Praktikum (Internship) Rules in Switzerland
A Praktikum is a structured work placement, typically for students or early-career professionals, governed by Swiss employment law. Employers must pay at least the regional minimum wage, provide mandatory social insurance, and comply with working-time rules. Interns have employee status—the biggest mistake is treating them as unpaid volunteers.
In Switzerland, a Praktikum is not a grey zone. It is a formal employment relationship subject to the Arbeitsgesetz (Labour Law) and cantonal wage floors. Whether your intern is a student, career-changer, or school-leaver, they have legal rights from day one.
Many Swiss SMEs assume internships are exempt from payroll obligations. They are not. The moment someone works for you—even part-time—they are an employee entitled to wages, accident insurance, and age-appropriate working conditions.
Wage and Pensum Requirements
Swiss law requires you to pay interns at least the applicable cantonal minimum wage or GAV (collective labour agreement) rate if one exists in your sector. There is no 'intern discount'. Rates vary: Zurich, Geneva, and Basel-Stadt enforce strict minimums; rural cantons may have lower published floors.
The Pensum (full-time equivalent percentage) and duration must be agreed in writing before the internship starts. Part-time interns working 50 per cent Pensum still earn the same hourly wage. No exceptions exist for 'learning value' or sector prestige.
- Check your canton's current minimum wage or relevant GAV before offering a contract.
- Write down the exact Pensum, start date, and end date—verbal agreements are unenforceable.
- Pay wages monthly at minimum; bi-weekly is standard practice.
- Include the gross CHF amount and any deductions (taxes, social insurance) clearly on the payslip.
- Interns under 18 are subject to stricter ArG (Federal Act on Work in Industry, Crafts and Commerce) limits: max 9 hours per day, no night or Sunday work.
- Student interns during semester breaks can work longer hours if they are 18+; confirm their status and dates in writing.
Insurance and Legal Obligations
You must register interns with the cantonal social-insurance authority (RAV/ORP/URC) and insure them against accidents via your mandatory employer insurance or a UVG policy. Missing this exposes you to fines and liability.
Interns also qualify for unemployment insurance (ALV) contributions, unless the cantonal rules specify a minimum duration (often 3 months). Consult your insurance broker or the cantonal authority to confirm requirements for your location and intern's length of stay.
- Register the intern with RAV/ORP/URC and insurer before their first day.
- If your company has no employees yet, obtain UVG accident coverage before hiring any intern.
- Keep payroll records (Lohnblätter) for at least 5 years; auditors and labour inspectorates routinely request them.
- Provide an Arbeitszeugnis (work reference) at the end, even for short placements.
- Do not misclassify interns as volunteers, freelancers, or 'learning partners' to avoid taxes—cantons actively prosecute this.
- If the internship is subsidised by a cantonal job programme (e.g. RAV supported), follow their additional reporting rules.
Common Mistakes and Best Practice
The single most common mistake: assuming a student intern does not need wages or insurance because they are 'gaining experience'. Swiss labour law does not recognise unpaid internships. The canton will fine you retroactively and demand back wages plus penalties.
Best practice: treat the Praktikum as a genuine trial-employment contract (Praktikumsvertrag). Define the role, expected hours, wage, and end date upfront. Have the intern sign a short written agreement. Register them within days of starting, not weeks later.
- Never use the phrase 'unpaid internship'—it is not legal in Switzerland.
- Do not delay payroll setup; cantons flag unpaid work immediately during inspections.
- Agree on a probation clause (Probezeit) if you wish to extend or convert the role to permanent; typically 1–3 months for interns.
- If you need to end the Praktikum early, check the contract termination clause; abrupt endings without cause may trigger severance or legal challenge.
- Use sector-standard forms (SAV, Suisse Emploi, or your trade association) to draft the Praktikumsvertrag—DIY templates often miss cantonal requirements.
- For interns sponsored by universities or vocational schools, verify whether they require learning agreements, progress reports, or supervisor sign-offs.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I hire an intern for free if they are a student?
- No. Swiss law treats interns as employees regardless of student status. You must pay at least the cantonal minimum wage. The only exception is a very short (1–2 day) unpaid orientation or shadowing that is not considered work; anything beyond that is a paid engagement.
- What happens if I forget to register an intern with social insurance?
- The canton will contact you after an audit or if the intern files a claim. You will owe back contributions plus penalties (typically 10–20 per cent surcharge) and may face a fine. The intern also loses accident and unemployment coverage retroactively, creating liability risk for you.
- Can I extend a short Praktikum into permanent employment without a new contract?
- You can convert a Praktikum to permanent employment if both parties agree in writing. Update the contract to remove the end date and adjust the role title or responsibilities if needed. Formally end the Praktikum phase and begin the permanent role to avoid disputes over trial periods and wage expectations.
General information for Swiss employers, not legal advice. Have a lawyer confirm anything with legal consequences.