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Contracting in Switzerland

Here’s everything you need to know about contracting in Switzerland.

Our Solutions

Employed

Employer of Record
(EOR)

Local Partners

In each country, we work with leading local accounting and taxation experts to ensure that we and those who depend on us stay entirely within the law.

100% Compliant

We have the necessary licences, proven experience and demonstrable track record to provide you with all the national and international payroll, contract management, tax and immigration services that you need.

Global Presence

We have offices in Switzerland (Head Office), the United Kingdom, Germany, Luxembourg, Cyprus, China, India, Malaysia and the UAE.

Cost Efficient

We listen carefully to you, understand your personal requirements and needs, and then we collaborate with you to provide our services at reasonable prices.

About Us

Access Financial is the leading global provider of contract management, outsourced payroll and umbrella services. With a SECO license, we have the authorisation to carry out labour leasing activities in Switzerland and able to help corporations, recruitment agencies and contractors to take full advantage of the potential and flexibility of the Swiss market.

FAQs

Please check out our FAQs below. Don’t see an answer to your question? Feel free to contact us

With just a few clicks, you can calculate your take-home pay in Switzerland and choose the optimal solution to get the most out of your contract. Use the app below to calculate your possible net retention in Switzerland.

Regardless of the nationality of a contractor, it is illegal for non-Swiss recruitment agencies to hire for a Swiss client without holding a labour leasing, or SECO, license. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs is the Swiss authority that determines Swiss and labour leasing regulations, terms and conditions Therefore international recruiters typically retain a SECO licensed company (such as Access Financial) to perform the employment and leasing function. The license is cantonal specific, meaning that some licenses may only cover you for Zurich or perhaps Geneva etc. Access Financial hold a Federal SECO license that covers the whole of the Swiss region.

As a labour leasing company, we handle all legal and contractual matters for companies, recruitment agencies, and contractors. Our services provide benefits for the employer by ensuring compliance with local laws, benefits for the recruitment agency by keeping clients satisfied, and benefits for the contractor by maximizing earnings through legal means and reducing tax and social security burdens.

Employment

This is a standard form of employment – you officially work for a company who pays you a monthly salary.

Pros:

  • Enrollment in the social security system, which includes a pension plan, paid time off and sick leave.
  • Stable monthly paycheck.
  • Income tax is deducted from your salary, so you do not need to worry about calculating how much you have to pay.

Cons:

  • If you come from a non-EU/EFTA state and would like to work in Switzerland, you may only do so if you are highly qualified, i.e. if you are a manager, specialist or other skilled professional.
  • More and more companies are looking towards independent contractors rather than employees, so it could be more difficult to find such employment, especially as a foreigner.
  • Less flexibility – you do not get to choose the projects that you can work on, you must work on the tasks assigned to you by your employer.
  • Formal working hours – you may have to work “9-5”, as determined by your employment contract, rather than being able to determine your own working hours.

Self-Employment

This type of employment means that you are a freelancer – a company pays you to do a specific job, and you get remunerated, but you are not an official employee.

Pros:

  • Freedom to choose projects that interest you.
  • Freedom to choose your own working schedule.
  • Can deduct certain expenses, dependent on your business activities.

Cons:

  • As a self-employed person, you cover the full cost of social security contributions yourself.
  • Lower retention rate compared to other solutions due to high social security payments.
  • Expat entrepreneurs from third countries have to meet the Swiss labour market requirements to receive a work permit for self-employment, which can prove to be quite difficult.
  • From an annual income from self-employment of at least CHF 100,000, you are subject to VAT
  • You will need to sort out payments of income tax and social contributions yourself, or you could consider engaging a payroll company like Access Financial.
  • Must issue invoices that follow specific rules.
  • There can be a fine line between self-employment and regular employment. If, for example, you end up doing too much work exclusively for a specific company, you could be classified by an audit as falsely self-employed, which can result in very hefty fines and the possibility of some legal action against you/your client.

L Permit:

The L Permit is a short-duration permit granted to international individuals visiting Switzerland for a definite purpose. It usually lasts less than a year and may authorize the permit holder to work. EU/EFTA citizens are eligible for the L permit once they provide an employment contract ranging from three months to a year. It can also be granted to those seeking employment, given they fulfill specific criteria.

B Permit:

The B Permit serves as a residential permit for international individuals living in Switzerland permanently for a designated purpose. It permits them to work as well. EU/EFTA citizens can acquire this permit if they demonstrate that they’ve been employed indefinitely or for a fixed duration of at least one year. The permit remains valid for five years and can be extended under specific conditions.

C Permit:

The C Permit, or settlement permit, is given to foreign nationals after residing in Switzerland for five or ten years. The granting of this permit may depend on the individual’s country of origin, family situation, and integration level. The permit is valid for an indefinite period.

G Permit:

The G Permit, also known as the cross-border commuter permit, is granted to EU/EFTA citizens residing in an EU/EFTA member state who work in Switzerland but return to their primary foreign residence weekly. The permit stays valid for five years if the employment contract is permanent or fixed for more than a year. If not, it remains valid for the length of the employment contract.

EU, EFTA

People from EU and EFTA countries (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein) have the right to enter, live and work in Switzerland.

They may work in Switzerland for three months without taking any particular administrative steps. For employment beyond this period, they must apply for a residence permit from the municipality where they are living.

