Your household is the employer · Nidwalden
Childcare at home in Nidwalden: what your household owes as employer
This page is for a household whose childcare Helper does work like this:
- After-school supervision
- Daytime childcare support
- Meal and routine help for children
- Homework-time presence
- Family schedule support
What does a household that employs a childcare Helper in Nidwalden have to do?
- Register your Helper with Ausgleichskasse Nidwalden within 30 days of the first working day under the simplified settlement procedure.
- Helpore found no legal minimum for a childcare Helper in Nidwalden. With the optional payroll plans Helpore Admin or Admin Light, pay at least Helpore Admin's own floor: CHF 20.35 an hour, plus holiday pay.
- Give at least 4 weeks of paid holidays a year. For irregular work only, add 8.33 % holiday pay to every hour, written in the contract and shown on each payslip; the holidays are still taken.
- Pay social insurance (AHV/IV/EO), unemployment insurance and family allowance contributions, and insure your Helper against accidents.
- The Nidwalden standard contract requires the household to take out daily sickness benefit insurance (Art. 17 223.1).
What differs in Nidwalden
- The federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) excludes people mainly responsible for childcare, so it sets no minimum for a childcare Helper.
- The Nidwalden standard contract asks for more in writing:
- Hand over the monthly statement, or the pay, by a set day of the following month (§ 25 para. 2 NAV NW, NG 223.1).
- Probation differs from the federal rule:
- Probation lasts 4 weeks, with a notice of 7 days during it.
The lowest hourly wage for a childcare Helper in Nidwalden in 2026
The federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) does not cover a childcare Helper. Helpore Admin applies its hourly wages as Helpore Admin's own floor, not a legal minimum.
| Qualification | Lowest hourly wage |
|---|---|
| No qualification | CHF 20.35 · Helpore Admin's own floor, not a legal minimum No legal minimum found |
| At least four years of household experience | CHF 22.30 · Helpore Admin's own floor, not a legal minimum No legal minimum found |
| Three year certificate (EFZ) | CHF 24.55 · Helpore Admin's own floor, not a legal minimum No legal minimum found |
Contributions in Nidwalden in 2026: who pays what
| Contribution | Rate | Household pays | Deducted from the Helper's wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| AHV/IV/EO | 5.3 % | CHF 59.95 | CHF 59.95 |
| Unemployment insurance (ALV) | 1.1 % | CHF 12.45 | CHF 12.45 |
| Family allowance fund (FAK) | 1.5 % | CHF 16.95 | CHF 0.00 |
| Compensation office administration costs | 3 % of all AHV/IV/EO contributions | CHF 3.60 | CHF 0.00 |
| Total | CHF 92.95 | CHF 72.40 |
a month · CHF 35.51 per hour worked
| Wage | CHF 1’040.00 |
|---|---|
| Public holidays 0.39 % | CHF 4.06 |
| Holiday pay 8.33 % | CHF 86.63 |
| Employer contributions | CHF 92.95 |
| Accident insurance | CHF 7.30 |
| You pay a month | CHF 1’230.94 |
How many weeks of paid holidays does a Helper get in the canton of Nidwalden, and what applies on public holidays?
At least 4 weeks of paid holidays a year, and 5 weeks in these cases:
- under age 20
- from age 50, after 5 years with the same household
Source: Kantonaler NAV Hauswirtschaft, NG 223.1, § 21, § 19 Abs. 1, read on 9 October 2026.
Probation and notice in Nidwalden
Notice after probation
- Year 1 of service: 1 month, to the end of a month.
- Years 2 to 9 of service: 2 months, to the end of a month.
- From year 10 of service: 3 months, to the end of a month.
Source: §4, §27, §28 Abs. 2 (Art. 335 ff. OR), read on 28 September 2026
Standard contract and offices
More for households in Nidwalden
- Cleaning and housekeeping in Nidwalden: your duties as employer
- Senior home help and companionship in Nidwalden: your duties as employer
- Childcare: the rules across Switzerland
- How to register household help in Switzerland
Neighbouring cantons
Optional help with the paperwork: Helpore Admin files it for you, Helpore Admin Light prepares it
You have someone and stay in control
Helpore Admin Light
CHF 15.90 per month
Your month at 8 h and CHF 30.00CHF 1’246.84
- Your Helper's payslip every month
- Contributions worked out to the rappen
- Every document in order
You have someone and want it fully handled
Helpore Admin
CHF 23.90 per month
Your month at 8 h and CHF 30.00CHF 1’254.84
- Registration of the employment
- Monthly payroll, payslips and contributions
- Insurance administration and the year end statement
Your household is the employer. Both plans are optional, and Helpers never pay a fee.
Questions about employing a childcare Helper in Nidwalden
What is the lowest hourly wage for a childcare Helper in Nidwalden in 2026?
Helpore found no legal minimum for this role in Nidwalden. If you use Helpore Admin or Admin Light, the lowest wage is CHF 20.35 an hour plus holiday pay, Helpore Admin's own floor.
How much paid holiday does a childcare Helper get in Nidwalden?
At least 4 weeks a year. Holiday pay of 8.33 % on every hour: irregular work only, written in the contract and on each payslip; the holidays are still taken.
How much notice does the household give a childcare Helper in Nidwalden?
During probation, the notice is 7 days; in the first year of service, 1 month to the end of a month. After that, the notice grows with the years of service.
What must the household put in writing in Nidwalden?
The Nidwalden standard contract adds written duties to the federal rules; this page lists each one with its article.
Which rule sets the lowest wage for a childcare Helper in Nidwalden?
CHF 20.35 an hour: Helpore Admin's own floor, not a legal minimum.
Does the federal standard contract for domestic work cover a childcare Helper?
No. It excludes people mainly responsible for childcare, so a childcare Helper falls outside it.
Does the lowest wage for a childcare Helper change on 1 January 2027?
No. On the figures published so far, the lowest wage in Nidwalden stays the same.
Where does the household register a childcare Helper in Nidwalden?
With Ausgleichskasse Nidwalden, the compensation office for the canton, within 30 days of the first working day under the simplified settlement procedure.
Does the household need daily sickness benefit insurance in Nidwalden?
Yes. The Normalarbeitsvertrag für Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer in der Hauswirtschaft des Kantons Nidwalden (NAV Hauswirtschaft) requires the household to take it out (Art. 17 223.1).