Published on 1 February 2026

Private household employees

Foreign representation members may employ private household staff under certain conditions as set out in the Private Household Employees Ordinance (PHEO). They must submit various documents to FDFA Protocol when hiring or re-hiring private household employees.

Conditions of entry, residence and work for private household employees are set out in the Private Household Employees Ordinance (PHEO). — © Lefteris Kallergis/unsplash

Legal basis

The Private Household Employees Ordinance (PHEO) of 6 June 2011 sets out the conditions of entry into Switzerland, residence and working conditions for private household staff employed by members of diplomatic missions, permanent missions, consular posts and international organisations.

The ordinance is for people who wish to employ a private household employee with a legitimation card, who already have a private household employee, or for private household employees themselves.

Procedure

Required documents:

Note verbale with three original copies to be signed by FDFA Protocol:

• model employment contract (compliance with minimum standards: salary, holidays, etc.),
• employer's declaration (employment in Switzerland or abroad),
• private household employee's declaration,
• one copy of the private household employee's passport.

Employers who have not been able to hire a private household employee in Switzerland via the International Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI) may employ someone from abroad requiring a visa or entry permit as set out in the State Secretariat for Migration’s Annex 1 on visa requirements.

Re-employment in Switzerland – change of employer

The procedure is the same as for first time employment but requires the old type F legitimation card to be submitted (visa not required).

Note verbale with three original copies to be signed by FDFA Protocol:

• model employment contract (compliance with minimum standards: salary, holidays, etc.),
• employer's declaration (employment in Switzerland or abroad),
• private household employee's declaration,
• one copy of the private household employee's passport,
• one copy of the application for registration,
• one copy of the old type F legitimation card.

FDFA legitimation cards for private household employees

Once a private household employee arrives in Switzerland, they are invited to an in-person interview with FDFA Protocol. This takes place without their employer and once a year thereafter (cf. Art. 26 para. 2 of the PHEO) for the purposes of issuing or renewing their legitimation card, and in order to discuss working conditions. This is to ensure that private household employees understand what these conditions are and that these conditions are respected by their employer. Where necessary, FDFA Protocol may write to the employer for clarification on these working conditions and/or request that they be modified in line with the current regulations. The institutional beneficiary where the employer concerned works will also be notified.

• 1. Initial issue of legitimation card (during recruitment or on arrival/whilst in Switzerland)

  Once private household staff take up their employment in Switzerland, the institutional beneficiary (embassy or consular post) must ask for a legitimation card to be issued. FDFA Protocol will then issue a card in the person's name, initially limited to a period of three months.

  The employer must ensure that private household employees are registered for social security insurance and any other compulsory insurance from the moment the private household employee enters service (see Chapter 8 of the PHEO). If the private household employee is insured under a social security and/or health insurance scheme abroad, they must file a request with the competent Swiss authority for an exemption from the social insurance scheme in Switzerland (see Chapter 8 of the PHEO).

  This is to be done with the help of the institutional beneficiary in question, who must then request a renewal of the private household employee's legitimation card before the three-month deadline and provide, on behalf of the employer, proof of the private household employee's insurance cover or, where applicable, the decision exempting them from said cover. They must also submit proof that a Swiss bank/postal account has been opened in the private household employee's name.

  FDFA Protocol will then renew the legitimation card for one year provided the documents submitted comply with the provisions of the PHEO.

