What is the payroll cycle in Switzerland?

Monthly payroll cycle is standard. Payroll is paid in CHF (Swiss franc).

Can I run payroll in Switzerland without a local entity?

Yes. Through an Employer of Record (EOR), Gracemark employs your talent under Switzerland labor law and runs local payroll, no entity required.

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Payroll in Switzerland

Payroll in Switzerland runs in CHF (Swiss franc). Monthly payroll cycle is standard. No statutory 13th-month bonus; a 13th-month salary is very common by contract or collective agreement but not a universal legal requirement. Statutory employer contributions apply. Gracemark operates it end-to-end, humans, not tickets.

Get a Switzerland payroll quote Paying an existing team there? Tell us the headcount, email or phone is enough.

Currency

CHF, Swiss franc

Payroll cycle

Monthly payroll cycle is standard.

Working week

Statutory maximum workweek is 45 or 50 hours depending on sector under the Federal Labour Act, though most white-collar roles work 40-42 hours by contract.

Minimum wage

Switzerland has no federal statutory minimum wage; a small number of cantons (e.g., Geneva, Neuchâtel) set their own cantonal minimums, and most pay is governed by contract or collective agreement.

13th-month

No statutory 13th-month bonus; a 13th-month salary is very common by contract or collective agreement but not a universal legal requirement.

Employer cost

Employer contributions to OASI/DI/IC (old-age, disability, income compensation), unemployment insurance, occupational pension (BVG) and accident insurance together commonly total roughly 10-15%+ of gross salary depending on pension plan and canton

Probation

Standard probation period is 1 month, extendable up to 3 months by agreement, under the Code of Obligations.

Notice period

Notice periods range from 1 to 3 months depending on tenure, as set by contract or the Code of Obligations; there is no general statutory severance pay requirement outside specific circumstances (e.g., long-tenured older employees).

Two ways to run payroll in Switzerland

Own-entity payroll

For long-term presence in Switzerland. Gracemark manages statutory filings, pay runs, and year-end reporting under your entity, with a named operator on Western Europe time.

EOR-run payroll

No entity in Switzerland? Employ and pay talent under Gracemark's local infrastructure via EOR, onboard in 1–2 weeks (eor), no local incorporation.

Compliance essentials in Switzerland

No federal minimum wage, a few cantons set their own
13th-month salary is near-universal in practice
Mandatory occupational pension (BVG/2nd pillar)
Comparatively flexible termination with clear notice
Among the highest salaries globally

Get a payroll quote for Switzerland

Send your headcount and salary band. We reply with employer burden, net-to-gross, and setup timeline, no sales scripts.

Get your Switzerland hiring plan

Send the role, a selected worker or an existing-team requirement in Switzerland. Get a written recommendation covering the model, cost categories, responsibilities and next steps. One hire is welcome; no meeting required.

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Deeper guide

Hiring guide: Switzerland →

Employ without entity

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