Most countries in Europe have set up salary thresholds— the minimum annual or monthly wage that a foreign worker must earn to be eligible for a permit. Does Switzerland have a similar system in place as well?
Permit salary thresholds for EU work permits vary significantly from one state to another and depend on the foreign applicant’s level of qualifications.
If the job pays less than the minimum required by the government, the permit may not be issued.
What is the situation like in Switzerland?
Unlike its EU counterparts, Switzerland has no salary thresholds for work permits, and certainly not for nationals for the European Union or EFTA (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein).
These people have not only free entry to Switzerland’s labour market, but also equal access to jobs.
Additionally — and that is an important point to explain why there is no special salary threshold for foreigners — EU and EFTA nationals must be paid the same wages as their Swiss counterparts for the same work.
This is stipulated in the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) between Bern and Brussels.
This principle of equal treatment ensures that EU/EFTA citizens are not discriminated against based on their nationality when it comes to pay.
And since EU/EFTA nationals are entitled to the same remuneration as Swiss citizens, setting a salary threshold for their work permits could be considered a form of discrimination.
READ ALSO: Does your nationality affect how much you can earn in Switzerland?
What about people from third countries?
Their access to Swiss work permits is limited, but does not depend on salary thresholds either.
Instead, it is based on the needs of the Swiss economy, special skills or qualifications, as well as employers’ inability to find Swiss or EU/EFTA workers for the position in question.
But even though jobseekers from third countries face more hurdles in getting work permits than their Swiss/EU/EFTA counterparts, generally speaking they need not worry that the absence of a wage threshold means they would be underpaid.
That’s because a Swiss employer who applies for a work permit for a third-country candidate must show not only why that particular person is needed for an open position, but also spell out the salary he or she would receive.
No permit would be granted if the pay is below the standard for a given profession.
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Contractul obligation
Many Swiss employment contracts are not individual but negotiated collectively between the employer and representatives of labour unions or professional association.
These agreements (CLAs) cover a minimum wage for each type of work in a particular sector, to ensure that salaries are transparent, fair, and industry-appropriate for everyone — regardless of nationality.
But what if your company has not concluded a CLA?
In this case, you are still protected by Switzerland’s labour legislation, which ensures that your welfare and rights are being respected.
You will also sign an employment contract with your company, which outlines your salary, rights and obligations, as well as everything your employer can and cannot do, or expect from you.
In fact, oftentimes, foreign nationals earn more than the Swiss.
A government study carried out in 2024 indicates that in some positions, foreigners do earn more than the Swiss.
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“We observe differences depending on the fields of activity, diplomas, and regions of the country,” the study found.
For instance, in middle and upper management, those with a B permit have highest salaries: they earn 12,791 francs a month.
Next are those with a C permit, with 11,495 a month. G permit holders — that is, cross-border workers — earn 10,707 francs.
All of them have higher wages than the Swiss, who earn 10,476 a month.
READ ALSO: In which jobs in Switzerland do foreign workers earn more than the Swiss?
There is more information about employment laws in Switzerland here:
READ ALSO: Six hard facts foreign job seekers in Switzerland need to know
