How can a Hungarian citizen work in Switzerland for up to 90 days?
As a Hungarian EU citizen, you can work in Switzerland for up to 90 actual working days under the notification procedure, subject to strict deadlines and wage rules.
Table of contents
- In which cases is the 90-day notification procedure sufficient for employment?
- What do 90 actual working days mean?
- Why must the sending company's days also be counted separately?
- When can we be exempt from the notification requirement during the first 8 days?
- Which sectors do not have an 8-day exemption?
- How does the online notification process work on EasyGov.swiss?
- What preparation is required for the notification?
- What is the best order for planning?
- What notification deadlines apply to employment in Switzerland, posting of workers, and self-employed service provision?
- Which Swiss wage and employment rules must be complied with?
- Which cantons have their own statutory minimum wage?
- When might a security deposit obligation arise?
- Sources
- Related Articles
In which cases is the 90-day notification procedure sufficient for employment?
For EU/EFTA citizens – including Hungarian citizens – the notification procedure can be used for short-term work (Erwerbstätigkeit bis zu 90 Tagen) if gainful employment in Switzerland does not exceed 90 actual working days in a calendar year. The rule is based on the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons between Switzerland and the EU (Freizügigkeitsabkommen, FZA).
The 90-day limit is a federal rule explained by the State Secretariat for Migration, SEM (State Secretariat for Migration). The limit does not apply separately by canton: working days spent in Switzerland must be counted nationwide.
The short-term notification system may be relevant in three substantially different situations:
Employment situation | What does it mean? | Key question for the notification procedure |
|---|---|---|
Starting employment with a Swiss employer (Stellenantritt bei einem Arbeitgeber in der Schweiz) | The employee enters into an employment relationship directly with a Swiss employer. | The short-term employment must be notified before work begins. |
Posted employee (Entsandte Arbeitnehmende) | The Hungarian or other EU/EFTA-based employer sends its employee to Switzerland to carry out an assignment. | Both the sending company and the employee must monitor their respective 90-day limits separately. |
Self-employed service provider (Selbstständige Dienstleistungserbringende) | The self-employed person provides services in Switzerland in their own name and at their own responsibility. | The duration of the service, prior notification and the business identification number are also important. |
The 90-day rule does not mean an unlimited opportunity to work in Switzerland for three months. The decisive figure is the number of days actually worked. In the case of a short Swiss project completed in several stages, every day worked on site must therefore be recorded.
What do 90 actual working days mean?
The 90-day limit applies to the calendar year, meaning it must be calculated between 1 January and 31 December. Any unused allowance cannot be carried over to the following year.
For example, if a specialist posted from Hungary works in Switzerland for 12 days in February, 18 days in May, 20 days in September and 15 days in November, they have used 65 actual working days in that calendar year. In this example, the remaining allowance is 25 working days.
The foreign employer cannot assume that several different clients or several Swiss projects for the same employee automatically mean separate 90-day allowances. The employee's own annual limit must be tracked.
Why must the sending company's days also be counted separately?
For secondments, there are two separate 90-day limits:
The sending company's annual limit of 90 working days: indicates the total number of actual working days on which the foreign company provided services in Switzerland.
Each posted employee's own annual limit of 90 working days: indicates the number of actual working days the individual worked in Switzerland.
In practice, this means that the company’s and the employee’s respective limits can be exhausted independently of one another. The fact that there are two separate limits does not create an entitlement to 180 days.
If either the company or the employee concerned reaches 90 actual working days, the 90-day notification procedure is no longer sufficient for any further work in Switzerland. In such cases, the available options must be clarified with the competent Swiss authority for the specific project and canton.
Keeping company-level and individual records of days is therefore not merely an administrative formality. Particularly for construction, installation, IT, maintenance and consulting projects, every working day in Switzerland should be documented for each employee, by project, work location and date.
When can we be exempt from the notification requirement during the first 8 days?
The exemption from notification for the first 8 working days may apply only to posted workers and self-employed service providers from the EU/EFTA, and only outside specified sectors. This 8-day exemption does not apply when starting work for a Swiss employer.
The 8-day rule (8-Tage-Regelung, exemption from notification: Meldefreiheit) provides that posted workers and self-employed service providers may be exempt from the notification requirement for the first 8 working days per calendar year. The information notice issued by the canton of Basel-Stadt describes this exception for short-term activities performed under the notification procedure.
The rule must be interpreted narrowly. It does not mean that every short period of work in Switzerland is automatically “exempt from notification for 8 days”; rather, the exception may apply only to service providers with certain legal statuses and to certain activities.
Which sectors do not have an 8-day exemption?
In the following sectors, notification is mandatory from the first working day:
Construction: no 8-day exemption from notification applies to construction, installation and activities related to construction sites.
Hospitality and hotel industry: restaurant, catering and accommodation services must be notified from the first day of work.
Gardening: gardening work is among the exempted sectors, meaning notification is required from the first day.
Cleaning: there is no exemption for the first 8 days in the case of cleaning services.
