This section provides information on social security for local staff employed at diplomatic missions or consular posts.
Members of local staff do not form part of the transferable staff of the sending state (foreign state) (Art. 5 of the Host State Ordinance [HSO]). Their social security status will depend on their nationality, place of residence at the time they were recruited and the country that employs them. Switzerland has signed various bilateral and multilateral social security agreements. It is essential to check on a case-by-case basis whether a social security agreement is in place and the specific arrangements that apply. We recommend that you contact the relevant cantonal compensation office (see link below).
Switzerland has entered into social security agreements with the following countries alongside the EU member states and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries (Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein):
(as at 01.01.2024, see Social security agreements and standard-setting conventions, FSIO)
The information below describes the status of the following local staff:
This information applies to local employees:
The aforementioned persons are subject to the compulsory OASI, IV, EO, family allowance and occupational pension schemes. Diplomatic missions and consular posts must meet the standard obligations incumbent on employers in Switzerland. As employers, diplomatic missions and consular posts are required to ensure that any person recruited as a local employee joins the insurance and pension schemes referred to above. They are also required to pay employer's contributions to these schemes.
The aforementioned persons must also have compulsory accident insurance cover. Diplomatic missions and consular posts must apply to the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG-Unfallversicherung@bag.admin.ch) and undertake to fulfil the legal requirements (in particular, to pay employer's contributions) (Art. 3 para. 3 of the Accident Insurance Ordinance (AIO)).
The aforementioned persons are subject to compulsory health insurance and must pay the applicable premiums and charges. In principle, the employer is required to pay health insurance contributions, unless otherwise provided in the employment contract.
This information applies to local staff:
The aforementioned persons are subject to compulsory OASI and IV insurance and EO and family allowance cover. As a general rule, they must take out their own insurance and pay their own contributions, as they are deemed to be employed by an employer that is not required to pay contributions under Article 6, paragraph 1 of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Act (OASIA)).
They may join the mandatory occupational benefits scheme, on a voluntary basis, at the Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution and must pay the contributions themselves (Art. 1j para. 1 letter a of the Ordinance on Occupational Old Age, Survivors' and Invalidity Pension Provision (OPO 2)).
In principle, diplomatic missions and consular posts are not obliged to take any action to ensure that local staff join compulsory Swiss social security schemes. Neither are they required to pay employer's contributions (Art. 33 letter a of the Ordinance on the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASIO)). They may contribute on a voluntary basis and agree to the payment of joint contributions (Art. 6 para. 2 OASIA). The payment of OASI, IV, EO, UI and family allowance contributions by the employer does not create any insurance requirement under an occupational pension scheme.
Switzerland has entered into social security agreements with the following countries, which may include obligations for employers: Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Quebec, Republic of San Marino, Slovak Republic, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay.
Under certain social security agreements, employees may elect that the legislation of the country employing them shall apply (opt-in).
The aforementioned persons must also have accident insurance cover. Diplomatic missions and consular posts must apply to the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG-Unfallversicherung@bag.admin.ch) and undertake to fulfil the legal requirements (in particular, to pay employer's contributions) (Art. 3 para. 3 of the Accident Insurance Ordinance (AIO)).
The aforementioned persons are subject to compulsory health insurance and must pay the applicable premiums and contributions to costs. In principle, employers are required to pay health insurance contributions, unless otherwise provided in the employment contract.
Non-permanent resident foreign nationals (holders of an E/KE legitimation card), who are nationals of an EU or EFTA member state and are not employed by a representation of an EU or EFTA state, nationals of any of the contracting states below, or who work for a contracting state, should contact the relevant compensation fund:
The information below only applies to local staff who are foreign nationals of a non-contracting state, who are not permanently resident in Switzerland at the time of recruitment, who hold a type E or KE legitimation card and work for a representation of a non-contracting State.
Such persons are deemed to be members of the service staff as defined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
The persons set out above are not subject to OASI, IV, EO, UI, family allowances and occupational pension schemes. They are not permitted to join such schemes even on a voluntary basis (Arts 33 and 37 VCDR, 48 VCCR and Art. 1a para. 2 letter a of the Federal Act on Old-Age and Survivors' Insurance (OASIA)).
The aforementioned persons may only have accident insurance cover if the diplomatic mission or consular post concerned applies to the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG-Unfallversicherung@bag.admin.ch) and undertakes to fulfil the legal requirements (in particular, to pay employer's contributions) (Art. 3 para. 3 of the Accident Insurance Ordinance (AIO)).
The aforementioned persons are not required to take out health insurance, but may apply to be covered within six months of the date on which they received their legitimation card (Art. 6 para. 1 and Art. 7 para. 6 of the Health Insurance Ordinance (HIO)).
Note: diplomatic missions and consular posts are responsible for medical and hospital expenses and repatriation costs for local staff holding a type E or KE legitimation card in line with the 'declaration of sponsorship' signed for this purpose.
See also the list of cantonal offices responsible for health insurance.
Other information
Last update 18.08.2025
