Minimum wage in Switzerland
Switzerland has no national minimum wage; voters rejected one in 2014. Collective agreements set floors in many sectors, and a few cantons have their own minimum wage.
Checked October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Who sets it
Collective labour agreements, which can be declared generally binding, set minimum pay in many sectors. Some cantons have introduced a cantonal minimum wage.
How it changes
Agreements are renewed on their own cycles. Cantonal minimums are set by each canton.
Who is covered, and who is treated differently
- Several cantons, including Geneva, Neuchâtel, Jura, Ticino and Basel-Stadt, have introduced a cantonal minimum wage.
- A standard employment contract can set minimum pay in sectors without an agreement.
What to watch for
- Check the canton where the work is done, and the agreement for the sector.
Understand the legal system first
Switzerland belongs to the Civil law family. How pay is regulated depends on how the legal system makes and applies labour law.
Read the Switzerland legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare Switzerland with another country →
Official sources
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TheLawToKnow Tools’s Minimum Wage by Country guide is an educational overview. It is not legal or employment advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.

