Secondment of staff in Switzerland
Your company posts employees to Switzerland for a project, an installation or a long-term assignment. Every posting triggers precise Swiss obligations: prior notification, work permits, Swiss wage levels, social insurance coordination and, in some cases, VAT registration. My Swiss Company SA supports foreign employers at every stage, from the prior analysis of the assignment to Swiss-compliant payroll, with offices in Geneva and Lucerne and clients in more than 20 countries.
Posting workers to Switzerland: the legal framework.
Any foreign employer sending staff to Switzerland falls under the Posted Workers Act (PWA) and its ordinance. Three pillars determine whether an assignment is compliant:
Notification & authorisations
For companies established in the EU/EFTA, the provision of services may fall under the notification procedure for up to 90 days of effective work per calendar year. In the general sectors, the first eight days of service may be performed without notification; if the assignment is expected to exceed eight days, it must be notified from the first day. In certain sensitive sectors, notification is mandatory from the first day regardless of the duration of the assignment. Where required, the notification must in principle be filed at least eight days before work starts. The 8-day and 90-day limits apply both to the posting company and to the workers concerned. Beyond 90 days, an authorisation must be requested from the competent canton, with no automatic right to obtain it.
Swiss wages & conditions
Posted employees are entitled to Swiss wage and working conditions: declared generally binding collective bargaining agreements, cantonal minimum wages and the national wage calculator serve as reference. Undercutting Swiss wages exposes the employer to fines and to a ban from the Swiss market.
Social insurance & A1
The A1 certificate confirms the social security legislation applicable to the posted worker. Within the EU/EFTA, remaining under the home country's system can as a rule apply for up to 24 months where the conditions are met. In the absence of a certificate, the situation must be clarified and an affiliation in Switzerland may become necessary. We coordinate certificates, extensions and special agreements.
A poorly prepared posting can have immediate consequences.
Breaches of the notification obligation
Administrative fine of up to CHF 5'000 per case.
Breaches of minimum wage and working conditions
Fine of up to CHF 30'000.
Ban on offering services in Switzerland
Possible ban of one to five years for serious or repeated breaches.
Support tailored to each posting regime.
We first determine the regime applicable to your assignment, then size our support according to its duration, the sector of activity, the employer's country of establishment, the workers' nationality and their social security regime. Fees are confirmed in writing after this prior analysis.
Notification & short assignments
For temporary services falling under the notification procedure: we determine whether a notification is required, verify the applicable deadlines and prepare the file before the assignment starts.
- Online notification and follow-up with the cantonal authorities
- Sector qualification, applicable CBA and determination of the notification regime
- Verification of the applicable wage conditions: extended CBA, mandatory minima and documented customary wages
- Assignment documentation prepared for inspections
- Urgent notifications, corrections and extensions
Foreign companies carrying out an installation, maintenance or project assignment in Switzerland of up to 90 days per calendar year.
Payroll & wage compliance
We secure wage and social obligations according to the situation: verification of Swiss conditions for posted workers, or the setup of a Swiss payroll where a foreign employer durably employs staff in Switzerland without a local entity.
- Verification of the applicable wages and working conditions
- Swiss payslips where required
- A1 coordination or the applicable coverage certificate
- Social insurance affiliations where the Swiss regime applies
- Withholding tax and annual certificates where required
Employers with recurring assignments in Switzerland, or staff to be paid under Swiss rules without a Swiss entity (ANobAG).
Long-term postings & permits
Where the service exceeds the scope of the notification procedure or the Swiss activity becomes lasting, we analyse the necessary authorisations and the most suitable structure.
- Preparation and follow-up of authorisation requests with the competent cantonal authorities
- Ongoing compliance monitoring during the assignment
- VAT analysis and fiscal representation where required
- Company or branch formation when real substance is needed
Groups whose Swiss activity is becoming permanent and who need a compliant, defensible setup rather than a chain of notifications.
How we handle your posting, in three steps.
A posting that starts on a solid legal basis avoids blocked sites, fines and painful regularisations. Our process:
We review the assignment before any commitment:
- Nature of the work, sector and applicable CBA
- Duration, 90-day count and permit needs
- Wage levels compared with Swiss requirements
- Social insurance situation and A1 certificates
- Employer's country of establishment and workers' nationality
- Day count at company level and for each worker
- Qualification: posting, local employment or possible hiring out of services
We prepare and file everything the assignment requires: notification or permit application, wage adjustments, A1 coordination, payroll setup and, where relevant, VAT registration with fiscal representation.
Throughout the assignment:
- Monthly payroll and statements where applicable
- Renewals, extensions and corrections
- A single point of contact for authorities and inspections
Why our clients choose us.
Our senior Swiss corporate services expertise, combined with strong command of cross-border matters, enables us to provide clear answers, fast execution and rigorous support for every Swiss presence project. Constant availability, operational flexibility and immediate responsiveness define our approach, with a positioning recognised for service excellence and confirmed by lasting client relationships.