• 2. Renewal of legitimation card (once a year)

  The institutional beneficiary of the employer concerned must request the renewal of the private household employee's legitimation card before it expires and submit to either FDFA Protocol or the Swiss mission the following documents:

  • Proof of a monthly salary which the employer has transferred to the Swiss bank or postal account opened in the sole name of the private household employee (bank/postal account statements, cf. Art. 43, para. 2 of the PHEO).
  • A copy of the monthly pay slips drawn up by the employer and signed by both parties (cf. Art. 43, para. 3 of the PHEO).
  • A copy of the weekly record of hours worked by the private household employee, signed by both parties (cf. Art. 48, para. 1 of the PHEO).
  • Proof of payment of contributions and insurance premiums (see Chapter 8 of the PHEO) by the employer (bank/postal account statements) with a copy of the corresponding invoices (N.B. postal receipts are not accepted as proof as they do not guarantee that the payments have been made by the employer). If the private household employee is exempt from the Swiss social insurance system and is obliged to make direct payments of their insurance contributions and premiums under foreign law, the employer must add this amount to the private household employee's monthly cash salary and make a corresponding note on their pay slip.
  • A written statement by the employer that they have fully complied with the provisions of the employment contract agreed with their private household employee during the past year, and the declaration signed by the private household employee when they were hired.

  FDFA Protocol reserves the right to request bank/postal account statements for the period in question from the private household employee if necessary.

  During the yearly interview with FDFA Protocol, the private household employee must guarantee in writing that during the past year they have fully complied with their employment contract and with the declaration that they signed when hired.

• 3. Cancellation of legitimation card (if no longer in employment)

  If the employment contract is fixed term, it will end on the date agreed in the contract. If the contract is open-ended, it can only be terminated in writing – by one of the parties, provided the period of notice specified in the employment contract is respected.

  The institutional beneficiary must immediately notify FDFA Protocol of the exact date on which the private household employee has left their employment (cf. Article 27 of the PHEO) by providing, on behalf of the employer, all the following documents during the period in question (between the date of issue of the private household employee's last legitimation card and the date they stopped working):

  • Proof of a monthly salary which the employer has transferred to the Swiss bank or postal account opened in the sole name of the private household employee (bank/postal account statements, cf. Art. 43, para. 2 of the PHEO).
  • A copy of the monthly pay slips drawn up by the employer and signed by both parties (cf. Art. 43, para. 3 of the PHEO).
  • A copy of the weekly record of hours worked by the private household employee, signed by both parties (cf. Art. 48, para. 1 of the PHEO).
  • Proof of payment of contributions and insurance premiums (see Chapter 8 of the PHEO) by the employer (bank/postal account statements) with a copy of the corresponding invoices (N.B. postal receipts are not accepted as proof as they do not guarantee that the payments have been made by the employer). If the private household employee is exempt from the Swiss social insurance scheme and is obliged to make direct payments of their insurance contributions and premiums under foreign law, the employer must add this amount to the private household employee's monthly cash salary and make a corresponding note on their pay slip.

  FDFA Protocol reserves the right to request bank/postal account statements for the period in question from the private household employee if necessary.

  Where possible, the intentions of the former private household employee should be indicated by the employer (for example, that they are looking for a new job or are returning to their country of origin) via the institutional beneficiary. If necessary, the institutional beneficiary must expressly request a two-month courtesy period from the exact date of the termination of employment (see Art. 13, para. 2 of the PHEO). In such cases, FDFA Protocol will issue a new legitimation card to cover this period.

Documents

The following documents are available under Forms and Notices:

• employment contract (template)
• employer's declaration
• private household employee's declaration
• payslip (template)
• table to calculate insurance contributions and premiums
• factsheet summarising the PHEO in various languages

These documents are available in:

• French
• German
• Italian
• English
• Spanish
• Portuguese

Factsheets

The following factsheets are available under Forms and Notices

• Factsheet 1 on Swiss social security for old-age and survivors' pension and disability insurance (AHV/IV – AVS/AI), loss of earnings insurance (EO – APG), unemployment insurance (AV – AC) and family allowances
• Factsheet 2 on occupational pensions
• Factsheet 3 on health insurance (HIA)
• Factsheet 4 on accident insurance (AIA)
• Factsheet 5 on family allowances
• Factsheet 6 on health insurance for loss of earnings
• Factsheet 7 listing addresses of Swiss insurance authorities