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Working as a caregiver in Switzerland: pay, rights, canton and first steps

Want to support older people at home and earn a living doing it? This is a real profession with fair pay and clear rights. Here's what's realistic, what you need, which canton is worth it, and how to get started step by step without slipping into undeclared work.

15 June 2026·Reading time: 12 minutes

In short

Updated 10 July 2026

As a caregiver in a private household you are a regular employee: you earn at least around CHF 20.35 an hour, you're entitled to holidays, sick pay and insurance. Language, wage and cost of living differ a lot by canton, and care is not nursing.

Minimum wage around CHF 20.35/h; with experience and a certificate you negotiate more.
Wage, language and living costs vary by canton - compare before you decide.
Care means accompanying, not nursing: medical acts stay with Spitex.

Before you start: what to know

1As an employee in a private household you're protected: contract, payslip, social insurance and accident cover. That's exactly what separates a real job from undeclared work and makes holidays and sick pay enforceable in the first place.
2In live-in roles, not every hour of presence counts automatically as paid working time - there are rules on working hours, rest and on-call. Clarify this in the contract before you say yes.
3Experience plus a recognised certificate builds families' trust - and is your strongest argument for negotiating above the minimum wage. Clino's senior-care course is free.
4To start you need the right to work in Switzerland, a written contract and a proper payslip. With Clino, registration and social insurance run automatically - so you're legal and insured from day one.

What does a caregiver earn in Switzerland?

There's no fixed rate in senior care either. The floor is the cantonal standard employment contract (NAV) for household work, which covers care and household tasks in private homes.

Pay depends on experience and qualification. In live-in care, presence and rest times count too - have your working hours clearly stated in the contract.

CHF 20.35

no qualification

CHF 22.30

with 4+ years' experience

CHF 24.55

with federal certificate

Board and lodging may be partly counted toward your wage in live-in roles, but only within set limits. Always insist on a proper payslip - it protects you.

Work out your gross and net pay.

CHF 10-30 for you

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.

What decides isn't where you live - it's your passport

Many read this guide from outside Switzerland - often from Latin America. But whether you may work isn't decided by your address: it's the country of your passport. The rule is simple: with an EU/EFTA passport you may work; with any other you already need a permit. Pick the country of your passport.

EU/EFTA passport: may workOther passport: permit neededSwitzerland: where you'd work

EU/EFTA passport – you may work

Other passport – permit needed

Pick the country of your passport

Tap the country of your passport (or 'other') to see what applies to you: permit and pay gap.

Which canton is worth it? Language, pay and living costs

Three things decide where caregiving pays off for you: the language (you work in the family's language), the average wage and the cost of living. Filter below by language region and sort by what matters to you.

Map of Switzerland: pay & living costs

Avg gross wage CHF/h

≤2526–2728–29≥30

Zurich

Avg wage: CHF 29/h
Cost of living: High

See registration in Zurich

Canton finder: language, pay & cost of living

Compare language, average wage and cost of living. Filter by language and sort by what matters to you.

Language region

Sort by

CantonLanguageAvg wageCost of living

Avg wage = estimated gross hourly wage in private households (BFS). Cost of living and the wage/cost score are a rough orientation (rent + price level) — job availability and the actual rent in your town can change the picture.

Important: a high wage in Geneva or Zurich often goes straight to rent. In cantons like Valais, Jura or Solothurn you earn a little less, but rent and health insurance are lower - so more can be left at the end of the month.

You don't just keep an eye on someone - you give a person safety and dignity in daily life. Carry yourself that way, and get paid that way.

Your rights as an employed caregiver

As soon as you provide care regularly in a household, you are an employee under the Code of Obligations. These rights apply regardless of hours - including live-in:

Clear hours & contract

Especially live-in, it must be clear when you work, take breaks and have time off.

4 weeks' holiday (5 under 20)

At least 4 weeks of paid holiday per year, pro rata for part-time.

Pay when sick

If you fall ill, your pay continues - depending on years of service (e.g. the Bernese scale).

Insured from hour one

Your family must insure you against work accidents (UVG) and pay AHV.

An elderly hand resting gently, warm window light

What's realistic - and what's not?

Honestly: caregiving is a good way in, but it's not a goldmine and not a shortcut to becoming a nurse. Here's what it really looks like:

Not really

•Working as a qualified nurse right away - medical care needs training.
•Landing most jobs with no German, French or Italian.
•Getting a work permit easily as a non-EU/EFTA citizen.
•Getting rich on 24/7 live-in - rest periods are mandatory and being present isn't the same as working.