Swiss corporate services expertise and strong command of cross-border matters. Rigorous execution and structured support from the first exchange through to ongoing administration.
Response within one business day with an initial feasibility assessment. Constant availability, operational flexibility and immediate responsiveness on urgent matters.
34 client reviews published on Google Business Profile. Lasting satisfaction confirmed by relationships averaging 5 to 10 years.
AIWM, SFAA, STEP and IFA affiliations — demanding Swiss and international professional bodies in matters of governance, wealth planning, taxation and continuing education.
Your contact person
Andrés Taracido — Swiss Federal Diploma as an Expert in Finance and Investments; Certified International Wealth Manager (CIWM); graduate of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) with TEP accreditation; CAS in SME Taxation; and IAF-certified Insurance and Pension Advisor.
What our clients say.
★ 4.8/5 · 34 reviews published on Google Business ProfileWe entrusted Mr Taracido with setting up our financial company in Switzerland and we are very satisfied with the quality of the services provided. He greatly helped us quickly gather the elements required for the incorporation. He also supported us in meeting the criteria for obtaining the FinSA registration. Fast and efficient service.
Excellent first contact, professional support, prompt replies and broad, precise knowledge of rules and procedures. Finally a kind and generous welcome that inspires respect and trust.
We have known Mr Taracido for many years. His service is professional, precise, fast, reliable and highly recommended.
Three typical posting scenarios.
Three situations we handle regularly for foreign employers, from the one-off site to the recurring assignment: how the Swiss framework applies in practice, and what structured support changes.
Borderline cases: when we decline a posting mandate.
Three situations in which My Swiss Company SA prefers to decline or reframe the project, in the client's interest: sham postings that hide bogus self-employment, assignments priced below Swiss wage requirements, and staff supplied to Swiss clients without the required licence.
Sham posting: the assignment hides bogus self-employment or local hiring
We are regularly asked to notify assignments for workers who are not genuinely employed by the posting company.
A posting presupposes a real employment relationship with the foreign employer and a temporary assignment in Switzerland. We prefer not to accept the mandate when:
This is notably the case when:
- the workers are registered as self-employed solely for the purpose of the assignment;
- the employment contract is created for the posting and the workers are in fact recruited for a Swiss client;
- the activity is permanent and belongs to a Swiss operation rather than to a temporary assignment.
In this type of situation, the risk is twofold:
- requalification of the setup by the authorities, with retroactive social insurance and tax consequences;
- sanctions against both the foreign employer and the Swiss principal.
We prefer to build the correct structure from the start: local hiring, ANobAG payroll or a Swiss entity, depending on the reality of the activity.
Wage dumping: assignments priced below Swiss wage requirements
Some project budgets are built on home-country wages rather than on Swiss conditions.
Swiss wage and working conditions are not negotiable for posted staff. We decline mandates when:
This is notably the case when:
- we are asked to notify wages below the applicable CBA or cantonal minimum wages;
- per diems are used to disguise a structurally insufficient wage;
- the margin of the project depends on undercutting Swiss conditions.
In this type of situation, the risk is significant:
- fines, back payments ordered by the joint commissions and site interruptions;
- a ban from the Swiss market of one to five years for serious or repeated breaches.
A correctly priced assignment always costs less than the first inspection of an underpriced one. We say so before the project starts, not after.
Staff supplied to Swiss clients without the required licence
Posting workers to your own project is not the same as supplying staff to a Swiss company.
Where the essential power of direction over the workers is transferred to the Swiss client, the arrangement may qualify as hiring out of services rather than a genuine posting. The qualification depends in particular on the organisation and direction of the work, the integration at the client's premises, the responsibility for the result and the way the service is performed. This activity requires a specific licence, and cross-border staff leasing into Switzerland is as a rule not permitted. We decline notification mandates that would disguise staff leasing as a posting, and we redirect the project towards:
The compliant alternatives:
- a genuine services contract with a defined work result, under the foreign employer's direction;
- local hiring with Swiss payroll;
- a Swiss entity holding, where needed, its own leasing licence.
The boundary between posting and staff leasing is one of the most frequent inspection findings. Clarifying it upfront protects both the employer and the Swiss client.
Six reasons to entrust your postings to My Swiss Company.
Posting staff to Switzerland involves four or five different administrations and as many chances to get a detail wrong. What structured support changes:
One partner for the whole chain
Notification, permits, wages, payroll, social insurance, VAT: one contact person instead of four providers, and no obligation falling between two chairs.
Documentation that stands up to inspections
Assignments are checked by cantonal authorities and joint commissions. We prepare wage statements, contracts and A1 certificates so that an inspection is a formality, not a crisis.
Beyond the posting
When the Swiss activity becomes lasting, we build what comes next: company or branch formation, domiciliation, resident director and accounting, within the same firm.
Multilingual support
We work in French, English and Spanish and deal with the authorities in every Swiss language region, so your teams and the administration each get answers in their own language.
