Your household is the employer · St. Gallen
Senior home help in St. Gallen: your household's duties as employer
This page is for a household whose Helper for senior home help does work like this:
- Companionship at home
- Light household help
- Meal preparation support
- Errands and appointment support
- Routine check-in visits
What does a household that employs a Helper for senior home help in St. Gallen have to do?
- Register your Helper with SVA St.Gallen within 30 days of the first working day under the simplified settlement procedure.
- Pay a Helper for senior home help without a qualification at least CHF 20.35 an hour, plus holiday pay. The federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) sets this legal minimum.
- 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 St. Gallen standard contract requires the household to take out daily sickness benefit insurance (Art. 20 sGS 513.1).
What differs in St. Gallen
- The federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) covers a Helper for senior home help who works on average at least 5 hours a week for the same household: CHF 20.35 an hour without a qualification.
- The St. Gallen standard contract asks for more in writing:
- Show working time by day and by night, and presence time, on each statement (Art. 10 para. 2 NAV SG, sGS 513.1).
- Probation differs from the federal rule:
- Probation lasts 1 month, with a notice of 3 days during it.
- After probation, notice in St. Gallen follows the canton's own steps by years of service.
The lowest hourly wage for a Helper for senior home help in St. Gallen in 2026
The federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) covers a Helper for senior home help who works on average at least 5 hours a week for the same household.
| Qualification | Lowest hourly wage |
|---|---|
| No qualification | CHF 20.35 · federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) By law: CHF 20.35, federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) |
| At least four years of household experience | CHF 22.30 · federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) By law: CHF 22.30, federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) |
| Three year certificate (EFZ) | CHF 24.55 · federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) By law: CHF 24.55, federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV) |
Contributions in St. Gallen 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) | 1.8 % | CHF 20.35 | CHF 0.00 |
| Compensation office administration costs | 5 % of all AHV/IV/EO contributions | CHF 6.00 | CHF 0.00 |
| Total | CHF 98.75 | CHF 72.40 |
a month · CHF 35.63 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 98.75 |
| Accident insurance | CHF 5.70 |
| You pay a month | CHF 1’235.14 |
How many weeks of paid holidays does a Helper get in the canton of St. Gallen, 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 10 years with the same household
Source: NAV hauswirtschaftliche Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer, sGS 513.1, Art. 17, Art. 15 Abs. 3, read on 9 October 2026.
Probation and notice in St. Gallen
Notice after probation
- Year 1 of service: 1 month, to the end of a month.
- From year 2 of service: 2 months, to the end of a month.
Standard contract and offices
Cities in St. Gallen
More for households in St. Gallen
- Cleaning and housekeeping in St. Gallen: your duties as employer
- Childcare in St. Gallen: your duties as employer
- Household help in St. Gallen: the canton guide
- Senior home help and companionship: 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 1’251.04
- 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 1’259.04
- 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 Helper for senior home help in St. Gallen
What is the lowest hourly wage for a Helper for senior home help in St. Gallen in 2026?
Without a qualification, CHF 20.35 an hour plus holiday pay: the legal minimum under the federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV).
How much paid holiday does a Helper for senior home help get in St. Gallen?
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 Helper for senior home help in St. Gallen?
During probation, the notice is 3 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 St. Gallen?
The St. Gallen 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 Helper for senior home help in St. Gallen?
CHF 20.35 an hour: federal standard contract for domestic work (NAV).
Does the federal standard contract for domestic work cover a Helper for senior home help?
Yes, when your Helper works on average at least 5 hours a week for your household.
Does the lowest wage for a Helper for senior home help change on 1 January 2027?
No. On the figures published so far, the lowest wage in St. Gallen stays the same.
Which cities in St. Gallen have a Helpore page for a Helper for senior home help?
Helpore has a page about a Helper for senior home help in each of these cities: St. Gallen.
What family allowance rate does the household pay in St. Gallen?
1.8 % of the gross wage, paid by the household.
Does the household need daily sickness benefit insurance in St. Gallen?
Yes. The Normalarbeitsvertrag für hauswirtschaftliche Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer des Kantons St. Gallen requires the household to take it out (Art. 20 sGS 513.1).
Which standard contract for household work applies in St. Gallen?
Normalarbeitsvertrag für hauswirtschaftliche Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer des Kantons St. Gallen, sGS 513.1.