Realistic

•Starting as a career changer - many families want heart and reliability, not just diplomas.
•Negotiating above the minimum with experience and a certificate.
•Part-time, by the hour or live-in - you choose the model that fits you.
•Building regular clients and referrals over time.

Introducing yourself as a carer

Brauchli

online

Hello Mrs Brauchli, I heard you're looking for someone. I've been caring for elderly people for six years: walks, cooking and help around the house, with patience and warmth. I'm available in the mornings. May I introduce myself?

10:20

Hello, yes, gladly. It's for my mother (82). When would you be free?

10:42

I'd be very glad to. Wednesday afternoon would suit me, and I'd get to meet your mother too. See you then!

10:45

Message

Your first steps as a caregiver

You don't need to know everything at once. These four steps take you from 'I want to help' to 'I work as a professional, fairly employed caregiver'.

What you need to start

A residence or work permit for Switzerland (easy for EU/EFTA, harder for third countries).
An AHV number - you get it when the family registers you.
Basic knowledge of your region's language (German, French or Italian).
A first-aid course, ideally focused on seniors and emergencies.
A Swiss bank account for your wage.
A simple profile or CV with your experience and references.

Clarify your requirements

Permit, language and a first-aid course are the basics. A certificate helps you stand out.

Make yourself visible

Through platforms, the Spitex network, notice boards or referrals. Be clear about what you offer: hours, live-in or not, your languages.

Agree pay, hours and boundaries

Put the hourly wage, working and rest times, holidays and notice period in writing - and what is and isn't part of your tasks.

Get registered correctly

The family registers you with the compensation office and insures you. Only then are you truly protected.

Insist on proper registration

If you're paid under the table you might save a few francs in deductions short term - but you lose accident insurance, pension contributions, sick pay and every legal protection. If something goes wrong, you're on your own. Clean registration is your safety net, not your loss.

Free · with certificateClino Academy

Senior Care

Dignified care at home: safety, dementia knowledge and your boundaries.

~45 min
in your language
PDF certificate with QR code

Start the free course

Not sure which course? → Course finder

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What makes a professional caregiver

Families trust you with a loved one. Those who combine safety and dignity get recommended and paid better:

Fall prevention

Falls are the most common danger - you spot risks and defuse them.

Spotting emergencies

Recognize a stroke early (FAST) and react correctly.

Understanding dementia

Accompany people with dementia calmly and with dignity.

Role & boundaries

Know what you may do - and when Spitex takes over.

Care is not nursing - and why that matters

You may support daily life: companionship, household, accompanying, reminding about medication. Nursing acts (wounds, injections, administering medication) belong to Spitex or qualified professionals.

This boundary protects you too

Anyone who takes on nursing acts without training carries the liability if something goes wrong. When in doubt: ask, document and refer to Spitex.

Correct employment protects you: only then are you insured and build AHV for your pension. Clino handles the contract, pay and registration for the family for a flat CHF 19.90 a month.

How the family employs you correctly.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need nursing training?

No, not for non-medical care. But a first-aid course and basic knowledge of falls, dementia and emergencies clearly boost trust and pay.

What's special about live-in care?

Working, presence and rest times must be defined. Being present around the clock isn't the same as working around the clock - and board/lodging may only be partly counted toward pay.

May I give medication?

Reminding and preparing yes; actually administering it or nursing acts belong to Spitex. When in doubt: ask and document.

Do I have to pay AHV and taxes?

Yes. AHV/IV/EO and ALV are deducted from your wage - it's mandatory and secures your future pension.

Is a certificate worth it?

Yes. It shows families you take safety, dementia and emergencies seriously. Clino's senior-care certificate is free, takes about 45 minutes, and you get a PDF with a QR code.

Can I work as a caregiver without an EU passport?

It's harder. EU/EFTA citizens can be employed freely. Third-country nationals need a work permit - often via an existing residence permit (e.g. family reunification). Clarify your status before you commit.

Do I have to speak the family's language?

Basic knowledge is almost always needed - for communication, safety and emergencies. In French-speaking Switzerland it's French, in Ticino Italian, otherwise mostly (Swiss) German. Choose your canton accordingly.

Can I work as a caregiver in Switzerland if I don't hold an EU/EFTA passport?

Only with a permit that gives you access to the labour market. Third-country nationals essentially cannot get a new work permit just for domestic or care work. You can work if you already hold a suitable permit - through family reunification, marriage to a Swiss or EU/EFTA citizen, a settlement or residence permit (C/B with the right to work), or protection/asylum status. EU/EFTA citizens can work freely thanks to free movement.

Become a professional caregiver - free

Learn safety, dementia knowledge and your boundaries in 6 short modules. At the end you'll be holding your certificate.

Start the free care course See your rights

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