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. 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, though negotiations with crew is possible.
• Night work: between 11 PM and 6 AM + 25%
• Overtime between 51st and 59th hour + 25%
• Overtime after the 60th hour + 100%
• Within the whole contract duration, hours can be compensated.
  Ex: If an electrician works 54h in week you have to either pay him 5h overtime (4h plus 25%) or you can have him work only 45h in the following week.

• There is a minimum average 11 hours lay-over time required between end of shooting and start of next shooting day. Normally it should be 11 hours but may be, with approval of the crew, reduced to a minimum of 8h.
• If shooting takes place outside residence, travel time over 30 min each way accounts to work time. Overseas or long travels account to 50% work time.
• Transporting people or material in a production vehicle counts as work time.
• Lunchbreak: 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 work time.

Rates

Consult the official list for rates for on-set film crew (2025, PDF) and post-production -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%, below 20 and above 50 years of age (equivalent of 4 weeks per year)
• 10.64%, between 20 and 50 years of age (equivalent of 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).

• 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 if outside normal residence: daily 7.50 CHF (after the 6th day away from home).

Actors' Rates

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

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

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 subsidy amounts to 20% of the eligible costs (spent in Switzerland). In the case of minor 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 effetcs & 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
• Music rights
• Prep costs: scouting, casting,
• Producer’s fees
• Wages for director and main cast may not exceed 15% of the total budget
• Cast travel abroad
• Insurances
• Legal fees
• Financing costs
• Contingency & overheads

Sources of Information

• BAK/OFC: Federal Office of Culture: /www.bak.admin.ch
• SSFV: Swiss Syndicate of Film Technicians: www.ssfv.ch
• Swiss Films Links: www.swissfilms.ch/en/links
• Film Location Switzerland: www.filmlocation.ch

25.12.2024