Published on 1 February 2026

Social security: local staff

This section provides information on social security for local staff employed at diplomatic missions or consular posts.

The social security regulations for local employees vary depending on their nationality and the type of identity card they hold. — © National Cancer Institute/unsplash

General information

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):

• Albania
• Australia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Brazil
• Canada
• Chile
• China
• South Korea
• India
• Israel
• Japan
• Kosovo
• North Macedonia
• Montenegro
• Philippines
• Republic of San Marino
• United Kingdom
• Serbia
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Uruguay
• United States

(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:

• Swiss nationals or EU or EFTA nationals working at a representation of an EU or EFTA member state in Switzerland

  This information applies to local employees:

  • Swiss nationals employed at a diplomatic mission or consular post of an EU member state (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden) or another EFTA member state (Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein).
  • Nationals of an EU member state who are permanently resident in Switzerland (holders of a residence permit [B permit] or permanent residence permit (C permit)) or non-permanent residents of Switzerland (holders of an E/KE legitimation card) and are employed at a diplomatic mission or consular post of an EU member state.
  • Nationals of another EFTA member state who are permanently resident in Switzerland (holders of a residence permit [B permit] or permanent residence permit (C permit)) or non-permanent residents of Switzerland (holders of an E/KE legitimation card) and are employed at a diplomatic mission or consular post of another EFTA member state.

  Old-age and survivors' insurance (OASI)/invalidity insurance (IV)/loss of earnings compensation (EO)/unemployment insurance (UI)/family allowances and occupational pension funds

  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.

  Accident insurance

  The aforementioned persons must also have compulsory accident insurance cover. Diplomatic missions and consular posts must apply to the Federal Office of Public Health ([e-mail]) and undertake to fulfil the legal requirements (in particular, to pay employer's contributions) (Art. 3 para. 3 of the Accident Insurance Ordinance (AIO)).

  Health insurance

  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.

• Swiss nationals or foreign nationals permanently resident in Switzerland

  This information applies to local staff:

  • Swiss nationals working for a representation of a non-EU or non-EFTA member state.
  • Nationals of an EU or EFTA member state who are permanently resident in Switzerland at the time they are recruited (residence permit (B permit) or permanent residence permit (C permit)) and who work for a representation of a non-EU or non-EFTA member state.
  • Foreign nationals (other than EU/EFTA nationals) who are permanently resident in Switzerland at the time they are recruited (residence permit [B permit] or permanent residence permit (C permit)) and work for a foreign representation in Switzerland.

  Old-age and survivors' insurance (OASI)/invalidity insurance (IV)/loss of earnings compensation (EO)/unemployment insurance (UI)/family allowances and occupational pension funds

  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).

  Accident insurance

  The aforementioned persons must also have accident insurance cover. Diplomatic missions and consular posts must apply to the Federal Office of Public Health ([e-mail]) and undertake to fulfil the legal requirements (in particular, to pay employer's contributions) (Art. 3 para. 3 of the Accident Insurance Ordinance (AIO)).

  Health insurance

  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 a type E/KE legitimation card)

  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:

  • Albania
  • Australia
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • China
  • South Korea
  • India
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Kosovo
  • North Macedonia
  • Montenegro
  • Philippines
  • Republic of San Marino
  • United Kingdom
  • Serbia
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Uruguay
  • United States

  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.

  Old-age and survivors' insurance (OASI)/invalidity insurance (IV)/loss of earnings compensation (EO)/unemployment insurance (UI)/family allowances and occupational pension funds

  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)).

  Accident insurance

  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 ([e-mail]) and undertakes to fulfil the legal requirements (in particular, to pay employer's contributions) (Art. 3 para. 3 of the Accident Insurance Ordinance (AIO)).

  Health insurance

  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.

Cantonal authorities responsible for health insurance:

• Social Security Office, Assessment of whether you are required to have health insurance or are exempt, canton of Bern (de)
• Social services for the canton of Zurich (de)
• Health insurance department for the canton of Geneva (fr)
• Vaud health insurance office (fr)

See also the list of cantonal offices responsible for health insurance.

Other information

• Information about the social security agreements
• Cantonal compensation offices (contact details for each canton)

Links

• Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons between the EU and Switzerland (AFMP) (fr)
• Convention Establishing the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
• Regulation (EC) No 883/2004
• Regulation (EC) No 987/2009)
• Old-Age and Survivors' Insurance Act (OASIA) (fr)
• Ordinance on the Old-Age and Survivors' Insurance (OASIO) (fr)
• Directives on OASI and IV insurance (fr)
• Federal Act on Occupational Old Age, Survivors' and Invalidity Pension Provision (OPA) (fr)
• Ordinance on Occupational Old Age, Survivors' and Invalidity Pension Provision (OPO 2) (fr)
• Accident Insurance Act (AIA) (fr)
• Accident Insurance Ordinance (AIO) (fr)
• Health Insurance Act (HIA) (fr)
• Health Insurance Ordinance (HIO) (fr)