This fact sheet provides an overview of the Swiss tax system and planning opportunities in connection with expatriates taking up employment in Switzerland. They will be subject to Switzerland’s comprehensive rules and employment visa requirements. Grant Thornton’s expatriate tax team can advise expatriates and their employers in dealing with the Swiss tax and employment visa requirements.
In particular Grant Thornton can assist expatriates and their employers in identifying Swiss tax planning opportunities and provide compliance services regarding the Swiss tax filing requirements.
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The employer is required to apply for a residence and work permit prior to the employee taking up employment in Switzerland. It is therefore important that the expatriate’s employment contract and benefit package is structured in a tax efficient manner before filing the application.
Employment of non-EU/EFTA citizens
Switzerland imposes strict regulations on foreign employees. Each year, the federal authorities review the numbers of work permits that may be issued. In particular, the applicant employer must demonstrate that in spite of all his efforts he was unable to find a suitable person on the Swiss or EU/EFTA labor market.
However, these rules are applied less rigorously for executives or qualified specialists of internationally operating firms within the scope of an intercompany transfer and for executives or highly qualified specialists who are indispensable for important research projects or essential for the fulfillment of extraordinary assignments.
Employment of EU/EFTA citizens
One of the numerous agreements signed between Switzerland and the EU is the agreement on free movement of persons (including recognition of professional diplomas), entered into force on 1 June 2002. Similar rules are applicable with Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein (EFTA countries).
The Swiss tax year runs from 1 January to 31 December.
Swiss taxpayers as well as foreign holders of a permanent residence permit (C permit granted after five or ten years of residence depending upon the nationality) are required to file an annual tax return. For foreign holders of a B permit (one year for non-EU/EFTA citizens, five years for EU/EFTA citizens) or a L permit (duration of less than one year), the tax on salary is collected at source and paid by the employer. In case a foreign holder of a B or L permit has an employment income of gross CHF 120’000 or higher per year (relevant bracket for all cantons) and if the person is an unlimited Swiss tax resident, a tax return must be filed as well. In case a foreign holder of a B or L permit has an employment income of less than gross CHF 120’000 and wants to claim additional deductions a voluntary tax return filing can be requested until 31 March of the following year.
The personal tax return should normally be filed as of 31 March following the end of the tax year concerned. Depending on the canton of residence an extension of the filing deadline beyond 31 March is possible.
Swiss tax residents are subject to federal, cantonal and communal taxes. If registering with a religious affiliation for the catholic or protestant church, Swiss residents are required to pay church taxes as well. The taxable income is subject to a progressive scale, and the tax rate is determined on the basis of the worldwide income and net wealth.
For a single person with no children, the global rate calculated on a gross income of CHF 150,000 could vary between 12% and 24%, depending on the place of residence.
For a married person with no children, the global rate calculated on a gross income of CHF 150,000 could vary between 8% and 16%, depending on the place of residence.
Sample income tax calculation
Single person without children, no church tax, resident in the City of Zurich (in CHF/2025 tax rate and tax multiplier)
Individuals are subject to unlimited Swiss taxation (worldwide income and wealth except foreign business and immovable property) when they are resident in Switzerland for tax purposes. They are a tax resident based on Swiss domestic law:
Assessable employment income includes all wages, salaries, overtime pay, bonuses, gratuities, perquisites, benefits, tax gross ups etc.
There is also a requirement for the expatriate’s employer to deduct and retain the tax at source from the assessable employment income.
The taxation at source applies to most expatriates moving to Switzerland. The basic principle is that expatriates are subject to wage source tax if they do not have a C permit. However, they must, in addition, file an ordinary tax return if their annual gross salary exceeds CHF 120,000 or if they have other sources of taxable income.
As mentioned above, where duties are performed in Switzerland, any remuneration received in respect of these duties is subject to Swiss income tax regardless of the expatriate’s tax residence status (subject to the relevant Double Taxation Agreement (DTA)).
