Anyone who leases out staff or provides commercial employment placement in Switzerland needs a cantonal permit — and, where cross-border elements are involved, an additional federal permit from SECO. An overview of requirements, security deposit, fees and process.
Companies that lease out staff or provide commercial employment placement in Switzerland are subject to strict permit requirements. This applies to classic staffing agencies and temp-work firms alike, as well as to companies that — as part of setting up an internationally oriented business, for example sourcing or placing specialists from Ukraine, Russia or elsewhere — want to place or lease personnel.
What falls under the law: employment placement and personnel leasing
The Federal Act on Private Employment Placement and Personnel Leasing (AVG) distinguishes two licensable activities: private employment placement (bringing together job seekers and employers for a fee) and personnel leasing (commercially assigning one's own employees to client businesses, mainly in the form of temporary work).
Both activities may only be carried out in Switzerland with a corresponding permit from the authorities. Anyone placing or leasing staff without a permit risks a fine and revocation of any relevant commercial register entry for that activity.
Two permit levels: cantonal and federal
As a rule, a cantonal permit is required for employment placement and personnel leasing within Switzerland. The competent authority is the labour office of the canton where the company has its registered seat.
As soon as the activity has a cross-border element, an additional federal permit from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is required. This applies in particular to: placement or leasing of persons abroad; placement or leasing of EU/EFTA nationals who first enter Switzerland with a residence permit B, a cross-border commuter permit G, or a short-term residence permit L; and placement or leasing of recognised refugees and provisionally admitted persons.
The cantonal office forwards applications with a cross-border element to SECO for review — a separate federal application is generally not required, but the cantonal file must be correspondingly complete.
Basic requirements for the business
The business must be entered under its company name in the Swiss commercial register and have suitable business premises at its registered address. The licensing authority checks both points before granting any permit.
Requirements for the responsible person
Every licensed business needs at least one responsible person who meets the following requirements:
- Completed vocational training with a federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ) or an equivalent qualification (e.g. Matura or a university degree);
- At least three years of practical experience in employment placement, personnel leasing, personnel/organisational/business consulting, or human resources;
- Employment at the business of at least 50% of a full-time position;
- Signing authority — collective signature or power of attorney is sufficient;
- An unblemished record, evidenced by the absence of debt-collection entries and certificates of loss, tax debts, and relevant criminal convictions.
The security deposit
A security deposit must be lodged with the cantonal licensing authority for personnel leasing. The base amount is CHF 50,000 per licensed business.
- If more than 60,000 hours worked by leased employees were recorded in the previous calendar year, the deposit rises to CHF 100,000.
- Anyone additionally applying for a federal permit to lease staff abroad must top up the deposit by a further CHF 50,000.
Fees
The authority charges a fee for issuing the placement or leasing permit, ranging between CHF 750 and CHF 1,650 depending on the processing effort involved. The exact amount and any further charges depend on the cantonal fee ordinance.
The application process
The application must be submitted in writing to the cantonal labour office at the company's registered seat — including a commercial register extract, evidence regarding the responsible person, confirmation of the deposit, and details of the business premises. Where there is a cross-border element, the canton forwards the file to SECO for additional review.
A carefully prepared, complete application noticeably shortens processing time — incomplete files, particularly missing evidence of the responsible person's qualifications, are a common cause of queries and delays.
When legal advice is worth seeking
Advice before filing is particularly worthwhile for internationally oriented projects — such as placing specialists from Ukraine, Russia or third countries, or planned cross-border leasing — to clarify whether an additional SECO permit is required, how the correct deposit amount is calculated, and exactly what evidence the responsible person needs to provide.
We help companies assess whether a permit is required, assemble the application file, and respond to queries from the cantonal authority or SECO.
Conclusion
Personnel leasing and private employment placement are clearly regulated in Switzerland: a cantonal permit as the basic requirement, an additional federal SECO permit for cross-border elements, defined requirements for the responsible person, and a tiered security deposit. Clarifying these points from the outset avoids delays and legal risk.
If you would like to apply for a permit for personnel leasing or private employment placement in Switzerland, you can reach out to us for a consultation. We will review your situation, clarify the required permit level, and guide you through the process.
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