Posted worker notification in Switzerland is a short-work route. It exists for a company established in the EU or EFTA that sends its own employees to perform a service in Switzerland for a limited time. Instead of a permit application, the provider files a notification before work starts. The route has a ceiling on working days within a calendar year, and it is not a way to relocate staff.
For an HR or mobility lead, the practical question is narrow: does this assignment fit the route, or does it need a permit? This page sets out the scope, the timing logic and the limits. Exact deadlines, ceilings and sector rules are not restated here. They are confirmed with the authorities for each assignment.
Who the procedure is for
The procedure belongs to the EU/EFTA regime. Switzerland applies two regimes: one for EU/EFTA nationals under the free movement agreement (ALCP), and one for third-country nationals under the Foreigners and Integration Act (LEI). The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) describes both on its page on the admission of workers.
The notification route sits on the EU/EFTA side. Its logic is simple:
- the employer is a service provider established in an EU/EFTA state;
- the employee is sent by that employer to deliver a service to a client in Switzerland;
- the work is temporary, and the employment relationship stays with the sending company;
- the stay is short, measured in working days within a calendar year.
A company that wants a person to work for a Swiss entity, take a role in a Swiss team or live in Switzerland is outside this logic. That is a permit case. See Swiss work permits and how to get a Swiss work permit.
What the route is not
Four misreadings come up often in mobility files.
- It is not an exemption for visits. Attending a meeting differs from performing a service. The line between the two depends on the activity, not on the length of the stay.
- It is not open to every nationality. A transferee from outside the EU/EFTA does not gain access simply because the sending employer sits in an EU state. Nationality and employment situation both matter, and a specialist examines each case.
- It is not a relocation. A transferee who takes up domicile in Switzerland moves into the permit system. For the wider picture, read posted workers in Switzerland, which covers wages, notification and employer duties.
- It is not a substitute for an intra-group transfer. A move into a Swiss group entity is employment in Switzerland.
How the timing works
The word "timing" covers three separate clocks. Mixing them up is the commonest planning error.
The lead time before work starts
Notification is made before the first working day in Switzerland. The rules fix a minimum lead time. The figure is not restated on this page because it is not confirmed in the sources used here. The employer checks it with the competent authority when the assignment is planned, not when the travel is booked.
The ceiling on working days
The route allows work for a limited number of days in a calendar year. Days count as days actually worked, and the count runs per sending company within the calendar year. A planner therefore tracks the days already used by that provider, not only those of one employee. The ceiling itself is set by the rules and is confirmed with the authority.
The point where a permit takes over
When the planned work exceeds the ceiling, or falls outside the cases the route covers, a permit is required. Switching mid-assignment is slow and carries compliance risk. The safer order is to decide the route at planning stage. The permit finder gives a first orientation, and the relocation calendar helps place the steps in sequence.
Employer duties that run alongside
Notification does not close the file. Posted staff work under Swiss rules on minimum pay and working conditions during the assignment. The detail, including how the authorities check it, is set out in posted workers in Switzerland. The sending company also keeps its own duties on social security and on employment records at home.
Three points deserve a line in the policy:
- Evidence. The provider keeps documents that show the employment relationship, the service and the days worked.
- Client side. The Swiss client may have its own checks. Contracts with the provider often say who supplies the paperwork.
- Changes. A new employee, a new site or a longer scope can alter the position. A fresh check is made when the facts change.
Where a stay becomes a permit case
A short assignment can slide into a longer one. Typical triggers are a client extension, a role that turns into a local post, or a family that follows the employee. At that point the file moves to permits:
- for EU/EFTA staff, see hiring or transferring EU/EFTA nationals;
- for third-country staff, see third-country nationals in Switzerland and the context on quotas for 2026;
- for stays that are short but outside the notification route, see Permit L.
Taking up domicile also triggers local duties. Registration with the municipality is expected within 14 days of arrival, with ID, the residence or work permit and proof of health insurance (ch.ch). The exact period can vary by canton or municipality. Basic health insurance is compulsory within three months of taking up domicile (FOPH). Whether a posted employee takes up domicile at all is a question for a specialist to assess, because a short assignment usually involves temporary accommodation rather than a move.
A planning checklist for HR
- Confirm the sending company is established in the EU/EFTA.
- Describe the service in one paragraph, with client and location.
- List every employee who will travel, with nationality.
- Count working days already used by the sending company this calendar year.
- Confirm the lead time with the competent authority.
- Record the pay and conditions that apply during the assignment.
- Decide in advance what happens if the scope grows.
- Keep the notification and supporting documents with the project file.
