One job title, several realities
In a Lausanne notary's office, the secretary prepares deeds and notices of meeting; in a Vaud municipality, she staffs the counter and takes council minutes. A Fribourg fiduciary also entrusts her with bookkeeping entries and clients' tax deadlines.
Commercial apprenticeship: the classic route
The commercial employee apprenticeship lasts three years in a company and at vocational school, with the option of adding the vocational baccalaureate. Reformed in 2023, it focuses on operational skills; the two-year AFP (Federal VET Certificate) as office employee is an alternative.
Legal and notarial secretarial work
Law firms in Geneva and Zurich look for legal secretaries who can format briefs and contracts, track procedural deadlines and handle time-based billing. Continuing education in Swiss law, offered by commercial schools, is a welcome addition to a CV.
Cantonal and municipal administrations
Cantons and large cities post their secretary vacancies on their own websites, with the salary class stated in the ad. Municipalities of fewer than five thousand inhabitants often hire a single all-rounder for the clerk's office, residents' registry and accounts.
International organisations in Geneva
UN agencies, the ICRC and the sports federations in Lausanne employ assistants and secretaries, often on fixed-term contracts. They apply their own staff rules and pay scales; staff may receive an FDFA legitimation card rather than an ordinary permit.
Languages and the canton you work in
In Biel, Fribourg and Sierre, French-German bilingualism is often required, and in Zurich or Basel, flawless written German comes first. English counts in multinationals around Lake Geneva, while Ticino works in Italian across offices and administrations.
What secretaries earn
No national collective agreement (CCT) covers secretarial work; the Swiss commercial employees' association publishes salary recommendations by age and training, and the FSO Salarium calculator gives regional medians. Our page on salaries in Switzerland explains deductions.
Legal minimum wage in five cantons
Geneva, Neuchâtel, Jura, Ticino and Basel-Stadt have a minimum wage; in Geneva it is CHF 24.59 an hour in 2026. It mainly affects part-time or entry-level jobs, as qualified secretaries are generally paid above it.
Part-time posts and temporary assignments
Firms and SMEs often offer posts between 40 and 80 per cent; see part-time work in Switzerland. Placement agencies in Lausanne or Geneva also offer cover assignments of a few weeks, useful for getting a first Swiss employment certificate.
Which permit for a foreign secretary
An EU or EFTA national obtains an L or B permit on presentation of their contract. For non-EU nationals, the 2026 quota limits admissions to 4500 B permits and 4000 L permits, reserved for qualified profiles that are hard to find.
What a BTS or foreign secretarial diploma is worth
As secretarial work is not regulated, the employer alone decides what a French BTS or a Belgian diploma is worth. To clarify it, SEFRI issues a level certificate for CHF 350 that places the foreign qualification relative to the Swiss CFC.
Moving up to executive assistant
The federal diploma for executive assistants, prepared alongside work, opens doors to posts with general management and boards of directors. This path also leads to office management; see our page on the executive assistant in Switzerland.
Steps to land a secretary job in Switzerland
- Take stock of your training: commercial employee CFC, AFP, or a foreign diploma to be assessed by SEFRI (State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation).
- Prepare a two-page Swiss CV with a photo, software skills, languages with levels and verifiable references.
- Gather your employment certificates; failing that, ask former foreign employers for detailed references.
- Take a recognised language test, DELF, Goethe or TOEFL, if the job requires a second language.
- Check your right of residence and, if necessary, let the employer file the permit application with the canton.
- Register with placement agencies, and with the ORP (regional employment office) if you are already resident and out of work.
Secretary pay benchmarks and fees
| Item | Indicative amount | Factors that vary |
|---|---|---|
| Legal minimum in Geneva | CHF 24.59 gross per hour in 2026 | Applies to every job in the canton |
| Legal minimum in Neuchâtel | CHF 21.35 gross per hour in 2026 | Cantonal floor |
| Qualified secretary | According to Salarium and commercial employees' association recommendations | Age, training, sector, region |
| SEFRI level certificate | CHF 350 | For a non-regulated foreign diploma |
| DELF or Goethe language certificate | Variable exam fees | Target level, exam centre |
A secretary's application file
- Swiss-format CV with photo
- Error-free cover letter
- Complete employment certificates
- CFC, AFP or foreign diplomas with SEFRI certificate
- DELF, DALF, Goethe or TOEFL language certificates
- Copy of permit or passport
- Criminal record extract for law firms and administrations
Missteps to avoid in Swiss secretarial work
- Sending a cover letter with a typo, when the employer is judging precisely your accuracy in writing.
- Overstating your German level on your CV; a written test is common at interviews in Fribourg or Biel.
- Leaving out employment certificates or attaching only diplomas, which gives the recruiter no proof of experience.
- Ignoring Swiss administrative conventions, for example forms of address, closing formulas and date formats.
- Answering a work-from-home secretary offer that asks you to buy equipment or pay registration fees, a typical scam pattern.
Questions from future secretaries in Switzerland
What is the difference between a secretary and an administrative assistant in Switzerland?
The terms overlap a lot. Secretary often refers to a role centred on correspondence and the diary, especially in a law firm or practice, while administrative assistant involves more file management, ordering or bookkeeping entries in an SME.
Can you be a secretary in Switzerland without a CFC?
Yes, the job is not regulated. Solid experience and convincing employment certificates can make up for not having a CFC, especially in SMEs. Public administrations, however, often require a recognised commercial qualification in their job ads.
Are there many cross-border secretaries in Geneva?
Yes, many secretaries living in Haute-Savoie or Ain work in Geneva with a G permit. Employers appreciate their written French but often ask for English and familiarity with Swiss administrative practice.
Is remote work possible for a secretary?
Some companies allow one or two days a week. For cross-border workers, working from home in France has consequences for social insurance and taxation; the employer must check the agreements in force before granting it.