Internships in Switzerland: contract, pay and application

The Code of Obligations knows no "internship law". An internship is an employment contract of limited duration in which a training purpose is additionally agreed. This gives rise to three points that are often overlooked:

• Written form recommended: the employment contract is valid without any particular form, but duration, pensum, pay, holidays and the training objective should be recorded in writing – otherwise it is unclear in a dispute what was agreed.
• Fixed term: a fixed-term contract ends without notice. A tacit continuation after expiry can, however, turn into an open-ended relationship.
• Probation period: a probation period (the first month) is also usual in an internship, during which notice can be given at short notice.

For employers this means: an internship is not a free pass for months of unpaid full-time work.

Switzerland has no national statutory minimum wage. An internship is therefore not automatically paid – and not automatically unpaid. Three constellations must be distinguished:

• Internship after graduation: compensation oriented to an entry-level salary is usual; for university graduates this means several thousand francs per month, depending on sector and region.
• Internship during training: often paid less, sometimes with a training character and a reduced pensum.
• Unpaid internship: legally possible where there is a clear training character, a short duration and no productive obligation. An internship that replaces regular work over months is not an internship.

In cantons with a minimum wage (including Neuchâtel, Jura, Geneva, Ticino and Basel-Stadt), minimum rates apply depending on the design; GAVs may impose additional requirements. Anyone reviewing an offer should know both sources.

An internship is genuine gainful employment – so social insurance applies from the outset:

• AHV/IV/EO: contributions payable from the first franc of salary, provided the annual exemption threshold is exceeded.
• Unemployment insurance: contributions are deducted; the contribution period later counts towards entitlement to unemployment compensation.
• Accident insurance: compulsory, also for short internships.
• Occupational pensions (BVG): depends on age and salary – often not insured in short or low-paid internships.

For tax purposes, the internship salary counts as income and must be declared in your tax return. Anyone living in the same household as their parents during their studies should check the cantonal rule – practice differs.

There is no statutory maximum duration, but practice is clear:

• Three to six months is considered usual, up to twelve months is common. Beyond that an internship is increasingly regarded as a regular position – with a corresponding salary claim.
• Crediting: internships can be credited towards study programmes if the training institution agrees. Crediting is not an automatic consequence of duration.
• Transition: anyone retained after the internship should have the new contract in writing before the internship ends. Continuation without a contract is legally delicate and unclear for both sides.

The duration should always be given in the CV: "Internship, 6 months, 80 %" is complete – "Internship at XY" is not.

Internship applications are read differently from applications for permanent roles: employers are not looking for the finished specialist but for learning ability, motivation and reliability. Three elements carry the most weight:

• Link to the training objective: why this internship, why this company, why now? One paragraph is enough – but it must be specific.
• Evidence instead of claims: term papers, projects, side jobs, association work – anything showing that you have taken on responsibility.
• Realistic pensum: anyone offering 60 per cent because their studies continue should say so early and clearly. Employers plan around your availability.

In the CV the internship goes under "Professional experience", not under "Further training" – even if it was part of your education. The role, the duration and the concrete tasks belong in two to three lines.

Dubious offers can be recognised by recurring patterns:

1. No written contract, or a contract without duration and pensum.
2. An "internship" with full responsibility over six months, without pay – that is regular work.
3. Placement fees. Reputable employers do not charge a fee for an internship.
4. No supervision: an internship without a contact person and without a learning objective is cheap labour.
5. Reference refused: the right to a work reference also applies to interns (Art. 330a OR).

Anyone who asks about learning objectives, supervision and the reference in the interview filters out dubious offers early – and comes across as professional at the same time.