The notification procedure for short-term work in Switzerland: a step-by-step guide for foreign employers

Who must file a notification?

Under the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons between Switzerland and the EU/EFTA, three situations trigger the notification duty:

• the employer established in the EU/EFTA posting employees to Switzerland to perform a service;
• the self-employed service provider established in the EU/EFTA carrying out an assignment personally in Switzerland — who must be able to prove genuine self-employed status during an inspection;
• short-term employment with a Swiss employer, up to three months, which follows the same procedure.

Assignments totalling eight working days or less per calendar year are exempt, except in the sensitive sectors listed below. The wider framework of a posting — wages, social security, VAT — is covered in our guide to the posting of workers to Switzerland.

The eight-day deadline and its exceptions

The notification must reach the authorities at the latest eight days before the assignment begins. The period runs from the online submission and allows the cantonal and joint inspection bodies to plan their checks.

There is a single exception, and it is narrow: genuine emergencies — unforeseeable damage, urgent repairs, accidents, natural disasters or other unforeseeable events requiring immediate action. Work may then start on the day of notification at the earliest, with the reason for the urgency stated in the form. A commercial urgency on the client’s side does not qualify.

The 8-day rule explained

The figure “eight days” covers two entirely different rules, and confusing them is the single most common misunderstanding we see:

A practical consequence: a company that sends a technician for three days in March and five days in June has used up its exemption. The next assignment, however short, must be notified — and notified eight days in advance.

Sectors that must notify from day one

In the branches considered sensitive, the eight-day exemption does not apply: notification is mandatory whatever the length of the assignment, from the first working day in Switzerland.

The online notification, step by step

Notification is filed exclusively online. Since 17 March 2025, the procedure for short-term gainful activity has been modernised and integrated into the Confederation’s EasyGov platform. In practice:

1. Create the company account on the Confederation’s notification portal, with the full details of the foreign employer (legal name, registered office, contact person).
2. Select the type of notification: posting of workers, self-employed service provider, or short-term employment with a Swiss employer.
3. Enter the assignment: exact place of performance (site or client address), nature of the service, start and end dates, planned duration in working days.
4. Enter each posted worker: name, date of birth, nationality, identity document number, qualification and role on the assignment.
5. Declare the gross hourly wage paid during the assignment — this is the figure inspection bodies use to check compliance with Swiss pay rules.
6. Submit and keep the confirmation: the electronic acknowledgement must be available on site during any inspection.

Checklist: what to prepare

Before starting the online filing, gather:

• the full details of the posting company (registered office, commercial register, contact person);
• the identity of each worker: surname, first name, date of birth, nationality, passport or ID card number;
• the exact dates and location of the assignment (site or client address);
• the detailed nature of the service (service contract with the Swiss recipient);
• the gross hourly wage paid during the assignment, aligned with the applicable Swiss minimums;
• for third-country nationals employed in the EU/EFTA: proof of at least 12 months’ integration into that regular labour market;
• each worker’s A1 certificate (home-country social security), to be requested before departure.

Beyond 90 days: authorisation replaces notification

The notification procedure covers a maximum of 90 actual working days per calendar year — a ceiling that applies to the company and to each worker alike. Beyond it, the assignment is no longer covered by a simple notification: a work authorisation (short-term L permit, or B permit depending on duration) must be obtained from the cantonal authorities before work continues.

The distinction matters. Notification is declaratory and free of charge; authorisation is an administrative decision subject to conditions, processing times and sometimes quotas — with no automatic entitlement to obtain it. Only actual working days count towards the ceiling: days spent exclusively travelling to or from Switzerland are not notified as working days.

Amending or cancelling a notification

Any substantial change to the assignment must be reflected in a correction: a postponed start, an extended duration, a change of location or the replacement of a worker. In practice:

• a postponement or interruption is reported to the competent cantonal authority;
• an extension beyond the notified duration requires a new notification — respecting the eight-day deadline and the 90-day ceiling;
• adding a worker not initially declared requires a supplementary notification before they arrive on site.

Penalties for a missing or late notification

Breaching the notification duty is sanctioned independently of compliance with the other obligations:

• administrative fine of up to CHF 5,000 for a missing, late or inaccurate notification;
• fine of up to CHF 30,000 for breaching the minimum pay and working conditions (art. 9 LDét);
• ban on providing services in Switzerland of one to five years for serious or repeated breaches, with entry on SECO’s public list — consultable by every Swiss client;
• authorities may also order work to be interrupted until the situation is regularised.

RISTER handles the entire procedure — prior wage verification, filing, follow-up of confirmations and inspections — as part of its posted workers management service.

FAQ: the Swiss notification procedure

What is the difference between notification and work authorisation?

Notification is a free online declaration with no administrative decision attached: it is enough for assignments up to 90 actual working days per calendar year by EU/EFTA nationals. A work authorisation (L or B permit) is a decision subject to conditions and processing times, required beyond 90 days or for third-country nationals posted directly from outside the EU/EFTA.

How far in advance must a posting be notified?

The notification must be filed at the latest eight days before the assignment starts in Switzerland. In duly justified emergencies — repairs, accidents, disasters — work may exceptionally begin on the day of notification. In construction, hospitality and catering, cleaning, security and itinerant trade, notification is due from the first day of the assignment, whatever its length.

Does a self-employed provider have to notify as well?

Yes. A self-employed service provider established in the EU/EFTA carrying out an assignment in Switzerland follows the same notification procedure as an employer posting staff, once assignments exceed eight working days per calendar year — or from day one in the sensitive sectors. They must also be able to prove genuine self-employed status during an inspection (registration, contracts, invoices), failing which they may be requalified as a posted worker or bogus self-employed.

How much does a notification cost?

The online notification procedure is free: no fee is charged for filing. The real costs of a compliant posting lie elsewhere — aligning wages with Swiss minimums, obtaining the A1 certificate, any deposit required by a joint committee in sectors covered by an extended collective agreement, and the administrative management of the file.

Are travel days counted in the 90-day quota?

No. Only actual working days count towards the 90-day ceiling. Days spent exclusively travelling to or from Switzerland should not be notified as working days. The quota is counted both per company and per posted worker, so rotating teams does not reset the company’s counter.

Sources

• SEM — Notification procedure for short-term work in Switzerland
• EasyGov — the Confederation’s online desk for companies
• Federal Act on Posted Workers (LDét), SR 823.20 — Fedlex
• SECO — Posting of workers and accompanying measures