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Directory for private households

The 26 compensation offices of Switzerland

If you employ a cleaner, nanny or carer, you settle social contributions with the compensation office (Ausgleichskasse) of the canton you live in. Here you find every office with contact details, registration route and costs, and what we learned working with it.

Choose the canton you live in

Click a canton to open the page of its compensation office.

ZurichBernLucerneUriSchwyzObwaldenNidwaldenGlarusZugFribourgSolothurnBasel-StadtBasel-LandschaftSchaffhausenAppenzell AusserrhodenAppenzell InnerrhodenSt. GallenGraubündenAargauThurgauTicinoVaudValaisNeuchâtelGenevaJuraZHBELUURSZOWNWGLZGFRSOBLSHSGGRAGTGTIVDVSNEGEJU
  • Federal form online
  • Own online form
  • PDF by post
15offices use the federal form 318.147
6offices have their own online form
5offices work with a PDF form sent by post
For the same wage, admin fees range from CHF 15 (WAS Luzern) to CHF 53 a year.

All offices compared

CantonCompensation officeAdmin fee*
ZurichSVA ZürichCHF 53
BernAK BernCHF 53
LucerneWAS LuzernCHF 15
UriSVS UriCHF 32
SchwyzSVA SchwyzCHF 53
ObwaldenAK ObwaldenCHF 36
NidwaldenAK NidwaldenCHF 32
GlarusSV GlarusCHF 32
ZugAK ZugCHF 42
FribourgCaisse FribourgCHF 53
SolothurnAK SolothurnCHF 42
Basel-StadtAK Basel-StadtCHF 53
Basel-LandschaftSVA BasellandCHF 46
SchaffhausenSVA SchaffhausenCHF 32
Appenzell AusserrhodenSOVARCHF 53
Appenzell InnerrhodenAKAICHF 29
St. GallenSVA St. GallenCHF 53
GraubündenSVA GraubündenCHF 53
AargauSVA AargauCHF 32
ThurgauSVZ ThurgauCHF 32
TicinoIAS TicinoCHF 16
VaudCaisse AVS VaudCHF 53
ValaisCaisse AVS Valais≤ CHF 53
NeuchâtelCaisse AVS NECHF 19
GenevaOCAS GenèveCHF 28
JuraECAS JuraCHF 27

*Admin fee per year on CHF 10,000 gross wage, standard rate. Offices charge it as a percentage of the AHV/IV/EO contributions, not of the wage.

What does the compensation office do for a household?

  • It collects the social security contributions: AHV, IV and EO, unemployment insurance and the contribution to family allowances.
  • In the simplified procedure it also settles the withholding tax at a flat rate. You do not need to deal with the tax office separately.
  • If you choose it when registering, accident insurance runs through it as well (simplified procedure plus). This never happens automatically.
  • Family allowances run through it if your employee has children.
  • Once a year you report the wages paid, by 30 January for the previous year. The invoice follows.

Which office is responsible?

As a private household you normally settle with the cantonal compensation office of the canton where you live. Where your employee lives does not matter. Trade association offices (Verbandsausgleichskassen) serve members of professional and industry associations.

Frequently asked questions

Do I really have to register my cleaner, even for a few hours?

Yes. For work in a private household, contributions are owed from the first franc. Only young people up to 25 have an annual exemption. Registering with the compensation office is the first step.

By when do I have to register with the compensation office?

Within one month of the first working day. The annual wage declaration is due by 30 January for the previous year.

Why do admin fees differ from canton to canton?

Each office sets its own admin fee, within a legal ceiling. It is calculated as a percentage of the AHV/IV/EO contributions. Some offices give a discount if you report wages online.

Can I switch to another canton's office?

No. As a household you belong to the office of the canton you live in. If you move to another canton, you register with the new office and deregister from the old one.

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