Are Swiss placement agencies free for the candidate? (cross-border guide)
Answered with official sources — Job search and CV
Updated 11 August 2026
Answer
Yes, mandatorily free for the candidate. The Employment Services and Hiring of Services Act (LC, RS 823.11) art. 9 forbids charging the worker source: Fedlex LC RS 823.11. Agencies are paid by the employer client. Temporary workers (interim) are paid directly by the agency (Adecco, Randstad, Manpower, Kelly) under the collective temp-work CLA, with guaranteed minimum salaries and seniority bonuses. If an agency requests fees or subscriptions, report to SECO (Ticino: market supervision office). Most used free online agencies: jobs.ch, jobup.ch, jobsuchmaschine.ch. Cross-border workers can register with the Swiss URC (Regional Employment Office) only if unemployed with U1 form.
Official sources
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The information on this page is for guidance only and does not replace personal advice from an accountant, lawyer or union office. Tax, social-security and permit rules change frequently: always verify with the official sources linked in each answer.