Security services: for guarding and security services, notification is required from the first working day.
Adult entertainment industries: the 8-day exemption does not apply to activities carried out in this sector either.
If the planned posting or self-employed service provision exceeds 8 working days from the outset, the notification does not need to be made only from the ninth day. In such cases, notification is mandatory from the first working day.
This rule is a frequent source of misunderstanding. For example, if a Hungarian contractor knows in advance that on-site work in Switzerland will take 12 working days, they may not begin the first 8 days without notification. The entire planned assignment must be notified within the applicable deadline.
For sector classification, the company’s main business activity in Hungary is not sufficient. The content of the work actually carried out in Switzerland may be decisive. In borderline cases, it is particularly advisable to check with the canton responsible for the place of work or on the official information platform.
How does the online notification process work on EasyGov.swiss?
Since 17 March 2025, the online notification procedure for short-term gainful employment has been available via the EasyGov.swiss government online portal. The portal is used to notify work performed within 90 days (Meldeverfahren).
EasyGov.swiss is a federal online administration platform; however, the canton responsible for the place of work may also be involved in processing the notification. Therefore, the project location, work dates and precise classification of the activity are also important from an administrative perspective.
What preparation is required for the notification?
For short-term employment with a Swiss employer, the notification obligation must be aligned with the start date of employment. In the case of postings and self-employed service provision, the foreign company or self-employed service provider must register with EasyGov.
Foreign posting companies and self-employed service providers need a Swiss business identification number, known as a UID (Unternehmens-Identifikationsnummer) is also required. The UID is the Swiss business identification number; it is not the same as a Hungarian tax number or Hungarian company registration number.
Applying for a UID is free of charge. However, according to the available information, approval may take up to 14 days . Although the notification process can be started when applying for the UID, it is not advisable to leave the start of the project until the last few days.
What is the best order for planning?
Before technically initiating the notification, it is advisable to record the key details of the Swiss assignment and the working days. The following sequence helps ensure that deadlines are met:
Determining the legal status of the work: employment with a Swiss employer, secondment and independent service provision must be clearly distinguished.
Checking the annual 90-day limit: in the case of secondment, the company’s and the employee’s previous working days in Switzerland must also be calculated separately.
Reviewing the sector-specific exemption: it must be determined whether the 8-day exemption applies at all, or whether notification is required from the first day.
EasyGov registration and UID preparation: foreign posting companies and independent service providers must start the identification process in good time.
Submitting the notification by the deadline: the deadline depends on the form of work, so the same date cannot be applied in every case.
Checking Swiss pay and employment conditions: notification does not exempt anyone from the rules of the Posted Workers Act and the relevant sector.
Information provided by SEM, SECO (Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft) and the competent canton together offers the safest starting point. For example, the canton of Zürich provides separate information on the notification procedure for EU/EFTA nationals.
What notification deadlines apply to employment in Switzerland, posting of workers, and self-employed service provision?
When starting work for a Swiss employer, notification must be submitted no later than the day before work begins. For posted workers and self-employed service providers, notification must be submitted at least 8 calendar days before work in Switzerland begins.
The difference between the two rules is significant. The “8-day rule” and the “8-calendar-day notification deadline” are not the same.
Situation | Notification deadline | What should be noted? |
|---|---|---|
Starting work for a Swiss employer | No later than the day before work begins | This rule does not mean that notification is not required for 8 days. |
Posted worker | At least 8 calendar days before work begins | In certain sectors, notification is mandatory from the first working day. |
Self-employed service provider | At least 8 calendar days before work begins | EasyGov registration and a UID are also required. |
Posting of workers or self-employed service provision expected to last longer than 8 working days | Before the entire work assignment begins, at least 8 calendar days in advance | The first 8 working days cannot be performed without notification. |
The difference between “no later than the previous day” and “at least 8 calendar days” must also be addressed when entering into the contract. The deadline for a Hungarian worker taking up a direct short-term job in Switzerland differs from the deadline when a Hungarian company posts the same person to a Swiss client.
The deadlines must be aligned with the start of work, not the date the contract is signed, the travel date, or the date the invoice is issued. The risk arising from incorrect timing can be particularly high if the Swiss client expects work to start immediately.
Which Swiss wage and employment rules must be complied with?
For posted workers, the Swiss Posted Workers Act (Entsendegesetz, EntsG) requires compliance with the Swiss minimum wage or the wage customary for the location and profession, as well as with Swiss rules on working and rest periods. Switzerland does not have a single federal minimum wage applicable throughout the country.
The appropriate wage cannot therefore be determined using a single nationwide figure. The place of work, profession, relevant sector and applicable collective agreement may all be decisive.
The German term for a collective agreement is Gesamtarbeitsvertrag, abbreviated as GAV. A generally binding GAV may prescribe mandatory wage and working conditions for a particular profession or sector. Such Swiss provisions may also apply to a foreign employer if it posts an employee to Switzerland.
Which cantons have their own statutory minimum wage?
