Free movement for EU/EFTA citizens, unemployment of 4.9% (EU: 6.0%) and a legal maximum of 45–50 working hours a week. There is no national minimum wage, but five cantons have one – in Geneva CHF 24.59 an hour in 2026. Find out where to look for a job, how to apply and which permit and registration steps you need.
Students from the EU/EFTA fall under the free movement rules, like other EU/EFTA workers. For a job of up to three months (90 working days a year), your employer simply notifies the authorities online; for longer jobs you need a residence permit from the canton.
Traineeships in Switzerland are fixed-term contracts, generally of short duration. Students under 20 are entitled to 5 weeks of paid holiday a year, others to 4 weeks.
Students from outside the EU/EFTA at a Swiss university may work no sooner than six months after the start of their studies and at most 15 hours a week outside the holidays. The university must confirm that the job will not delay your studies, and your employer has to apply for permission.
Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Switzerland – practical information.
Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.
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