Choosing between the route and a permit
A simple test helps at planning stage. If the work is a defined service, for a Swiss client, delivered by employees who stay on the foreign payroll, for a short and bounded time, the notification route is worth examining. If the person will be part of a Swiss team, report to a Swiss manager or stay for an open-ended period, a permit is the likelier outcome.
Some employers run both models side by side, for example a short project followed by a transfer. The lump-sum policy guide and the page on how to relocate staff to Switzerland show how the second stage is usually structured. Housing, banking and removals follow different rules in each case; see home search and importing household goods.
To have a specialist review a specific assignment, use the request at the bottom of the page.
Frequently asked questions
What is posted worker notification in Switzerland?
It is a filing made by an EU/EFTA service provider before sending its employees to perform a temporary service in Switzerland. It replaces a permit application for short work that fits the route. It does not apply to employment with a Swiss entity.
Who files the notification?
The sending company files it, not the employee and not the Swiss client. The client may ask for proof that it was done. Mobility teams usually agree this in the service contract.
Does the route apply to non-EU nationals?
Not automatically. The EU/EFTA and third-country regimes differ, and a sending employer in the EU does not erase that difference. A specialist assesses nationality and employment status before the route is relied on.
Is a permit needed for work under the route?
Not when the assignment fits the route and the ceiling on working days is respected. Outside those conditions, a permit is required. The authorities decide, not the employer.
Can a Swiss company use the route for its own staff?
No. The route covers a foreign provider sending its own employees. A Swiss entity employing a person in Switzerland falls under the permit system.
What counts as a service?
A defined piece of work delivered to a client, such as installation, maintenance, consulting or a project phase. Attending a meeting or a conference is a different matter. Borderline activities are checked with the authority.
How long ahead of the work is the notification made?
Before the first working day, with a minimum lead time set by the rules. The figure is not stated here because it is not confirmed in the sources used. The competent authority confirms it.
How many working days does the route allow?
There is a ceiling per calendar year, and days count as days worked. The ceiling is not restated here. It is confirmed with the authority for each assignment.
Is the ceiling counted per employee or per company?
Planners should treat it as a company-level question as well as an employee-level one. The count that applies is confirmed with the authority, since the answer shapes staffing across several projects.
What happens when the ceiling is reached?
Further work in Switzerland needs a permit. The employer plans for that in advance, because applying mid-assignment can interrupt the project.
Can an employee be posted to several Swiss clients?
In principle each assignment is described and notified. Several clients may mean several notifications. The structure is checked at planning stage.
Does notification cover family members?
No. It concerns the posted employee's work. Family members have their own position, and a move of the family points to a permit case. See the page on family onboarding for settling-in services.
Are Swiss wages applied to posted staff?
Posted staff work under Swiss rules on minimum pay and working conditions during the assignment. The authorities can check this. Posted workers in Switzerland sets out the detail.
Does the employee need to register with the municipality?
That depends on whether the person takes up domicile. Registration is expected within 14 days of arrival for those who do (ch.ch), and the period can vary by municipality. Short stays in temporary accommodation raise different questions.
Is Swiss health insurance compulsory for posted staff?
Basic health insurance is compulsory within three months of taking up domicile in Switzerland (FOPH). Whether a posted employee takes up domicile is assessed individually, and home-country cover may play a part. A specialist reviews the facts.
Is the notification route suitable for an intra-group transfer?
Usually not. A transfer into a Swiss group entity is employment in Switzerland, which falls under the permit system. A short project between group companies can be examined separately.
Can the route be used for a business trip?
A business trip and a posted service are different things. Meetings and visits do not need the route. Hands-on service delivery may. The line depends on the activity.
What documents does the employer keep?
Evidence of the employment relationship, of the service and of the days worked, plus a copy of the notification. The authority or the client may ask for them.
What if the assignment is extended?
The position is checked again. A longer scope can exceed the ceiling or change the category of the work. The employer raises it early, not at the end of the original term.
What if the assignment starts before notification?
Starting early puts the project at risk. The authorities, not the employer, decide how a late filing is treated. Plan the filing before travel is booked.
Can the route be used by a company outside the EU/EFTA?
The route is built for EU/EFTA providers. A provider established elsewhere is generally in a permit case. The permit finder gives a first orientation.
How does this relate to a lump-sum policy?
A lump sum fits a transfer better than a short posting. For short work, allowances are normally handled in the project budget. See the lump-sum policy guide.
Where can an HR team get a case reviewed?
Use the request at the bottom of the page. A specialist from the network of relocation companies examines the assignment and points to the right route. The page immigration support describes the service.