Your household is the employer · Zurich
Childcare at home in Zurich: 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 Zurich have to do?
- Register your Helper with SVA Zürich within 30 days of the first working day under the simplified settlement procedure.
- Helpore found no legal minimum for a childcare Helper in Zurich. 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.
What differs in Zurich
- The federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) excludes people mainly responsible for childcare, so it sets no minimum for a childcare Helper.
- Zürich voted a minimum wage; it is not in force.
- Winterthur voted a minimum wage; it is not in force.
The lowest hourly wage for a childcare Helper in Zurich 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 |
City minimum wages in Zurich
- Zürich: voted, not in force
- Winterthur: voted, not in force
Contributions in Zurich 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) | 1.025 % | CHF 11.60 | CHF 0.00 |
| Compensation office administration costs | 5 % of all AHV/IV/EO contributions | CHF 6.00 | CHF 0.00 |
| Total | CHF 90.00 | CHF 72.40 |
a month · CHF 35.38 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 90.00 |
| Accident insurance | CHF 5.70 |
| You pay a month | CHF 1’226.39 |
How many weeks of paid holidays does a Helper get in the canton of Zurich, and what applies on public holidays?
At least 4 weeks of paid holidays a year, and 5 weeks in these cases:
- under age 20
Source: CO Art. 329a para. 1, read on 28 September 2026.
Probation and notice in Zurich
Probation: 1 month.
Notice during probation: 7 days.
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: CO Art. 335a, 335b, 335c, 360; Stand 01.01.2026, read on 28 September 2026
What goes in writing in Zurich
Helpore has found no cantonal rule in Zurich that adds a written duty to the federal rules.
Standard contract and offices
Cities in Zurich
- Zurich
- Winterthur
- Uster
More for households in Zurich
- Cleaning and housekeeping in Zurich: your duties as employer
- Senior home help and companionship in Zurich: your duties as employer
- Household help in Zurich: the canton guide
- 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 1’242.29
- 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 1’250.29
- 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 Zurich
What is the lowest hourly wage for a childcare Helper in Zurich in 2026?
Helpore found no legal minimum for this role in Zurich. 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 Zurich?
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 Zurich?
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 Zurich?
Helpore found no written duty in Zurich beyond the federal rules.
Which rule sets the lowest wage for a childcare Helper in Zurich?
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 Zurich stays the same.
Which cities in Zurich set their own minimum for a childcare Helper?
In Zürich, a city minimum wage has been voted but is not in force. In Winterthur, a city minimum wage has been voted but is not in force.
Where does the household register a childcare Helper in Zurich?
With SVA Zürich, the compensation office for the canton, within 30 days of the first working day under the simplified settlement procedure.
How long is the probation for a childcare Helper in Zurich?
Probation lasts 1 month, with a notice of 7 days during it.