The rules for temporary assignment of workers
A company based in an EU or EFTA country can temporarily assign workers to Switzerland. The opposite is also possible.
EU/EFTA countries > CH
Employers having their domicile or registered office outside Swiss territory can temporarily assign workers to Switzerland with a view to providing services.
The employer is therefore required, in the case of such an assignment, to respect the current rules on the authorization to work and the minimum working and salary conditions. The list of standards to be respected in Switzerland (Art. 2 (1) Ldet) corresponds to the list in Art. 3 (1) of European Directive 96/71/EC. In all cases, workers who have been assigned remain subject to their employment contract with their employer, and to the same social security scheme.
CH > EU/EFTA countries
A Swiss employer can also temporarily assign staff to EU/EFTA countries. They will therefore have to respect the rules of the country in question. These can be found under the employment law and work organization section of the European Union website, and also in Directive 96/71/EU.
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Working in Switzerland’s neighboring countries
Employment law varies hugely from one country to another. Here is a list of the main rules in force in Switzerland’s neighboring countries.
Temporary assignment of workers
Workers are temporarily assigned when a company based outside of Switzerland wishes to provide a service on Swiss territory. Here are the details.