Unemployment in Switzerland: RAV, benefits and proof of job search

One decisive deadline falls before unemployment even begins: if you lose your job, you must register with the Regional Employment Centre (RAV) by the first day of unemployment at the latest – online or in person. Late registration leads to suspension days (Einstelltage); the days between the date you could have registered and the date you actually did are generally not compensated.

Two items belong on your to-do list in the final weeks of work:

• Request a work reference (Art. 330a OR) – with the job search in mind, not just for the date you leave. Without it, your dossier is incomplete.
• Check for blocking periods: anyone who resigns without an important reason risks having their entitlement suspended. If you agree a termination by mutual consent, it is worth setting out the reason in writing.

Have ready for registration: personal details, AHV number, employment contract and letter of termination, recent payslips, references, and details of your education and previous roles.

Unemployment insurance only pays if enough contributions were paid in the preceding years. The decisive factor is the contribution period (Beitragszeit): at least 12 contribution months within the last two years before unemployment. Anyone who does not meet this minimum contribution period has no entitlement – this frequently affects people after a longer stay abroad, after studying or after an extended career break.

In addition to the contribution period, you must be available for placement: fit for work, willing to work and reachable for job placement. Anyone who accepts a job only on conditions the labour market does not offer (for example exclusively 40 per cent positions at a distance that cannot reasonably be expected) risks cuts to their benefits.

Self-employment, interim earnings and days on which you are ill or doing an internship are counted differently – it is worth obtaining written confirmation from the RAV rather than relying on your own assumptions.

The daily benefit is generally 70 per cent of the insured salary. It rises to 80 per cent if you have maintenance obligations for children under 18, draw an IV pension or have reached a certain age. The insured salary is capped; salary components above the ceiling are not compensated.

The number of daily benefits depends on the contribution period and on age. Broadly: anyone who only just meets the minimum contribution period receives 260 daily benefits; a longer contribution period can produce 400. Anyone aged 25 or over without children should check the entitlement period particularly carefully – contribution period and age interact here.

Before the first daily benefit comes the waiting period (Wartezeit): as a rule 5 days, extended depending on your financial situation and family obligations. The waiting period is not a penalty but a deductible – so your liquidity planning should cover the first month without salary.

The core of the AVIG obligations is the personal job search. Depending on the canton and your situation, the RAV requires a fixed number of documented applications per month – eight to twelve is usual. What matters is not the number alone but whether it can be traced.

Proof is usable if it contains the following details:

• Date of the application and name of the employer
• Job title and reference number, where available
• Channel (online portal, email, post) and proof of delivery
• Type of application (written, by phone, in person) and outcome

Not accepted are mass applications without a specific job reference, applications for advertised positions you obviously do not meet, or proof without a date. Anyone who only responds to adverts also has poorer chances: speculative applications count too and demonstrate initiative – important when the number of suitable adverts is small.

In practice, a simple table (date, company, position, channel, status) into which every application is entered as it is sent has proven its worth. Lists reconstructed afterwards are the most common reason for awkward questions in the interview.

Unemployment insurance requires you to accept reasonable work (zumutbare Arbeit). Work is reasonable if it matches your abilities or can reasonably be expected of you – the longer unemployment lasts, the lower the demands regarding salary and type of activity.

Not reasonable are, among others, positions that breach mandatory law, endanger your health or involve an unreasonable commute. Important: the RAV does not make this assessment alone – if you are unsure, it is worth asking before you decline.

Breaches of duty – late registration, missing proof of application, failing to attend an interview, refusing reasonable work – can lead to suspension days (Einstelltage). These are graded by severity and can add up. A well-kept application log is therefore not bureaucracy but your protection.

The first phase decides the statistics – and your motivation. A realistic plan for four weeks:

1. Week 1: register with the RAV, assemble documents, request references, bring your CV up to date (most recent role with figures, not just duties).
2. Week 2: define target companies (sector, region, size), research 15–20 firms, prepare cover letters in two or three variants.
3. Week 3: send the first wave of applications, record the proof, note the phone number of the contact person.
4. Week 4: follow up (one week after sending), activate your network, close gaps in your profile.

Two details make the difference: a CV with results ("accounts receivable from 300+ suppliers, CHF 8 million in monthly payment volume") instead of lists of duties, and a cover letter that addresses the specific position rather than the sector in general.