Caregiver work in Switzerland: pay from CHF 20.35 an hour, and which hours count
Canton : I earn CHF an hour, hrs a week.
Tap the numbers to change them. No job yet? Enter the wage you are being offered.
A good, market-level wage
Above the CHF 20.35 minimum and within the usual CHF 34-42.
Net per month
CHF 3'288
Gross per month
CHF 3'568
Your employer adds
CHF 283
Includes 8.33 % holiday supplement (4 weeks' holiday), AHV/IV/EO, ALV, accident insurance and family allowances. Above CHF 22'680 a year the ordinary procedure applies: BVG and any withholding tax at the cantonal rate are not included here.
Working in the city of Lucerne, Zurich or Winterthur? Those cities have minimum wages of their own.
The city of Lucerne has had a municipal minimum wage of CHF 22.75 since 1.1.2026. The city of Zurich (CHF 23.90) and Winterthur (CHF 23.00) have decided theirs, and the Federal Supreme Court confirmed on 12 May 2026 that it is valid - but it is not yet in force there, and the city of Zurich has said it will give at least six months' notice before it starts. What counts is where the work is done, so the household's address. For the skill level selected, CHF 20.35 per hour applies here today.
Clino is not a job agency. Looking for work: how it works →
The NAV for domestic work also covers care at home, and with an EFZ certificate the minimum rises to CHF 24.55. Work out below what you take home, then see which live-in hours must be paid.
Live-in: which hours get paid?
Being in the house is not the same as being off. Three categories, three rules:
- Working timepaid in full
Paid in full at the agreed hourly rate.
- Presence / on-call timepaid, rate negotiable
You have to be there and able to step in. It must be compensated - a lower agreed rate is possible, zero is not.
- Rest / free timeunpaid
Unpaid, but then it has to be genuinely free: no being on call, no interruptions.
If your night is interrupted regularly, it is no longer rest time. That is exactly what Swiss court cases on 24-hour care turned on: unpaid stand-by was reclassified as working time after the fact. Put in the contract which hours fall into which category.
Breakfast3.50
Lunch10.00
Dinner8.00
Lodging11.50
= per day33.00
× 30 = per month990.00
These are the AHV rates: CHF 990/month for full board and lodging. They are added to your cash wage for AHV purposes - and can be counted toward the minimum wage at these amounts at most. A room does not replace your pay.
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 easily get a permit (L or B) once you have a job contract; with any other you already need a permit. Pick the country of your passport.
SwitzerlandEU/EFTA passport – permit easy to get
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.
Language region
Sort by
Avg wage = average gross hourly wage in active household-help contracts (quitt, Schweizer Haushaltshilfen-Report 2026, 2025 data). 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 Zurich or Zug 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. What living costs in each canton is shown in a separate comparison.
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.
What a proper payslip looks like
Every month, in writing. The deductions are not a loss - each line buys you something. Follow the numbers:
Maria Gonzalez, caregiver
- 1
Check this against the hours you actually worked. Keep your own record.
- 2
Your 4 weeks of holiday, paid out with every payslip on irregular hourly pay instead of later.
- 3
The basis for everything below - and the number that belongs in your contract.
- 4
Your pension. Your employer pays the same amount again on top, you are not carrying it alone.
- 5
Unemployment insurance: daily benefit if the job disappears.
- 6
Accident cover for your free time. The premium for accidents at work is paid by your employer, from hour one.
- 7
In the simplified procedure this settles your tax. This income is not taxed again.
- 8
What lands in your account. Cash with no payslip is a warning sign.
No AHV line means you are not registered
Then it is undeclared work, however kindly it is meant. Without registration you have no pension credit and no proof you ever worked. And that proof is the first thing you need for unemployment benefit or after an accident.
Example: 15 h/week at CHF 22.30/h in Zurich, simplified procedure (wages up to CHF 22'680/year). In the ordinary procedure BVG is added and tax is assessed normally.
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:
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.
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.
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'.
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. That way every month counts towards your AHV and is on record.
