A three-party contract governed by the LSE
The Federal Act on Employment Services and Staff Leasing (LSE) regulates temporary work. The agency signs a framework contract and then an assignment contract with you, while the client company directs your daily work on the building site or in the office.
Check the agency's cantonal licence
Every agency that leases staff needs a licence from the cantonal employment office, plus a federal SECO licence for cross-border placements. Ask for its licence number and be wary of outfits with no Swiss address or no entry in the commercial register.
The staff leasing CCT as a common baseline
Valid from 2024 to 2027, the staff leasing collective labour agreement, or CCT Location de services, sets minimum wages, holidays, notice periods and sickness pay insurance. If the client has an extended CCT, as in construction or hospitality, its wages and hours apply.
Minimum wages by zone and qualification
In 2025, an unskilled temp earns at least roughly CHF 20.99 an hour in the basic zone and 22.14 in the Lake Geneva region, a skilled one 25.57 and 27.30. Geneva and Neuchâtel, with a statutory minimum wage, may require more.
Holiday pay and the thirteenth month's salary
When paid by the hour, a temp receives on top of the base rate 8.33% holiday pay, or 10.64% under the age of 20 and from age 50, plus a share of the thirteenth salary and public holidays itemised on the payslip.
Very short notice periods at the start of an assignment
During the probation period and the first three months, either party can terminate with two working days' notice; from the fourth to the sixth month, seven working days; after that, one month. This flexibility suits seasonal peaks in Vaud factories, warehouses and Geneva building sites.
Occupational pension and sickness cover
Besides AVS/AI/APG and unemployment insurance, the CCT provides sickness pay insurance covering 80% of salary after a two-day waiting period. Membership of the LPP occupational pension depends on assignment length and salary, so check the pension fund on your statement.
Which sectors recruit through agencies
Construction, logistics, the Jura watch industry, hospitals and nursing homes, and banks in Zurich and Geneva for admin cover: most assignments are temporary jobs in manual and office roles, often with a chance of a permanent contract with the client after a few months.
Work permits and temp work for foreign nationals
EU/EFTA nationals can work as temps with an L, B or G permit, and cross-border commuters are numerous in Geneva and Basel. For non-EU nationals, staff leasing remains heavily restricted: see our page on work permits in Switzerland for details.
Temp work and unemployment benefits
A temporary assignment accepted while unemployed can qualify for interim earnings compensation paid by the fund. Report every contract to your ORP adviser; the agency fills in an interim earnings form for each month worked, as explained on our page about unemployment and job seeking.
Cross-border commuters placed by a Swiss agency
A resident of Annecy, Mulhouse or Como employed by a Swiss agency receives a G permit requested by the agency. Because leasing staff from abroad into Switzerland is prohibited, the employer must be an agency based in Switzerland; taxation depends on the canton.
Professional contribution and further training
A 0.7% deduction from pay feeds the sector's joint fund, which finances further training courses for temps, such as forklift licences, office software certificates or language classes, available on request from the temptraining fund.
Starting your first temporary assignment
- Compare several licensed agencies in your canton and check their LSE licence number and speciality, whether construction, industry, healthcare or office work.
- Register with the agency using a Swiss CV with photo, language levels and contactable references, then attend the interview and sometimes practical tests.
- Provide your work permit or passport, AVS number if you have one, CHF bank details and, for some assignments, a criminal record extract.
- Read the framework and assignment contracts: location, hours, base hourly rate, holiday pay, public holidays and thirteenth salary.
- Hand in the weekly time sheet signed by the client and check your payslip, especially AVS, AC, LPP and withholding tax deductions.
- Ask for a work certificate at the end of each assignment and keep it for future permanent job applications.
Temporary pay and deductions you should know
| Item | Amount or rule | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Unskilled minimum wage | CHF 20.99 to 22.14 per hour (2025) | Indicative, by zone; sector CCT takes priority |
| Skilled minimum wage | CHF 25.57 to 27.30 per hour (2025) | Indicative, CFC or equivalent training |
| Holiday pay | 8.33% or 10.64% | Depending on age, paid with the hourly wage |
| Professional contribution | 0.7% of salary | Funds training and enforcement of the CCT |
| Sickness pay insurance | 80% of salary after 2 days | Length of cover varies by status |
| LAMal health insurance | Individual monthly premium | Paid by you, varies by canton and deductible |
Documents to give the staffing agency
- Swiss-format CV with photo and languages
- Work certificates from previous employers
- Diplomas, CFC or training certificates
- L, B, C or G permit, or EU/EFTA passport
- AVS card or social insurance number
- Forklift licence, driving licence or specific certificates
- Criminal record extract if the client requires it
Staffing agency pitfalls that cost temps money
- Accepting an all-in hourly rate without a breakdown: without separate holiday pay, public holidays and thirteenth salary, you cannot check that the agreed minimum is respected.
- Forgetting to have the weekly time sheet signed by the client's supervisor, which delays pay and complicates disputes over overtime.
- Not reporting a temporary assignment to the ORP while unemployed, although interim earnings must be declared to the fund every month.
- Starting an assignment before the permit or work authorisation is granted, risking a fine and a refusal on a later application.
- Paying registration fees to a so-called agency: in staff leasing, the company pays the agency and the candidate never pays anything.
Your questions about temporary agency work
Can a temp agency charge me money to register?
No. In staff leasing, the agency is paid by the client company. A request for registration fees, compulsory paid training or a deposit to obtain an assignment is a warning sign that should be reported to the cantonal employment office.
Which wage applies if the client has its own CCT?
When the client company is bound by a CCT declared generally binding, for example the national agreement for the main construction sector or the CCNT for hotels and restaurants, its rules on pay and working hours take precedence over the staff leasing CCT.
Can the client company hire me on a permanent contract?
Yes, it happens often. The contract with the agency may provide for a fee payable by the client if it hires you shortly after the assignment, but this clause cannot stop you from accepting the job or cost you anything.
Does temp work count towards unemployment entitlement?
Yes. Months of contributions during assignments count towards the unemployment insurance contribution period, provided AC contributions were deducted. Keep all your payslips and the employer certificates filled in by the agency.