Vacation days in Switzerland: annual leave and public holidays

If you are comparing jobs or planning travel, keep reading for annual leave, part-time calculations, public holidays, and other leave options. This general guide reflects verified federal rules for private-sector employment, not legal advice.

Key takeaways

• The federal minimum vacation entitlement is four paid weeks per year for most workers.
• Employees up to age 20 get a five-week statutory minimum.
• Swiss National Day on August 1 is the only federal public holiday.
• Other paid holidays in Switzerland depend on the canton, and sometimes the canton-part, where you work.
• Your contract or collective employment agreement may give better terms than the legal minimum.

What is the minimum vacation entitlement in Switzerland?

Under the Swiss Code of Obligations, most employees must get at least four weeks of paid vacation per year. Employees up to age 20 must get at least five weeks. Employers can offer more than this legal floor, and many do through contracts or collective employment agreements.

The law also says at least two consecutive weeks should ordinarily be granted each year.

In an offer letter, the important points to look for include:

• Is leave shown in weeks, days, or both?
• Does a collective employment agreement apply?
• Are extra days contractual, or only stated in a handbook?
• Are company shutdowns taken from your vacation balance?

How are vacation days calculated for part-time work?

Start with weeks, not days. A part-time employee still gets the same number of weeks off as a full-time employee, but the number of days changes with the work schedule. That is why a three-day week does not mean less statutory annual leave in Switzerland, it means the same weeks spread across fewer working days.

When you join or leave during the year, holiday entitlement in Switzerland is usually reduced in proportion to the time worked. HR will often convert the yearly total into a part-year balance and apply it to your normal work pattern. If you are comparing offers, check both the weeks and the actual working days off.

Part-time examples job seekers can actually compare

A 60% or 80% role does not automatically mean less vacation in real terms. If the legal minimum applies, a three-day week still equals four weeks off, which usually means 12 vacation days a year.

• 3 working days a week, 4 weeks of leave, 12 vacation days
• 4 working days a week, 4 weeks of leave, 16 vacation days
• If your schedule changes during the year, ask HR how the old and new patterns are split

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How do public holidays work in Switzerland?

Vacation days and public holidays are different. Vacation is your yearly leave balance under the Code of Obligations. Public holidays are separate days off that follow federal and cantonal rules. Swiss National Day on August 1 is the only federal public holiday, and cantons may designate up to eight more holidays treated like Sundays.

Unlike countries with one nationwide paid-holiday calendar, Switzerland ties most holidays to the canton of work and sometimes a canton-part. If a recognized public holiday falls during your approved vacation, it does not count as a vacation day. If it falls on a day you were not due to work, there is usually no substitute day. 

Are public holidays always paid?

Paid holidays in Switzerland do not work the same way for every pay structure. For employees paid monthly, pay usually continues for canton-recognized public holidays without a salary deduction. For hourly workers, payment outside August 1 may depend on the contract, collective employment agreement, and canton-specific treatment.

Key checks:

• Whether you are paid monthly or hourly
• Whether the day is August 1 or another canton-recognized holiday
• What your contract or collective employment agreement says about holiday pay

Can your employer decide when you take vacation?

Yes. Employers usually approve vacation dates and can take business needs into account, but they should also consider your preferences. Popular summer weeks, project deadlines, and year-end closures can all affect the answer.

Treating a request as approval is risky, especially if flights or hotels are non-refundable. Swiss workplaces often expect planning ahead, clear communication, and formal sign-off, which fits the broader norms of Swiss business culture. 

1. Ask how far in advance vacation requests should be submitted.
2. Check whether the company has peak periods or fixed shutdown days.
3. Get approval in writing before booking non-refundable travel.
4. If dates are refused, ask about alternatives while flights and hotels are still flexible.

What if you get sick during vacation or leave your job?

If illness or a serious accident stops you from actually resting, the affected days may be credited back if you can show a medical certificate. At the end of a job, unused vacation needs careful handling, especially during notice periods.

If that happens, confirm:

• What evidence your employer needs if you get sick while away
• Whether unused days will be taken during notice or handled another way
• Any payout or carryover point in writing before your last day

What other leave can you get in Switzerland?

Annual leave is only one part of the picture. Swiss law also recognizes time off for certain important personal events and separate rules for some caring and parental situations. But leave of absence in Switzerland does not come with one fixed nationwide chart for every case, which is why contracts, staff handbooks, and collective employment agreements matter.

In practice, “leave of absence” often means an agreed break from work outside your normal vacation balance. It may be paid, partly paid, or unpaid, depending on the legal basis and company policy. If an employer mentions special leave in an offer, ask for the staff handbook or policy summary, because those extra days are often defined there rather than in the law.

Other leave can include:

• Time off for important personal events, such as moving, marriage, or bereavement, usually under contract, policy, or collective agreement rules
• Separate caregiving or parental leave rules that should not simply be deducted from your annual vacation balance
• Unpaid leave, which is often a negotiated arrangement rather than a general statutory right

What should expats check before accepting a job offer or booking a trip?

Before you accept an offer or plan travel, turn the legal rules into a checklist. That helps you compare roles more fairly and avoid surprises when you start requesting time off.

Final checks to consider:

• Confirm vacation entitlement in both weeks and working days
• Ask whether a collective employment agreement applies
• Verify the official holiday calendar for the canton of work
• Check how vacation approval works, especially in summer and at year-end
• Ask how public holidays are treated for your pay structure

If you plan to use your Swiss vacation time for trips abroad, compare overseas card, cash-withdrawal, and exchange costs across major local banks such as UBS, PostFinance, and Zürcher Kantonalbank. You may also want to see whether a Wise account and card would make multi-currency travel spending simpler, with 40+ supported currencies, no ongoing charges and easy ways to spend, send and receive foreign currencies with the mid-market exchange rate.