Route B
Work in Switzerland without a Swiss company
You have a Swiss contract, a site, or Swiss clients, and no intention of opening an entity here. The question is simple: are we allowed to do this, and which procedures apply? The answer depends on your sector, your staff and the time spent on Swiss soil.
Two typical cases
A French construction company wins a site in Geneva for four months with a team of eight. A German software company signs three Swiss clients and sends consultants for on-site workshops. Both can usually proceed, neither can proceed without steps.
What we analyse
- Is the activity regulated in Switzerland or in the canton?
- Which authorisations, if any, before the first day?
- Notification procedure for posted workers
- Swiss minimum working and pay conditions, collective agreements
- Swiss VAT: liability, registration, fiscal representative
- Sector-specific obligations: construction, hospitality, cleaning, security, others
- Whether a Swiss presence or representation becomes necessary
Where the lines are
The rules differ sharply between EU/EFTA companies and others, and between sectors. The assessment places your project on the right side of each line.
- 01 Open
Selling and delivering from abroad
Sales, deliveries and remote services are generally open. VAT may still apply to you once your worldwide turnover exceeds CHF 100,000 and you make supplies in Switzerland.
- 02 Procedure
Posted workers, EU/EFTA company
Up to 90 working days per calendar year per company under the notification procedure, filed at least eight days before work starts. Swiss minimum wage and working conditions apply for the whole posting.
- 03 Procedure
Sectors notified from day one
Construction and finishing trades, hospitality, cleaning, security, itinerant trade and landscaping must be notified from the first day, and several carry additional obligations under generally binding collective agreements.
- 04 Obstacle
Non-EU/EFTA company
No free movement applies. Beyond very short assignments, a work permit is required for each employee, subject to quotas and to the priority of the domestic labour market.
- 05 Obstacle
Regulated activities
Some professions and trades require a cantonal licence or recognition of qualifications before any work. Our sister desk Swiss Recognition handles the recognition file.
- 06 Procedure
Swiss VAT
Liability triggers registration with the Federal Tax Administration through a fiscal representative domiciled in Switzerland, usually with a security deposit.
- 07 Procedure
When a Swiss presence becomes the better route
Beyond 90 days, with recurring contracts or with local staff, a branch or subsidiary is often simpler than repeated postings. The roadmap says when that point is reached.
Figures to keep in mind
- Notification procedure
- 90 working days per year, filed 8 days ahead
- Posted workers
- Swiss minimum conditions apply
- Non-EU employees
- Permit required beyond short assignments
- VAT liability threshold
- CHF 100,000 worldwide turnover
- VAT registration
- Fiscal representative in Switzerland
Authorities decide; we prepare and carry the file. No timeline or outcome is guaranteed.
FAQ
Can we start the site before the notification is confirmed?
The notification must be filed at least eight days before work starts, and in some cantons the confirmation is required on site. Starting early exposes the company to sanctions and to a ban on further postings.
Our employees stay insured at home. Is that enough?
For EU/EFTA postings, the A1 certificate keeps employees in their home social insurance system for a limited period. It does not exempt the company from Swiss minimum working and pay conditions.
Do subcontractors count?
Each company posting workers files its own notification. A general contractor is also responsible for its subcontractors’ compliance with minimum conditions in several sectors.
Know before you sign
The assessment tells you whether your contract can be performed from abroad, and which procedures come first.