Working Conditions in Switzerland

Permits

EU citizens can work 90 working days per year without working permit. Submission of a notification form to the cantonal authorities where the work takes place is required. This is done by the employer. Self-employed crew are responsible for their own notification. Please consult regulations. Other citizens need a working permit. More information for co-producers: www.entsendung.admin.ch

Working Hours

• A week consists of 50 hours
• A day's work must be completed in 14 hours including breaks and overtime. If 14h are exceeded (exception), it must be followed by a turnaround time of minimum 12h.
• The turnaround time between end of day and start of the next day must be 11 hours on average. It can be reduced to 9 hours. If it is reduced more than once per week, an average of 12h needs to be maintained across two weeks. Negotiation with crew is possible.
• For night shoots* the working hours must be a maximum of 9 hours + breaks. Turnaround time must be increased to 12h.

*Night work between 11 PM and 6 AM + 25%

• Overtime between 51st and 59th hour + 25%
• Overtime from the 60th hour + 100%
• Within the whole contract duration, hours can be compensated.
  Example: If an electrician works 54h in one week you have to either pay them 5h overtime (4h plus 25%) or you can have them work only 45h in the following week.

• If shooting takes place outside the place of residence, travel time above 30 min each way counts as working time. Unless otherwise agreed, overseas or long travel counts as working time.
• Transporting people or material in a production vehicle counts as work time.
• Lunch break: usually 60 minutes, but can be reduced to 45 minutes by production. If the break is less than 30 minutes long, it will also be counted as working time.
• The following public holidays require additional payment of CHF 200.- per crew member per day: 1st January, Easter Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, 25th December.

Rates

Consult the official list for rates for film crew (2025, PDF) and have a look at the standard contract regulations (2020, PDF) by the Swiss Syndicate Film and Video (SSFV).

Social Benefits & Fringes

Every employee is entitled to the following social benefits:

• Vacation allowance (to be paid fully by employer):
• 8.33%, between 20 and 50 years of age (equivalent to 4 weeks per year)
• 10.64%, below 20 and above 50 years of age (equivalent to 5 weeks per year)

On this gross salary (base rate plus vacation allowance) the following fringes must be paid by the employer:

• National Pension Scheme / Unemployment / Invalidity insurance (AHV/ALV/EO/IV): 6.40 %
• Personal Pensions (BVG): 6.00 %
• Accident: 0.15 %

Allowances/Per Diems

In Switzerland catering services usually only provide one meal per shooting day (i.e lunch or dinner). For shooting periods outside the main place of production, the following allowances are paid on shoot days and off days:

• Breakfast: CHF 10 (without receipt) – unless provided by hotel or catering
• Lunch: CHF 32 (without receipt) – unless provided by catering
• Dinner: CHF 32 (without receipt) – unless provided by catering
• Laundry: daily 7.50 CHF (after the 6th day away from home).
• Outside of Switzerland, allowances may be adjusted to local industry rates.
• The same per diems apply to actors per night of hotel accommodation

Actors' Rates

Usually around CHF 1'500 - 2'500 per shooting day (rehearsals are not paid separately)

Small non-professional roles and children’s roles may be lower.

The Swiss Syndicate Film and Video (SSFV) recommend its cast members the following salary recommendations. Note that this is a one-sided recommendation by the union, not officially accepted be the producers’ association:

• CHF 1'650 per shooting day
  Starting salary for cast with diploma from acting school
• CHF 1'950 per shooting day
  For cast with 10 - 15 years of working experience
• CHF 2'350 per shooting day
  For cast with more than 15 years of working experience

There are no half day wages.

www.ssfv.ch/de/cast/schauspielgagen-audiovisuelle-produktionen

Cast rates are gross rates, including holiday pay and fringes.

Extras

CHF 60 for half a day. CHF 80 — 100 per day.
Up to CHF 250 for featured extras

Funding

FiSS (Filmstandortförderung Schweiz)
PICS (Promotion de l’investissement dans la cinématographie en Suisse)
= Tax Rebate System Switzerland

The rebate amounts to 20% of the eligible costs (spent in Switzerland). In the case of minority co-productions and technical costs, a higher rate of 40% applies. The maximum contribution is CHF 600’000. 80% of the subsidy is guaranteed.

Requirements: a minimum of 5 shooting days in Switzerland

Swiss production company has majority of share
20% on eligible costs
40% on technical equipment, special effects & post-production

Swiss production company has minority of share
40% on all eligible costs

Exceptions:

The following costs are not eligible:

• Wages for script writing and rights payments
• Music rights
• Prep costs: scouting, casting,
• Producer’s fees
• Wages for director and main cast exceeding 15% of the total budget
• Cast travel to/from abroad
• Insurances
• Legal fees
• Financing costs
• Contingency & overheads

Sources of Information

• BAK/OFC: Federal Office of Culture: /www.bak.admin.ch
  Only limited availability in English, choose DE/FR or IT. See in particular the sections > Filmförderung > Filmstandortförderung Schweiz and > Internationale Zusammenarbeit > Koproduktionen.
• SSFV: Swiss Syndicate of Film Technicians: www.ssfv.ch
• Switzerland Film Commission (Regional funding bodies and location support): www.witzerlandfilmcommission.ch
• Swiss Films Links: www.swissfilms.ch/en/links

19.12.2025