Despite its small land area and lack of raw materials, Switzerland has a sizeable industrial sector and plays an important role as a provider of financial services.
Furthermore, Switzerland’s stable political and economic conditions have led many globally active companies to establish their headquarters there.
Looking for a job in Switzerland
There are numerous channels for applying for a job in Switzerland, but it is worth realising that companies generally prefer personal contacts and verbal recommendations. Therefore, it can be helpful to use qualified professionals to prepare your application as effectively as possible and to receive an initial introduction before applying directly.
For more information, please contact us at: job@reframed.it
Job Application
An application package prepared for Switzerland must include:
- A curriculum vitae;
- A cover letter;
- Copies of all employment certificates;
- Copies of all diplomas;
All documents must be written in one of the country’s languages: French, Italian, or German. Multinational companies may also accept applications in English.
To stand out, it is essential to pay special attention to how you present your résumé and the attached documents: your cover letter must convince the reader that you are the ideal candidate for the position.
Don’t forget to always add a personal touch to your application and to highlight your expectations for the open position.
Curriculum Vitae
Your résumé should not exceed two A4 pages and must include the following information in table form:
- First and last name, home address, phone number, age, and citizenship;
- Professional experience;
- Internship periods during training;
- Education (schools attended, studies completed, profession(s) held);
- Language skills, IT skills, special abilities;
- Specific and personal interests and hobbies.
Accreditation of qualifications
In Switzerland, employers attach great importance to qualifications and employment certificates. The State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SEFRI) is responsible for deciding on the equivalence of foreign diplomas and certificates.
Therefore, this government body is also responsible for issuing any “equivalence certificates,” which certify that a qualification obtained in a country other than Switzerland is fully equivalent to the corresponding Swiss educational program: https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/fr
T is important to note that qualifications can only be recognized for regulated professions, i.e., those professions that can only be practiced if the practitioner holds a diploma, a certificate, or a professional competence certificate.
Accreditation of health professional qualifications: www.redcross.ch
Employment contract
Every employment contract must include information on the type of work to be performed (list of duties, job description), working hours, probationary period (maximum three months), notice period, annual leave, salary, maternity leave, professional liability insurance, and pension fund.
From a legal standpoint, an individual employment contract does not have to meet any specific formal requirements to be valid, and therefore can also be entered into verbally. However, for practical reasons, it is always advisable to draw up an employment contract in writing.
Working hours
By law, the maximum weekly working time in Switzerland is 45 hours for workers employed in industrial companies, office staff, technical and other employees, and retail sales staff.
For all other employees, the maximum weekly working time is 50 hours.
Temporary workers who work at night, on Sundays, or on public holidays are entitled to special pay.
Holiday leave
The right to holiday leave is fundamental: the minimum period of holiday leave required by law per year includes:
- 5 weeks for workers and apprentices up to the age of 20;
- 4 weeks for all other workers;
- Even if a collective bargaining agreement applies (e.g., in the construction industry), the employer may grant 5 to 6 weeks of holiday leave.
Salaries in Switzerland
Pay levels vary considerably depending on the economic sector and the region: in Switzerland, there is no nationally mandated minimum wage. Some cantons have introduced a minimum wage; in Ticino, for example, the minimum wage ranges from CHF 19.75 to CHF 20.25 per hour.
In most cases, wages are paid into a checking account, so you will need a bank or postal account in Switzerland.
If you would like to get a clearer idea of the potential remuneration for your profession in Switzerland, we recommend visiting these portals, which are also known as “salary calculators”:
Social security contributions
The contractual pay is defined as a gross amount from which social security contributions will be deducted; these contributions are paid in equal parts by the employer and the employee. Depending on the type of permit, taxes are withheld at source.
You should also be aware that, in Switzerland, premiums for compulsory health insurance are not included in social security deductions, so you need to take out private health insurance.
Get in touch for more information on how to find a job in Switzerland!
Prima di un espatrio in uno dei molti Stati da noi proposti, organizziamo un appuntamento individuale.
L'appuntamento consiste nelle seguenti attività:
- analizzare le tue aspettative;
- valutare la tua situazione pre-espatrio ed eventuali criticità/ostacoli;
- stabilire la fattibilità del tuo trasferimento all'estero;
- individuare i pro e i contro della destinazione (una o più) in merito alle tematiche più varie: tassazione, affitti, costo della vita, clima, sicurezza, assistenza sanitaria, etc;
- programmare il percorso di trasferimento: tempistiche, modalità, costi.