Other Foreign Nationals

Only individuals who are considered “qualified” can come to work in Switzerland if they are from countries outside of the EU/EFTA. These “qualified” individuals include executives, experts, and others who have professional qualifications.
Even for temporary job assignments, these individuals must possess a work permit. The responsibility for administrative procedures falls on the employer. The employer must be able to prove that hiring a person from a non-EU/EFTA country contributes to Switzerland’s economic progress and that they were unable to locate suitable staff within the Swiss, EU, or EFTA labor markets.

Obtaining a work permit does not necessarily confer the right to enter Switzerland. Depending on the person’s nationality, a visa may be required. Read more

As an Employer of Record, we conclude an agreement with you and your client. We become your legal employer while your client maintains control over your work relationship, ethics, tasks, and daily responsibilities.

Why is this needed?

Not all companies have registered legal entities in the countries where they need employees. Moreover, not all companies want to bother with payroll, work permits, taxes, social security, and in general paperwork when employing workers. That’s why it’s more profitable and convenient for them to turn to an EOR provider (such as Access Financial) who already has local experience and can take on all the worries associated with hiring employees and be responsible for their paperwork and compliance.

Here are just some of the services we offer in Switzerland:

  • Registering employees with the tax and social security office.
  • Providing consultations on Swiss labour regulation & benefits.
  • Setting up the Payroll system compliantly.
  • Submitting wage tax returns and national insurance forms.
  • Keeping our clients up-to-date and compliant with changes in Swiss regulations.

We provide a full set of services in Switzerland, allowing corporate clients, recruitment agencies and professional contractors to operate in an optimal manner, while ensuring that all local compliance obligations are taken care of.

Access Financial offers the following services in Switzerland:

  • Contract Management
  • Outsourced Payroll
  • Employer of Record (EOR)

Our Services

Our services are aimed at customer satisfaction, always ensuring the best value for money, compliance and maximum take-home pay possible in Switzerland.

Contract
Management

Payroll
Outsourcing

Work Permits &
Immigration Assistance

Employer of Record
(EOR)

Tax & Legal
Compliance

Testimonials

We’re proud of what we do, but you shouldn’t just take our word for it. Here’s what our clients are saying about us.

Ahmed MohammediContractor

“After several years of collaboration with you, I regret to announce my departure from AF. It has been a real pleasure to have made this part of road with you, and I wish you full success with other collaborators. I regret my departure from your company, but the rules decided otherwise. If there is anything to remember about AF, it is the clarity, the honesty and the discretion. Thank you for all the good years spent with you and all the services you have given me.”

Cesare PittarelloContractor

“I’ve been using Access Financial services for more that one year and so far I’m fully satisfied with my choice. The company is providing prompt and valid support to all my needs as contractor and I recommend it.”

Roy HarrisHaricom Limited

“I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the good experience I’ve had the last 3 years working with AFS. I feel a sense of trust in AFS and for me that is what is most important in any business relationship.”

ChristosGreece

“I would like to thank Access Financial Team for all your help on my urgent matter. A special mention to Louise and her commitment to help me promptly and in any possible way, even by disturbing some of her annual leave. You’re very lucky to have such people within your team!”

Luke WilliamsSweden

“I want to thank Access Financial for your assistance with immigration without which my assignment would not have been possible. My special thanks to Team Europe, their service was very professional. They were always quick to respond, provide me with answers and solutions.”

VladoContractor

“It was always a pleasure to work with AF. Before when I worked in Belgium and now in Germany, the service was always very pleasant. So yes, in the case I will need any umbrella company, I will surely contact only you.”

Mr. P. BorkarIreland

“It’s been a wonderful experience working with Access Financial”

Mr. B. DeanGermany

“When it comes to outsourcing payroll services Access Financial is my #1 go-to company. Thank you for your great support.”

Mr. G. BretonUK

“What I love about Access Financial is their commitment to speed, professionalism and constant support.”

Mr. P. TredwellLuxembourg

“If you are looking for someone to help you with contracting in EU, Access Financial would be an excellent choice.”

HarshitContractor

“I will let people know in my network with the services you provide. I like the transparency you work with.”

Our Partners

Each partnership is unique. We focus on creating long-lasting relationships with our partners.

Swiss Income & Tax Calculator 2024

Calculate your take-home pay in Switzerland using our online income calculator below.

    The tax that you pay in Switzerland depends on the number of dependents that you have.
    Some examples of professional services include - Legal services, Accounting and bookkeeping, IT etc. Some examples of manual services include - Construction services, Electrical set up and rewiring etc.
    Please specify the starting month
    Which income tax year are you thinking about?
    What is your pay unit? Hour, day or month?
    This is the all-inclusive rate that you have agreed with your recruiter or client to pay you.
    Mandatory Pension Only - I am interested only in paying the mandatory level of pension contributions to reduce my immediate outgoings. We call this LPP1 (Occupational Pension Fund).
    I am interested I increasing my overall retention by contributing above the minimum level although this will not reduce your immediate outgoings. We call this LPP2a.
    Swiss nationals and C-permit holders are not taxed at source by their employer but pay their taxes directly to the government. All others working in Switzerland are taxed at source.
    Members of established churches and other religious organisations pay Church Tax which supports these institutions. Non-members do not.
    In Switzerland, the taxes depend on where you live rather than where you work. To assess your tax, it is necessary to know the canton where yo plan to live.
    The taxes you pay vary if you are single, married, widowed or divorced. Please indicate your marital status.

    Disclaimer: The calculation is an illustration based on various assumptions and is meant to provide an indication of what you may take home as net pay. For a more detailed projection please contact our customer support by clicking on the “TALK TO AN EXPERT” button above.

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