Notification procedure or AHV registration? The difference, made simple
«But I registered my cleaner — isn't that enough?» There are two completely different registrations, and they get confused constantly: the AHV registration (social insurance and payroll) and the notification procedure (residence and the right to work). Here's what each one is — and when you need which.
They are two separate things. AHV registration reports the wage to the compensation office (social insurance) — Clino handles that. The notification procedure governs the right to work in Switzerland at all (residence/permit) and goes through the authorities (SEM/EasyGov). Most domestic workers already live in Switzerland and only need the AHV registration. If someone comes from abroad for short-term work, the notification procedure may apply on top.
This applies when
You're employing a cleaner, nanny or carer in a private household — especially relevant if the person comes from the EU/EFTA or a third country for a fixed-term assignment.
Key takeaways
- 1AHV registration = social insurance and payroll (compensation office). Notification procedure = residence and the right to work (migration authority / EasyGov). Two authorities, two purposes.
- 2Does your domestic worker already live in Switzerland (Swiss, permit B/C/L/F)? Then you generally only need the AHV registration — the notification procedure doesn't apply.
- 3Does the person come from abroad for at most 90 days per calendar year? Then the notification procedure may apply — and the rules depend on nationality (EU/EFTA, third country, UK).
- 4AHV registration is NOT a work permit. Reporting the wage correctly does not make the work legal if the person has no right to work.
Two registrations that get mixed up all the time
In everyday language both are «registering» — and both involve a «notification». But they belong to two completely different areas of law. AHV registration makes sure wages, social insurance and taxes are settled correctly. The notification procedure makes sure the person is allowed to work in Switzerland in the first place.
AHV registration (social insurance)
- Purpose: wages, AHV/IV/EO/ALV, accident insurance, source tax
- Authority: your canton's compensation office (SVA)
- Applies to: virtually every paid domestic worker in Switzerland
- Clino handles this — simplified procedure, payroll, insurance
Notification procedure (residence/work)
- Purpose: the right to work in Switzerland (short assignment ≤ 90 days)
- Authority: SEM / cantonal migration office, online via EasyGov
- Applies to: people coming from abroad for fixed-term work
- The employer files this themselves — Clino does not handle it
Important: for the vast majority of households, only the left column is relevant. Your cleaner or nanny lives in Switzerland and already has the right to reside — in that case the AHV registration is all you need. The notification procedure only becomes an issue when someone travels in from abroad for a short assignment.
Get your employer to register you legally
Share your personal link. When your employer signs up through Clino you earn CHF 10 — plus another CHF 20 once they're active. And you become legally employed and insured.
When do I need the notification procedure? By nationality
Whether and how the notification procedure applies depends on the person's passport. Three cases:
EU/EFTA nationals
No formal work permit needed. For an assignment of up to 90 days per calendar year, the employer registers the job online (EasyGov) — at the latest the day before work starts. For cleaning work in households, the duty to notify applies from the very first day (no eight notification-free days).
Third-country nationals (non-EU/EFTA)
Generally require a permit from day one. Exception: someone who has been permanently admitted to the labour market of an EU/EFTA state for at least 12 months and is posted from there can use the notification procedure for short assignments. Without that, a permit is required — and the odds in a private household are low.
UK nationals
Since 1 January 2021 they count as third-country nationals. The 90-day notification procedure does not apply to taking up employment. A permit under the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (FNIA) is required, which the employer applies for with the cantonal authority.
Household cleaning: notify from day 1
Deadlines and how the notification procedure works
Everything runs through EasyGov, the only platform for it since March 2025. Different deadlines apply depending on the setup:
EU/EFTA, employed directly by you
Notify at the latest the day before the first working day.
Posted or self-employed providers from EU/EFTA
Notify at least 8 days in advance; maximum 90 days per calendar year.
Cleaning work in the household
Notify from the first day — no notification-free tolerance.
File the notification
The employer (here: the private household) submits the notification online via EasyGov.
Special case: 24-hour and live-in care
Many families bring in someone from abroad to care for a relative — often on rotation through an agency. Here too: for assignments up to 90 days the notification procedure can be used; beyond that an L or B permit is required.
There's also an often-overlooked rule: if the carer is leased into the private household from the EU/EFTA through an agency (staff leasing), only an agency based in Switzerland with a federal leasing licence may do so. If, instead, you employ the person directly yourself, you are the employer — and the AHV registration runs through Clino like for any domestic worker.
Leasing only with a licence
The one sentence that matters
AHV registration and the notification procedure do not replace each other. You can report the wage perfectly correctly and pay all social insurance — if the person has no right to work in Switzerland, the employment is still not legal. Conversely, a work permit does not make the payroll accounting unnecessary.
AHV registration ≠ work permit
Frequently asked questions
I registered my cleaner with Clino. Do I still need a notification procedure?
What's the difference between the notification procedure and the simplified procedure?
Who files the notification — me or the person?
My carer is coming from Poland for three months. What do I do?
Does this also apply to cross-border commuters (G permit)?
Read on
We handle the AHV side
Clino registers your domestic worker correctly, runs the payroll and takes care of the insurance. You check the right to work separately — we show you how.
