EOR · CHF (Fr)

Employer of Record in Switzerland

Switzerland sits outside the EU with its own bilateral free-movement agreement, which means EU/EFTA nationals move relatively freely while non-EU hires face a strict annual quota system where the employer must demonstrate no suitable local or EU candidate was available. Add 26 cantons with their own tax and administrative variations, and Switzerland rewards employers who plan the compliance path before extending an offer. An Employer of Record does exactly that.

Talk to us about Switzerland How our EOR works

xpath.global Employer of Record coverage — hire in Switzerland without a local entity

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Switzerland · CHF (Fr)

Why hire in Switzerland through an EOR

Switzerland offers some of the highest salaries in Europe alongside deep talent pools in pharma, finance and precision engineering, making it an attractive but genuinely premium market. The complexity isn't cultural — it's structural: Switzerland's non-EU/EFTA quota system requires employers to prove the labour market test before a permit is granted, and administrative practice varies meaningfully by canton, which most companies hiring their first Swiss employee don't anticipate.

Employment law essentials in Switzerland

Under the Swiss Code of Obligations, notice periods typically run from one to three months depending on tenure and contract terms, with some flexibility for parties to agree different terms within statutory limits. Probation is commonly one to three months. Statutory minimum annual leave is four weeks (20 days), rising to five weeks for employees under 20. A 13th-month salary isn't set in national statute but is standard contractual practice across most sectors and roles.

How it works

How hiring through an Employer of Record works

Five clean steps from candidate selection to compliant, ongoing employment — with xpath.global as the legal employer on record.

Diverse international team collaborating on cross-border hiring through an Employer of Record

The result

You operate as if the employee were on your internal team — without entity setup, cross-border compliance risk or payroll complexity.

01
Step 01
Select your candidate
Identify the person you want to hire — anywhere across Europe. We support hiring in 20+ European countries, whether it's a new recruit, a converted contractor or an internal transfer.
02
Step 02
Immigration & relocation readiness
Before the contract is signed, our in-house mobility team checks what's required for the move: work permits, visas, residence registration, posted-worker notifications, A1 certificates, home search, school support and settling-in. Because xpath.global combines EOR with global mobility, employment and relocation are orchestrated by one case owner — not bounced between vendors.
03
Step 03
Employment setup through xpath.global
Onboarding typically begins within a few business days of candidate confirmation. xpath.global drafts a locally compliant employment contract and hires the employee through our in-country entity — no need for you to open a legal presence.
04
Step 04
Payroll, taxes and benefits administration
We run payroll coordination, income tax, social security and statutory benefits in line with each country's labour law — plus supplementary benefits (private health, pension, equity) when your policy calls for them.
05
Step 05
Ongoing employment and HR support
xpath.global maintains continuous compliance, contract updates, leave, expenses and offboarding — while you manage the employee's day-to-day work exactly as you would with an internal hire.

Payroll, tax & immigration in Switzerland

Swiss payroll and tax administration vary by canton, affecting both income tax rates and some social contribution mechanics — a genuinely federal system rather than a single national framework. EU/EFTA nationals benefit from the bilateral Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons; non-EU/EFTA hires are subject to an annual quota, and the employer must demonstrate that no suitable candidate was available from Switzerland or the EU/EFTA area before a permit is granted.

How xpath.global's EOR works in Switzerland

Your case owner manages the canton-specific administrative requirements correctly, and — for non-EU/EFTA hires — runs the labour market test and quota application process in-house, rather than leaving you to coordinate a separate immigration lawyer against a compliance-heavy quota system.

Always-on compliance

Stay compliant while you grow — everywhere.

Contracts, minimum wage, statutory benefits, terminations and local labour law across 20+ European countries. Our compliance team monitors changes so your team never gets caught out.

Full employee lifecycle — hire, adjust, terminate
Regulatory monitoring and proactive alerts
200+ legal experts specialised by country
Data protection: GDPR, SOC 2 aligned processes

Talk to a specialist

20+

European countries covered

UK, DE, ES, FR, NL, IT, PL, RO…

200+

In-house legal and tax experts

Country-specialised, on your case

24×7

Dedicated customer support

One case owner, no ticket queues

120+

Currencies to pay your employees

Multi-currency payroll & FX

Pricing

Pay, manage and grow your global team.

Transparent, per-employee pricing across the services that surround the EOR relationship — employment, immigration, contractors and full mobility. All plans include a dedicated case owner and platform access.

Employer of Record

Employ talent across Europe without setting up a local entity.

Starting at

Tailored

per employee / month

Legal employment in 20+ European countries
Locally compliant contracts & onboarding
Payroll, tax & social security handled
Statutory + supplementary benefits
Automated compliance & filings
24/7 HR & legal expertise

Book a demo

Immigration Compliance

Employer of Record bundled with work authorization and visas — one case owner end-to-end.

Custom

Tailored

priced by scope

Legal employment in 20+ European countries
Locally compliant contracts & onboarding
Payroll, tax & social security handled
Work permit & visa processing
In-house immigration specialists
Family & dependant support
Posted-worker & A1 filings
Same case owner across EOR & immigration

Talk to us

Contractor Management

Engage and pay global contractors compliantly.

Starting at

Tailored

per contractor / month

Compliant contractor agreements
Payments in 120+ currencies
Misclassification risk checks
Automated invoicing & tax forms
Centralized contractor dashboard

Book a demo

Indicative pricing. Final quotes depend on country, role and volume — we confirm the exact monthly and one-off fees before you sign.

FAQs — Employer of Record in Switzerland

Why is hiring a non-EU employee in Switzerland harder than in most of the EU?+

Switzerland operates a strict annual quota for non-EU/EFTA nationals, requiring proof that no suitable local or EU/EFTA candidate was available. xpath.global's immigration team manages this labour market test process.

Does Swiss employment law vary by canton?+

Tax administration and some procedural elements do vary by canton, even though core labour law is federal. xpath.global accounts for the canton where your employee is based.

Is a 13th salary mandatory in Switzerland?+

Not by national statute, but it's standard market practice in most sectors. xpath.global builds it into contracts by default unless there's a specific reason not to.

Forward look

Switzerland's non-EU quota allocation is reviewed and set annually, which makes early planning — rather than a same-month application — the difference between a hire starting on time and one delayed by months.