Which type of help fits your situation?

Six categories, one minute. Pick what fits best and you'll land directly on the right registration page, or a comparison for borderline cases.

Cleaning

→ Register a cleaner

Childcare

→ Register a nanny

Senior care

→ Register a caregiver

Three types of household help compared: cleaner (cleaning, often hourly), nanny (regular childcare in the family home) and au pair (cultural exchange, lives with the family, room and board count towards the wage)

Choose your category

Cleaner

Cleaning as the main task: apartment, house, regular or occasional.

Go to registration page

Not sure? Quick comparison:

How it differs from a housekeeper

Housekeeper / broader household help

Cleaning plus cooking, laundry, errands: running the whole household.

Go to registration page

Not sure? Quick comparison:

How it differs from a cleaner

Nanny / babysitter

Regular childcare at your home, hourly or by the day.

Go to registration page

Not sure? Quick comparison:

Compared to daycare & childminder How it differs from an au pair

Au pair

Lives with you, cultural-exchange based, childcare plus light housework for room, board and pocket money.

Go to registration page

Not sure? Quick comparison:

How it differs from a nanny

Caregiver / senior support

Daily presence, companionship, household tasks for older people: non-medical.

Go to registration page

Other specialist roles

Gardener, private tutor or private cook, also employable directly.

Go to registration page

Not sure? Quick comparison:

Private tutor Private cook

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What tasks should the person mainly perform?

Category clear? Next: how to hire

Direct employment, agency, marketplace or manual DIY: the options compared.

Compare hiring models →

Frequently asked questions

One person covers several tasks (e.g. cleaning and childcare), which category applies?

Register under the main task, the one taking up most of the working time. If the split is roughly even, the household-help category (the broadest one) usually fits best. When unsure, a short call to your compensation office helps.

What about Spitex or medical care?

Regulated medical care (Spitex) runs through a licensed organisation, not a private direct hire. This page and Clino cover private, non-medical everyday support. For medical care, contact a Spitex organisation in your canton.

Where do I register the person once the category is clear?

Each category leads you straight to the relevant registration page. For the question of which exact procedure applies (simplified or ordinary), there's a dedicated page.

Is the result legally binding?

No. This page helps with classification. The final call sits with your compensation office.

Ready? First payslip in 5 minutes.