Digital follow-up
Notifications, payslips and certificates are exchanged through our digital platform and secure document vault: your HR team keeps a complete, auditable file at all times.
A clear framework, announced upfront
Fees are quoted in writing after the prior analysis, and we decline mandates we cannot defend. You know where you stand before the first worker crosses the border.
Frequently asked questions about posting staff to Switzerland
Answers to the questions foreign employers ask us every week before an assignment: notifications, permits, wages, A1 certificates, payroll and VAT. For the full legal picture, see our guide to posted workers in Switzerland.
Do you handle the posting notification for us?
Yes. We first determine whether the assignment must be notified, then prepare and file the notification where required. In the general sectors, the first eight days of service may be performed without notification; where it is known from the outset that the assignment will exceed eight days, it must be notified from the first day. In certain sensitive sectors, notification is mandatory from the first day. Where a notification is required, it must in principle be filed at least eight days before work starts.
When is a work permit needed instead of a notification?
For services falling under the EU/EFTA framework, the notification procedure covers at most 90 days of effective work per calendar year. This limit applies both to the company and to each worker. Beyond that, an authorisation must be requested from the competent canton and its granting is not automatic. Specific rules apply to third-country nationals and to companies established outside the EU/EFTA.
Which wages must we pay during a Swiss assignment?
Swiss wage and working conditions apply from the first day: declared generally binding collective bargaining agreements, cantonal minimum wages where they exist, and the national wage calculator as reference. We verify your wage levels before the notification so that the assignment is defensible in an inspection.
What is the A1 certificate and who requests it?
The A1 certificate confirms the social security legislation applicable to the employee during the posting. Within the EU/EFTA, remaining under the home country's system can as a rule apply for up to 24 months where the conditions are met. The certificate is requested from the competent institution of the home country. We coordinate the requests, extensions and special agreements.
Do we need a Swiss company to post workers?
No. A posting is by definition carried out by a foreign employer. However, when the Swiss activity becomes lasting, a Swiss entity or branch is often the more robust setup, for permits, clients and banks alike. We support both stages: the posting today, and the company formation when substance is actually needed.
Can you run the payroll of our posted employees?
Yes. We produce Swiss-compliant payslips aligned with the applicable CBA, manage the social insurance affiliations and statements, and handle withholding tax where it applies. We also run ANobAG payrolls for employees of foreign employers without a Swiss entity.
What does your support cost?
Fees depend on the number of workers, the sectors, the durations and the services involved, and are confirmed in writing after the prior analysis of your assignment, before any commitment. There is no volume requirement and no obligation to combine packages.
What are the penalties if a notification is missed or late?
A late or missing notification can cost the employer a fine of up to CHF 5'000. Breaches of wage and working conditions can lead to fines of up to CHF 30'000 and to a ban from the Swiss market of one to five years, published in an official register. Assignments are actively checked by cantonal authorities and joint commissions.
Does VAT apply to our Swiss assignments?
It can. A foreign company supplying work in Switzerland becomes liable for Swiss VAT as soon as its worldwide turnover reaches CHF 100'000, and it then needs a fiscal representative in Switzerland. We analyse the VAT position in the prior analysis and act as fiscal representative where required.
In which languages do you work?
We support our clients in French, English and Spanish, and we correspond with the Swiss authorities in the language of each canton. Your teams on site and your HR department at home each get a contact person who speaks their language.
All My Swiss Company services in Switzerland.
Beyond secondment, My Swiss Company SA supports entrepreneurs and international groups across the entire life cycle of their Swiss entity — formation, administration, tax representation and governance.
Accounting, VAT, Payroll & SME Taxation
- Bookkeeping, year-end closing and financial statements compliant with the CO
- VAT: returns, rate review and prevention of reassessments
- Payroll: AHV, BVG, UVG, permits and employee taxation
Company Formation in Switzerland: SA, Sàrl, Branch & Holding
- Company formation: SA, Sàrl, branch & holding
- Incorporation with deed, capital and registration with the CR
- Company formation with banking and tax logic
Swiss Resident Director & Managing Officer: Fiduciary Mandate
- Swiss resident director for SA with valid representation
- Swiss resident managing officer for Sàrl with documentary follow-up
- KYC, governance and periodic review in Switzerland
Company Registered Office & Domiciliation: Registered Address & Mail
- Legal registered office address, c/o and official notifications to the Commercial Register
- Receipt, sorting and forwarding of administrative and banking mail
- Domiciliation integrated into a real administration structure
VAT Tax Representative in Switzerland for Foreign Companies
- VAT registration in Switzerland and official tax representation
- Quarterly VAT returns, corrections and exchanges with the FTA & customs
- Upstream analysis of liability and non-compliance risks
Foundation Formation & Administration in Switzerland
- Formation of private, family or charitable foundations
- Structuring, board governance and annual administrative follow-up
- Tax framework, possible exemption and documentary compliance