Notification procedure for short-term work in Switzerland

Online notification

Direct access to the notification procedure for short-term work:

The competent cantonal authorities in the location where the worker is posted or where the services are to be rendered in Switzerland will process the notification form and are available to answer any questions.

Contact details of cantonal authorities for the notification procedure 
(German)

Notification rules

Forms, addresses

The online notification is the standard procedure. However, if it is impossible to use the online notification procedure for technical reasons, the forms below (available in German, French and Italian) can be used exceptionally. The appropriate form has to be filled in completely and correctly, signed and sent to the competent cantonal authority of the place of work in Switzerland, either by mail or fax. Sending these forms by e-mail is not allowed.

The competent cantonal authorities in the location where the worker is posted or where the services are to be rendered in Switzerland will process the notification form and are available to answer any questions.

Contact details of cantonal authorities for the notification procedure 
(German)

 
The following forms are available (in German; for the French or Italian version, please see the relevant page):




Further information

The competent cantonal authorities in the location where the worker is posted or where the services are to be rendered in Switzerland will process the notification form and are available to answer any questions.

Posted Workers Act and Posted Workers Ordinance

For posted workers (and in certain cases also for self-employed service providers), the provisions of the Posted Workers Act and the Posted Workers Ordinance apply. This means, among other things, that when posting a worker to Switzerland, minimum wage and working conditions must be adhered to:

Declaration procedure and verification of professional qualifications

All EU/EFTA citizens wishing to provide services in a regulated profession in Switzerland for a period not exceeding 90 working days per calendar year must also submit a declaration on the online system of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). This declaration procedure will enable the corresponding authorities to carry out a uniform and careful verification of the professional qualifications held by the EU/EFTA service provider. This rule ensures that the qualifications held by service providers are adequate:

VAT obligations

Companies posting workers to Switzerland or self-employed workers wishing to provide services in Switzerland may be subject to value-added tax if the world wide generated turnover exceeds CHF 100,000 per year. Additional information can be found on the website of the Federal Tax Administration

United Kingdom

Following the UK’s exit from the EU and the end of the transition period agreed between the two parties on 31 December 2020, the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) between Switzerland and the EU no longer applies with the United Kingdom. From 1 January 2021, UK citizens are no longer citizens of the EU.

On 25 February 2019, Switzerland and the UK signed an agreement on citizens’ acquired rights, designed to protect the acquired rights of Swiss citizens living in the UK and of UK citizens living in Switzerland. The agreement accords fewer rights on service provision in Switzerland than the AFMP.

On 14 December 2020, Switzerland and the UK signed an agreement on mobility of service providers. This Services Mobility Agreement has been applied since 1 January 2021 and remains valid until 31 December 2025. It governs the reciprocal, facilitated access to the Swiss labour market for service providers from the UK for up to 90 days in any calendar year.


Service provision from the UK

Service providers, posted workers and self-employed UK citizens based in the UK are still required to complete the notification procedure. The new rules are similar to the notification procedure applicable to service providers from an EU/EFTA state.

Citizens of an EU/EFTA state or third country, regardless of nationality, can only be posted to Switzerland if integrated long-term in the regular labour market in the UK (either for at least twelve months with a temporary residence permit or with a settlement permit).

Self-employed service providers from EU/EFTA states living in the UK are not covered by the agreement on citizens’ acquired rights nor by the Services Mobility Agreement. However, in accordance with Article 23 AFMP, Switzerland has decided to protect their acquired rights. In order to continue to provide services in Switzerland, they must meet the two conditions stated in the agreement on citizens’ acquired rights: service provision commenced and a written contract was signed by 31 December 2020 at the latest.


Notification procedure for short-term activities (employed status)

UK citizens taking up employment in Switzerland for a maximum period of three months can no longer use the notification procedure. These citizens need to have a work permit under the terms of the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (FNIA).

The employer in Switzerland must make an application to the competent authorities.

    

Last modification 02.05.2023

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