The night window defined by the Labour Act
The Labour Act (LTr) defines day work from 6 am to 8 pm, evening work from 8 pm to 11 pm and night work from 11 pm to 6 am. An employer may shift this night window by one hour at most.
Maximum length of a night shift
An employee may not work more than 9 hours per night, or 10 hours including breaks, within a 10-hour span. Cantonal labour inspectorates, such as OCIRT in Geneva, check that these limits are respected in companies running shift systems.
Occasional nights: a 25% pay supplement
When an employee works fewer than 25 nights per calendar year, the law treats it as temporary night work. Every hour worked between 11 pm and 6 am must then be paid with a supplement of at least 25%, shown clearly on the payslip.
Regular nights: 10% compensatory time off
From 25 nights a year onwards, SECO (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs) requires time compensation equal to 10% of the night hours, granted within the year. This rest cannot be swapped for money, except in specified cases or when employment ends.
Fitness examination and checks after age 45
A regular night worker is entitled to a medical fitness examination every two years, then every year from age 45, normally paid by the employer. The check becomes compulsory for certain strenuous or hazardous activities and for young workers on night duty.
Permits issued by the canton or SECO
The employer must apply for a permit, usually through the EasyGov portal. The canton handles temporary night work, while SECO handles regular night work in industrial companies. Employees can ask the cantonal labour inspectorate to confirm that a valid permit actually exists.
Hospitals, care homes and home care services
Healthcare institutions benefit from exemptions under Ordinance 2 to the Labour Act and employ many nurses and care assistants on night teams. Current vacancies are listed in our section on healthcare jobs in Switzerland, covering hospitals, care homes and home care.
Private security, surveillance and transport
Night patrols, surveillance of industrial sites or airports and night bus driving all recruit regularly. Working as a security guard in Switzerland falls under an industry-wide collective agreement (CCT) and often requires a clean criminal record extract.
Logistics, bakeries and round-the-clock industry
Migros and Coop distribution centres, industrial bakeries and Basel pharmaceutical plants often operate continuously. A job as a logistics operative in Switzerland frequently starts at 4 am or finishes after midnight, depending on the delivery rounds planned.
Protection for pregnant women and young workers
During the eight weeks before giving birth, a pregnant woman may not be employed between 8 pm and 6 am. Apprentices under 18 are also largely excluded from night work, apart from exemptions listed in the ordinance on the protection of young workers.
Nights, Sundays and your daily rhythm
Many night jobs also include Sundays, which follow separate rules explained on our page about working weekends in Switzerland. In a cantonal emergency service or an SBB (CFF) railway station, rosters often combine both constraints at once.
When a collective agreement sets different terms
A collective labour agreement (CCT) may replace the 10% compensatory rest with compensation considered equivalent, provided SECO approves it. Agreements for temporary staffing or cantonal hospitals sometimes set flat-rate night allowances, which are worth comparing carefully against the statutory rules.
How to land a night shift job in Switzerland
- Pick a sector that genuinely works at night, such as care, security, logistics, industrial baking, hospitality or railway maintenance, then target employers in your chosen canton.
- Check your work authorisation, whether a B, L, G or C permit, with the cantonal population office before applying.
- Adapt your CV to the Swiss format with a photo, employment references and any experience of irregular hours, which recruiters value highly.
- Have a regulated qualification recognised, for example a nursing diploma through the Swiss Red Cross (Croix-Rouge suisse), before applying to a hospital.
- At interview, ask how many nights a year are planned, so you know whether the 25% supplement or the 10% rest applies.
- Once hired, request the medical fitness examination if you exceed 25 nights a year, and keep copies of all your rosters.
Night work compensation and pay benchmarks
| Situation | Legal compensation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer than 25 nights a year | Pay supplement of at least 25% | Calculated on hours between 11 pm and 6 am |
| 25 nights or more a year | Compensatory rest of 10% of night hours | Not convertible into money, with some exceptions |
| Evening work from 8 pm to 11 pm | No compulsory statutory supplement | A CCT or the contract may provide one |
| Medical fitness examination | Every two years, yearly from age 45 | Costs normally borne by the employer |
| Base salary | Indicative, depending on CCT and canton | Varies by sector, experience and cantonal minimum wage |
Documents requested for a night job
- Swiss-style CV with photo showing shift or irregular-hours experience
- Employment references (certificats de travail) detailing the hours you worked
- Criminal record extract, required in security and often in care
- Qualification recognised by SEFRI or the Swiss Red Cross for regulated professions
- Residence permit, G permit or passport
- Medical fitness certificate when the employer requests one
- Driving licence in the right category for night delivery rounds
Mistakes to avoid when working nights
- Accepting regular night work paid with a simple bonus instead of the 10% compensatory rest, without checking whether an approved CCT allows it.
- Not counting your nights each year and missing the move from 24 to 25 nights, which changes the compensation regime that applies.
- Ignoring signs of fatigue and skipping the medical check, even though the law grants night workers a right to a fitness examination.
- Working nights for an employer with no cantonal or SECO permit, which weakens the employee's position if a dispute arises later.
- Applying to a security company without employment references or a criminal record extract, which leads to an almost automatic rejection.
Common questions about night shifts in Switzerland
Can an employer force staff to work nights in Switzerland?
No. Night work requires the employee's consent in addition to the official permit. Anyone caring for children under 15 or a sick relative also deserves particular consideration, which should be discussed with the employer or the cantonal labour inspectorate.
Does the 25% night supplement also apply to managers?
Senior executives holding a high-level management role are not covered by the Labour Act. The concept is interpreted strictly, so a team leader or department head usually remains covered. The contract and the cantonal inspectorate can help clarify the exact status.
Can I combine a day job and a night job in Switzerland?
It is possible, but the maximum working time and the eleven-hour daily rest are assessed across all activities together. Each employer must be informed so these limits are respected, and excessive combined hours can lead to disputes after an accident.
Are night supplements taxed differently or tax-free?
No. Night supplements are ordinary salary, subject to AVS (old-age insurance), unemployment insurance and income tax, including withholding tax for B and G permit holders. The cantonal tax authority may, however, accept certain work expenses linked to meals eaten away from home.