeks after giving birth. If an employee adopts a child, they are entitled to 2 weeks of adoption leave.
In the event of the newborn child's hospitalization, the paid maternity leave is extended to a maximum of 56 days. If the other parent passes away within 6 months after the child’s birth, the female employee is entitled to an additional 2 weeks of leave. This leave may be taken either in full weeks or on a daily basis, within 6 months from the day following the parent’s death.
The employer is prohibited from terminating the employee's labor contract during her maternity leave and for 16 weeks after childbirth. Discrimination based on pregnancy is not permitted at any stage of the employment relationship, including during hiring.
Swiss law does not specify a minimum wage or average earnings. In most cases, salary levels are agreed upon between the employer and the employee during the recruitment process.
The following cantons in Switzerland have set minimum wages:
The City of Lucerne’s minimum wage of CHF 22.75 per hour has been in force since January 1, 2026 (with a transition period for employers to June 30, 2026). A parliamentary motion to repeal the ordinance is under consideration, but the City Council has recommended against repeal, and the wage floor remains legally binding.
Payment frequency is determined by an individual's employment contract. Unless otherwise provided by agreement or custom, the salary must be paid to the employee in legal tender during working hours; a written salary statement must be provided to the employee.
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