University hospitals, nursing homes and home care services
The five university hospitals, including HUG in Geneva, CHUV in Lausanne and the Inselspital in Bern, sit alongside cantonal hospitals, private clinics, EMS nursing homes and home help and care services, all of which badly need staff.
Staff shortages and the nursing care initiative
Approved in November 2021, the popular initiative on nursing care led the Confederation and the cantons to fund training and improve working conditions. Vacancies for a nurse in Switzerland remain among the hardest positions to fill.
The Swiss Red Cross: gateway for foreign carers
On behalf of the Confederation, the Swiss Red Cross examines foreign diplomas in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, midwifery and paramedic work. It can grant direct recognition or require compensation measures such as an adaptation placement or an aptitude test.
MEBEKO for university-level medical professions
Doctors, dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors and vets go through MEBEKO, the Medical Professions Commission attached to the Federal Office of Public Health. A future doctor in Switzerland must also be listed in the MedReg register and obtain a cantonal licence to practise.
The NAREG register and the cantonal licence
Non-university health professions are entered in the national NAREG register managed by the Swiss Red Cross. Any activity carried out under your own professional responsibility also requires a licence from the cantonal physician or the canton's public health service.
Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and therapy professions
These professions are taught in Switzerland at universities of applied sciences, such as HES-SO in Geneva or Lausanne. A physiotherapist in Switzerland trained abroad follows the Swiss Red Cross procedure and is then entered in NAREG.
Healthcare assistants and nursing auxiliaries
The CFC (Federal VET Diploma) for community healthcare assistants, very common in French-speaking Switzerland, sits between auxiliary and nurse. Nursing homes in Vaud and Fribourg also hire care assistants in Switzerland holding the Red Cross health auxiliary certificate.
Language requirements by healthcare region
Recognition of a health qualification requires proof of skills in a national language. A French-speaking carer will easily find work in French-speaking Valais, Neuchâtel or Geneva, but the Inselspital and Zurich clinics demand professional-level German.
Collective agreements and public pay scales
In public hospitals, salaries follow cantonal pay scales based on job function and years of experience. Vaud applies a collective agreement for the semi-public health sector, while Geneva pays HUG nursing staff according to the state salary scale.
Night work, on-call duty and standby shifts
Hospital teams work in three rotating shifts, with weekends and standby duties. The Labour Act and cantonal regulations provide compensation in time or money for night work, which should be checked in the contract or the applicable agreement.
Cross-border staff in Geneva and Basel hospitals
A large share of Geneva's nursing staff live in neighbouring France with a G permit. Basel hospitals also employ many carers from Alsace and Baden-Württemberg, which makes prior recognition of the diploma essential from the application stage onwards.
Carers from outside the EU: a narrow path
Non-EU nationals fall under federal quotas and must be highly qualified. A nurse trained outside the EU needs recognition, language skills and an employer ready to show that no Swiss or European candidate was available, a process to check with the cantonal office.
Steps to practise a health profession in Switzerland
- Identify the competent authority: the Swiss Red Cross for nursing and therapy, MEBEKO for university-level medical professions.
- Submit the recognition file with diplomas, training curricula, certificate of good standing and proof of language before applying for jobs.
- Complete, if required, the adaptation placement or aptitude test set to compensate for differences in training.
- Get entered in NAREG or MedReg, then obtain the cantonal licence to practise if the activity is independent or carries professional responsibility.
- Write a Swiss CV detailing wards, specialities, work percentage and references from nurse managers or senior physicians.
- Once the contract is signed, have the employer apply for an L, B or G permit, then join a LAMal health insurer.
Healthcare salaries and recognition costs
| Item | Amount or benchmark | What makes it vary |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in a public hospital | Cantonal pay scale, indicative | Function, salary class, years of experience, canton |
| Night and weekend allowances | Variable | Hospital rules or collective agreement |
| Diploma recognition | Fee set by official tariff | Swiss Red Cross or MEBEKO, plus cost of compensation measures |
| Language course for recognition | Variable | Target level, course intensity, chosen school |
| Employee social deductions | 5.3% AVS/AI/APG and 1.1% AC | Plus LPP occupational pension under the hospital's fund |
| LAMal health insurance | Variable premium | Canton of residence, deductible, insurance model |
Job application file for healthcare professionals
- Recognition decision from the Swiss Red Cross or MEBEKO
- Diplomas, transcripts and detailed training curriculum
- Certificate of good standing or professional conduct from the home country
- Work certificates stating wards and work percentage
- Proof of language skills in a national language
- Criminal record extract, sometimes a special one for work with vulnerable people
- Vaccination certificate requested by some hospitals
- Passport and, where applicable, residence permit
Mistakes that block hiring in healthcare
- Applying to hospitals without starting the recognition procedure, when HR departments reject applications with no decision or pending file.
- Underestimating how long the Swiss Red Cross or MEBEKO takes and resigning at home before receiving a decision.
- Targeting Bern or Zurich with school German, which is not enough for handovers, patient records and talking with families.
- Taking undeclared auxiliary work for a private household, without a permit or insurance, hoping to regularise later.
- Paying a foreign agency that promises guaranteed placement in Switzerland in exchange for high registration fees.
Your questions about healthcare careers in Switzerland
Is a French nursing diploma recognised in Switzerland?
It benefits from the recognition provided by the agreement on the free movement of persons, but the Swiss Red Cross procedure remains compulsory. It checks the diploma, good standing and language skills before entry in the NAREG register.
Can I start working while my recognition is pending?
Some institutions hire carers in a lower role or under supervision while awaiting the decision. Conditions depend on the canton and the employer, so check them with the public health service or the relevant HR department.
What is the difference between a healthcare assistant and a nurse in Switzerland?
A community healthcare assistant holds a CFC earned through an apprenticeship and works under a nurse's responsibility. A nurse is trained at a higher technical college or university of applied sciences and handles clinical assessment and care planning.
Do foreign doctors have to pass a federal exam?
Diplomas from the European Union are in principle recognised by MEBEKO under the EU directive. Diplomas from non-EU countries are not recognised directly and usually require passing the federal examination in human medicine before any independent practice.