Unemployment Benefits in Switzerland

All employees in Switzerland must pay unemployment insurance.

Half of this is paid by the employer and the other half by the employee. These contributions (Arbeitslosenversicherung or assurance chômage) are deducted directly from the gross salary.

Unemployment Registration

As soon as a person is given notice and loses their job (is retrenched or fired) they should:

• Check that the terms of the employment contract were respected. This is an important condition of eligibility for unemployment insurance
• Register at the local employment office in order to find another job rapidly
• Make contact with the local employment office so that a claim can be registered
• To find the local employment office click here

The following documents will be needed for registration:

• Proof of identity
• Residence permit
• Proof of redundancy
• Passport photograph 
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) and copies of diplomas/qualifications

Several forms will need to be filled in:

• The Swiss Portal has PDFs to download. Click here 
• To find a list of regional job centres in Switzerland Click here 

Once registered, it's usually necessary to go to the employment office twice a month.

Cross Border Workers

Specific agreements apply to a cross border worker who loses a job in Switzerland. 

• For further information: Click here (Geneva only) 

Unemployment Allowances

In general in order to receive unemployment benefits a person must: 

• be a Swiss national or
• hold a valid residence permit and
• be resident in Switzerland, unemployed, able to work and have contributed to the unemployment scheme for at least 12 months within the last 24 months 

It is essential to remain at the disposal of the employment office and be able to prove that work is being actively sought.

Amount

The amount that you are entitled to is calculated according to a reference salary based on the last six months of salary subject to contribution.

The beneficiary is usually entitled to 70 percent of the reference salary. If they have one or more children and the allowance falls below a predetermined rate the amount due can go up to 80 percent. 

Benefits are calculated on the basis of a daily allowance paid over five days and will begin following five days of proven unemployment. 

A maximum of 400 allowances can be paid over a two-year period. A person over 55 years is entitled to 520 allowances paid over a two-year period.

Payments

Unemployment benefits are issued at a benefit payment office chosen when registering at the employment office.

Benefits are only given to those who continue living in Switzerland. If the beneficiary leaves the country, the payments will be cancelled.

If the residence permit expires during this time it will automatically be renewed for the remainder of the time that benefits are entitled.