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.
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?
10:20Hello, yes, gladly. It's for my mother (82). When would you be free?
10:42I'd be very glad to. Wednesday afternoon would suit me, and I'd get to meet your mother too. See you then!
10:45Before you say yes: warning signs
Most families mean well. You still turn these offers down, or renegotiate them first.
Never work cash-in-hand
Cash in hand means gaps in your AHV, and for unemployment benefit you have to prove the work and the wage yourself. Both sides risk back-payments. Insist on being declared.
24h care: stand-by time must be paid
Live-in roles have seen court cases over unpaid night/on-call time. Pick agencies that pay stand-by and respect the NAV/GAV wage.
No money up front for a job
A temp agency may not charge you anything (Art. 19 AVG). A placement agency may ask a registration fee, but its commission only once you have an employment contract (Art. 9 AVG). Anyone who wants money first for a job or a permit is not legitimate.
Beware 'permit brokers'
No one can 'arrange' a permit for a cleaner/carer from abroad for a normal family. Never pay for it; verify everything on sem.admin.ch.
On platform leads, the family declares you
Only registration puts you into the AHV, from the first franc. You are covered for accidents even without it: then the UVG substitute fund pays and recovers the money from the household. Ask to see the compensation office's confirmation.
Get everything in writing, keep your own record of hours, and insist on being registered. Anyone who refuses has a reason. Your rights in a household job.
Your caregiver CV, ready in 3 minutes
Swiss format on 1 page: permit, languages, dementia or mobility experience, live-in or hourly.
- PDF in 6 languages
- Free, no account
- With a link the family uses to register you legally
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.
The emergency cheat sheet
Two things worth knowing by heart. Take a screenshot.
Spotting a stroke: FAST
- F
Face
One side of the face droops (ask them to smile)
- A
Arms
One arm cannot be raised
- S
Speech
Slurred speech, confused words
- T
Time
Call 144 immediately, every minute counts
On the phone, in this order: where, what, how many, what condition, who is calling. Then do not hang up until the call centre says so.
Save these numbers now
- 144
Ambulance - emergency, injury, stroke, heart attack
- 145
Tox Info Suisse - poisoning, e.g. medication taken incorrectly
- 117
Police
- 118
Fire brigade
- 143
Die Dargebotene Hand - listening and support helpline, 24/7
Your list should also include: the numbers of the family, Spitex and the family doctor.
The full module in the free courseSenior Care
Dignified care at home: safety, dementia knowledge and your boundaries.
- ~45 min
- in your language
- PDF certificate with QR code
Care is not nursing - and why that matters
Am I allowed to do this? Your tasks at a glance
The question every carer asks on day one. These three columns answer it.
This is your job
Care - you may do this without training
- Keeping company, listening, talking, reading aloud
- Cooking, household, shopping, laundry
- Walks and accompanying to appointments
- Reminding about medication and putting out the prepared box
- Helping with dressing and washing
- Watching for trip hazards and safety
- Noting down how the day went
Only once you've been shown
Grey zone - put in writing who instructs you
- Repositioning, lifting, transfers to the bathroom
- Putting on compression stockings
- Measuring blood pressure or blood sugar
- Intimate hygiene and incontinence care
- Movement exercises set by a physiotherapist
Never without training
Nursing - this belongs to Spitex or qualified staff
- Treating and dressing wounds
- Giving injections, insulin included
- Administering medication rather than reminding
- Changing a dose or skipping medication
- Catheters, stoma, feeding tubes
The grey zone is not a no - but have the Spitex or the doctor show you, and write into the contract what it covers. When in doubt: ask, document, refer to Spitex.
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: you pay into the AHV and have your contract and payslips in writing. Clino prepares 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?
What's special about live-in care?
May I give medication?
Do I have to pay AHV and taxes?
Is a certificate worth it?
Do I have to speak the family's language?
Can I work as a caregiver in Switzerland if I don't hold an EU/EFTA passport?
Get employed legally, without the awkward conversation
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