Routine maintenance or specialist cleaning
The collective agreement (CCT) for French-speaking Switzerland separates routine cleaning of offices, schools and shops from specialist cleaning: windows, post-construction work and end-of-tenancy cleans. Specialist categories pay more because they require machines, special products and sometimes work at height.
A collective agreement that sets the minimums
The cleaning CCT for French-speaking Switzerland defines minimum hourly wages, a working week capped at 43 hours and holiday entitlement. A separate agreement covers German-speaking Switzerland, so check which one applies in your canton before signing any contract.
Geneva and its cantonal minimum wage
In Geneva, the cantonal minimum wage, indexed every year, is higher than the agreed minimum for routine cleaning: it stands at 24.59 francs gross per hour in 2026, as an indicative figure. Neuchâtel, Jura, Ticino and Basel-City also apply a cantonal minimum.
Cleaning qualifications: the CFC and AFP
The industry offers a two-year AFP (Federal VET Certificate) and a three-year CFC (Federal VET Diploma) for cleaning specialists, supported by Allpura, the umbrella association of cleaning companies. The qualification moves you into a higher pay category and opens the way to team leader.
Split shifts, early mornings and evenings
Offices in Geneva and Lausanne are often cleaned before 7 a.m. or after 6 p.m., once employees have left. Night or Sunday work entitles you to the supplements set out in the CCT, so check that they appear on your payslip each month.
Part-time work and several employers
Many contracts cover just a few hours a day, and some cleaners combine two or three employers. Above a certain annual income with the same employer, LPP occupational pension applies; each employer pays AVS, AI, APG and unemployment contributions on its share.
Working through a temporary staffing agency
Agencies place many cleaners in hospitals, clinics and companies to cover absences or major cleans. The rules governing temp agencies in Switzerland and the staff-hire collective agreement guarantee minimum conditions for temporary workers, including pay and social insurance.
Hotels, caretaking and related jobs
Cleaning experience opens the door to hotels in Montreux, Verbier or Zermatt as a room attendant, then to a hotel housekeeper role in Switzerland. Building caretaking, sometimes with a service flat included, is another possible next step.
Who can get a permit for cleaning work
EU and EFTA citizens obtain an L or B permit on presentation of an employment contract. For nationals of other countries, the Confederation in principle admits only qualified workers, which generally rules out this occupation for applicants from outside Europe.
Open without diplomas, but not without rules
The job remains an entry point for people without qualifications in Switzerland or recent arrivals. Reputable employers nevertheless expect punctuality, knowledge of hazardous products and compliance with the safety instructions issued by SUVA, the accident insurer.
Health, chemicals and protective equipment
The employer must provide gloves, shoes and suitable protection, and train staff on product labels. Back and shoulder problems are common; compulsory accident insurance covers work accidents, and also non-work accidents from eight weekly hours with the same employer.
Moving up to team leader or self-employment
With a CFC and experience, a cleaner can become a team leader, then prepare an advanced professional exam in the sector or the federal diploma for caretakers. Others start their own business, while respecting the CCT and social insurance obligations.
How to get hired as a cleaner
- Check your right to work in Switzerland: EU or EFTA nationality, an existing permit or cross-border status with a G permit.
- Prepare a short Swiss-format CV with photo, available hours, languages spoken and references from former employers.
- Ask each employer for an employment reference or statement describing your tasks and reliability.
- Contact cleaning companies and temp agencies in your town directly, often faster than online ads.
- Read the contract to check the CCT category, hourly wage, 13th-month salary and night supplements.
- If you lose your job, register quickly with the ORP to protect your unemployment benefit rights.
Minimum cleaning wages and costs to know
| Situation | Indicative amount 2026 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Routine cleaning, French-speaking CCT | From about 20.70 CHF gross per hour | Agreed minimum, varies by canton and category |
| Routine cleaning in Geneva | 24.59 CHF gross per hour | Cantonal minimum wage, takes precedence over the CCT |
| Specialist, unqualified, in Geneva | 24.59 CHF gross per hour | Geneva CCT pay scale |
| Cleaning specialist with CFC, over 2 years | 28.80 CHF gross per hour | Geneva CCT pay scale, specialist cleaning |
| Team leader | 30.13 CHF gross per hour | Highest minimum on the scale |
| LAMal health insurance | Monthly premium depending on canton | Cantonal subsidies possible for low incomes |
What a cleaning employer will ask for
- CV with photo and contact details
- Copy of passport or residence permit
- Employment references or proof of employment
- AFP or CFC cleaning qualification if you have one
- AVS (social security) number if you have worked in Switzerland before
- Criminal record extract for banks, schools or private homes
Costly mistakes in cleaning jobs
- Accepting cash-in-hand pay without a payslip or contributions, which deprives you of unemployment benefit, an AVS pension and accident cover.
- Not checking the CCT category in the contract, even though an AFP or CFC entitles you to a higher hourly wage.
- Working in Switzerland without a permit and hoping to regularise later, a situation the canton penalises and often follows with removal.
- Not recording your hours, which prevents you from claiming overtime and night or Sunday supplements.
- Paying a so-called agency for housing and a contract, a scam that targets candidates coming from abroad.
Common questions about cleaning work in Switzerland
Is a 13th-month salary mandatory in cleaning in French-speaking Switzerland?
The French-speaking CCT provides for a 13th-month salary, paid under length-of-service conditions that vary by category. In Geneva, unions state that it is due from the first day for routine cleaning. Check your contract and the CCT in force.
Can you work as a cleaner in Switzerland without speaking French?
Many teams work in Portuguese, Spanish or Italian, but understanding safety instructions and product labels is essential. Basic French in Geneva or Lausanne, or German in Zurich, makes it easier to progress.
How many hours a week can a cleaner work?
The CCT for French-speaking Switzerland sets the maximum working week at 43 hours. Beyond that, overtime is compensated with time off or paid at a premium. Working for several employers must also respect the limits of the Labour Act.
Can a cross-border commuter work in cleaning in Geneva?
Yes, an EU national living in the border zone can obtain a G permit with a Geneva contract. They then benefit from the cantonal minimum wage and the CCT, just like a resident. Tax is deducted at source under the applicable rules.