According to the information available, examples of cantons applying their own statutory minimum wage include:
Canton of Geneva
Canton of Neuchâtel
Canton of Jura
Canton of Ticino
Canton of Basel-Stadt
This does not mean that the same hourly wage automatically applies to all work in these cantons. The relationship between cantonal rules, the GAV and the wage customary for the location and profession must always be checked for the specific work concerned.
For an initial review of Swiss wage conditions, the National Wage Calculator (Nationaler Lohnrechner) is available. In the calculator, both the place of work and the profession affect the result, so the actual location of the Swiss project must be used as the basis.
When might a security deposit obligation arise?
In certain sectors covered by a GAV, foreign companies must lodge a deposit with the Swiss joint commissions before posting workers. Based on the information available, this may be relevant, for example, in the construction industry and for tiling work.
The deposit is not a general fee applicable to all foreign businesses. It may arise only in specific sectors governed by collective agreements. Before accepting an assignment, it is therefore advisable to check whether the activity in question falls within the scope of a GAV and which prior obligations are associated with it.
Compliance with Swiss wage and employment requirements is not merely a matter of the salary stated in the employment contract. Locally customary pay, working hours, rest periods and any applicable GAV requirements all matter together.
Sources
State Secretariat for Migration (SEM): Meldeverfahren für kurzfristige Erwerbstätigkeit —
State Secretariat for Migration (SEM): Notification procedure for short-term employment —
EasyGov.swiss: Online-Meldeverfahren für kurzfristige Erwerbstätigkeit —
EasyGov.swiss: Schweizer Online-Schalter für Unternehmen —
entsendung.admin.ch: Schweizerisches Meldeverfahren und Entsendung —
entsendung.admin.ch: Nationaler Lohnrechner —
arbeit.swiss: Personal international beschäftigen —
Basel-Stadt: Meldeverfahren für kurzfristige Erwerbstätigkeit —
Canton of Zürich: notification procedure for EU/EFTA nationals —
WKO: notification obligation under the Posting of Workers Act in Switzerland —
Handwerk International: New notification procedure since 17 March 2025 —
Related Articles
In Brief
As a Hungarian citizen, the notification procedure may be used for short-term work in Switzerland if the work lasts no more than 90 actual working days in a calendar year. For employment with a Swiss employer, the notification must be submitted no later than the day before work begins; for posted workers and self-employed service providers, it must be submitted at least 8 calendar days in advance. The exemption for the first 8 working days applies only in specific cases; for example, notification is mandatory from the first day for construction or cleaning work.
Key Takeaways
- First determine whether the case involves starting work for a Swiss employer, a posting, or self-employed service provision.
- Keep track of all work performed in Switzerland on a nationwide basis, by calendar year and by actual working day.
- For postings, separately verify the 90-day limit for both the business and each individual employee.
- Check whether the exemption for the first 8 working days applies; in construction, hospitality, gardening, cleaning, security and erotic activities, notification is required from the first day.
- Before a posting or self-employed service provision, start the EasyGov registration and UID application in good time, as approval may take up to 14 days.
- Check Swiss requirements regarding wages, working hours, rest periods and any applicable GAV, as well as any deposit obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Hungarian citizen work in Switzerland for 90 days with a notification?
Yes. For EU/EFTA citizens, including Hungarian citizens, the notification procedure may be used for short-term work if the work in Switzerland does not exceed 90 actual working days in a calendar year. The limit applies nationwide and cannot be carried over to the following year.
Does the 90-day limit apply per canton or per person?
The 90-working-day limit is a federal, nationwide rule, so days worked in Switzerland do not restart in each canton. The employee's own annual limit must be tracked, including where there are multiple projects or clients.
What is the difference between a Swiss job, a posting and self-employed service provision?
In a Swiss job, the employee enters into an employment relationship directly with a Swiss employer. In a posting, a Hungarian or other EU/EFTA-based business sends its employee to Switzerland. In self-employed service provision, the contractor works in their own name and under their own responsibility.
When must the notification be submitted?
When starting work for a Swiss employer, the notification must be submitted no later than the day before the work begins. For postings and self-employed service provision, the notification must be submitted at least 8 calendar days before work starts in Switzerland.
When can the exemption for the first 8 working days be used?
The exemption may apply only to posted workers and self-employed service providers from the EU/EFTA, and only for certain activities. It does not apply to starting work for a Swiss employer. If the project is expected to last more than 8 working days, the entire assignment must be notified in advance.
In which sectors is notification mandatory from the first day?
Notification is required from the first working day in, among other sectors, construction, hospitality and the hotel industry, gardening, cleaning, security services and erotic industries. When classifying a sector, the actual content of the work carried out in Switzerland may also be decisive.
What preparation is required before a posting or self-employed service provision?
The foreign posting business and the self-employed service provider need EasyGov registration and a Swiss UID. Applying for a UID is free of charge, but approval can take up to 14 days, so it is advisable to begin the process in good time.
Related guides
- How can you work in Switzerland for fewer than 90 days?
- How can you work in Switzerland for 90 days without a permit?