Legal minimum wages in Ticino: developments and prospects (cross-border guide)

Context

In a nutshell

• The Cantons of Neuchâtel, Jura, Ticino and Basel-City have cantonal minimum wages.
• The City of Lucerne has approved a minimum wage from 1 January 2026.
• Electricians and voters in Zurich and Winterthur approved minimum wages in June 2026.
• The Federal Parliament is attempting to abolish the minimum wages in force.

Key facts

• What: Legal minimum wages
• When: June 2026
• Where: Cantons of Neuchâtel, Jura, Ticino and Basel City
• Who: Zurich and Winterthur Electors
• Amount: CHF 20.00-20.50/hour CHF 3640/month (42 hours)

Developments and prospects

In the Canton of Ticino, the minimum wage is CHF 20.00/hour for regular hours and CHF 20.50/hour for night or holiday hours. This means that a worker who works 42 hours per week, with a regular schedule, will receive CHF 840/hour and CHF 864/hour if they work nights or holidays. For the month of June 2026, a worker working 42 hours per week will receive CHF 3640/month. It is important to note that these minimum wages are only applicable to workers working on behalf of an employer, and not to self-employed workers or employees of a company.

The Federal Parliament is trying to abolish the minimum wages in force, but this measure does not seem to have much support. According to statistics, 70% of voters in the Canton of Ticino are in favour of minimum wages, while only 20% are opposed. In addition, 50% of Zurich voters

Operational details

Legal minimum wages in Ticino: developments and prospects

Cantonal minimum wages were introduced following the approval of cantonal initiatives. Some cantons have already implemented minimum wages, while others are still under discussion. The City of Lucerne has already approved a minimum wage from 1 January 2026.

Switzerland, in particular, is known for its stable and competitive economy, but the issue of minimum wages has been debated in some cantons. In Ticino, for example, the minimum wage has been the subject of discussion in recent years. In 2022, the State Council of the Canton of Ticino approved an increase in the minimum wage, which was set at CHF 4,600 per month for adults and CHF3,600 for young people under the age of 20.

The legislation in force provides that employers must pay at least the minimum wage to all employees working in the Canton. This also includes seasonal workers and temporary workers. However, it is important to note that the minimum wage is not applicable to employees who work part-time or on a fixed-term basis.

Here are some examples of how the minimum wage could be applied in practice:

• A worker working 40 hours per week at an hourly rate of CHF 20.50 per day would receive a monthly salary of CHF 4,080. However, if the Canton's minimum wage is CHF 4,600, the employer should pay the worker CHF 520 in

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Key points

If you want to know what your pockets will look like after the minimum wage increases, you might consider using another tool to calculate your income. In Ticino, Law no. 151 of 2 April 2019 establishes that minimum wages must be updated annually based on inflation. According to the decree of 24 February 2022, the minimum hourly amounts for 2023 were set at 4.82 Swiss francs for workers with less than 2 years' experience and 5.33 Swiss francs for workers with more than 2 years' experience.

To get a better idea of how these changes might affect your income, let's consider a concrete example. Suppose you are a worker from Bellinzona with 5 years' experience, working 40 hours a week with an hourly wage of 6 Swiss francs. According to the law, the minimum hourly wage should be 5.33 Swiss francs. In this case, your monthly net income would be about 2,640 Swiss francs, considering an employment of 90% of the gross salary.

However, it is important to note that this calculation is only an approximation and that your actual income may vary based on factors such as taxes, transportation charges, and other tax deductions. In addition, it is always advisable to consult an expert in personal finance to get a more complete overview of your economic situation.

To help you assess the consequences of the increase in minimum wages, here

Source: unia.ch