In general, where the benefit is enjoyed in Switzerland, a Swiss income tax charge will arise. Therefore, housing, meal allowances, provision of a car and relocation allowances will be considered for income tax purposes in addition to the individual’s salary.
Where no DTA applies, double taxation on foreign source income is in principle alleviated by means of the deduction method (foreign tax deducted from the taxable income).
Where a DTA exists, double taxation is in principle eliminated in accordance with the exemption method.
However, the credit method is used as regards dividends, interest and, sometimes, royalties derived by Swiss residents from another contracting country: The foreign tax at source is credited against Swiss taxes, being understood that the credit may not be higher than the amount of Swiss taxes on such income. A so-called lump tax credit mechanism has been enacted for this purpose.
Certain expenses can be provided by an employer free of income tax where they qualify as wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred in the performance of the employment duties.
Personal tax deductions apply to Swiss tax residents and are based on their personal tax circumstances.
Individuals qualifying as expatriates for Swiss tax purposes are entitled to special deductible expenses (directly related moving expenses, reasonable housing costs in Switzerland if a permanent residence is kept in the country of origin and kept permanently available for personal use (not rented out), schooling expenses in the mother tongue (unless the Swiss public school system already provides class in the mother tongue).
These deductions are only admitted provided they are not reimbursed by the employer. In order to qualify as an expatriate an employee must either be a senior executive or a specialist with special professional qualifications who is assigned to Switzerland by his foreign employer for a limited period of up to five years. The Swiss authorities are rather strict accepting expatriate deductions and do usually require a lot of additional documentation to assess if an individual is considered an expatriate for Swiss tax purposes.
Capital gains on movable private (not business) assets are generally exempted from income tax. Capital gains on immovable property are generally subject to a separate real estate capital gains tax.
These taxes are levied (only at cantonal and communal levels) if the deceased/donor is Swiss resident (also on immovable properties situated in Switzerland). The rates are progressive and depend on the degree of relationship between the deceased/donor and the heir/done. However, no tax is levied between spouses and, in many cantons, between parents and descendants. Moreover, the respective DTAs must be considered in an international inheritance context.
Investment income such as interest, dividends etc. is subject to Swiss income tax.
Depending on the municipality of residence, real estate taxes are levied on a cantonal and/or municipal level.
The Swiss social security system is based on the so-called ‘three pillars’.
Individuals with gainful employment in Switzerland are also required to contribute to the unemployment insurance. Total contribution is 2.2% of the employee remuneration, capped at CHF 148,200, per year. Half of it is paid by the employer and the other half by the employee (1.1%).
However, if certain conditions are met, expatriates generally remain affiliated to the social security system of their own country (for EU/EFTA citizens Form A1 and for many other countries Certificate of Coverage).
Employee share plans.
Shares
Monetary benefits deriving from employee shares are generally taxable as employment income at the time the shares are granted/vested.
For restricted shares, the market value is reduced according to the number of years the shares are blocked. The discount amounts to approx. 6% per blocked year on the market value of the share and is applicable to a maximum of ten years.
Options
Monetary benefits deriving from employee options which are traded at the stock exchange are taxed at the time of granting.
Options which are not traded at the stock exchange or restricted are taxable at the time they are exercised. The taxable benefit corresponds to the difference of the market value of the share at exercise date and the exercise price.
Wealth tax on the cantonal and communal level is assessed on net assets. The rates, subject to a progressive scale, are typically in the range of 0.1%-1%.
Church tax is levied on a cantonal/municipal level as a percentage/multiplier of the taxable income and net wealth.
Where a foreign employment continues to exist and parts of the expatriate’s duties are performed outside of Switzerland, any employment income received in respect of the foreign duties will be treated in accordance with the DTA.
Most tax planning involves the structuring of employment arrangements. Grant Thornton’s tax team can advise expatriates on these and related opportunities.
Bernhard Lauri
Anthony Haug