Private Household Employees Ordinance (PHEO), of 6 June 2011, in force since 1 July 2011

Last update: September 2011

On 6 June 2011 the Swiss Federal Council (Swiss Government) adopted the Private House-hold Employees Ordinance (PHEO). This ordinance sets out the conditions of entry into Switzerland, of residence and of working conditions for private domestics employed by members of the staff of diplomatic missions, permanent missions, of consular posts and of international organisations. 

This ordinance enters into force on 1 July 2011 and replaces the Directive of the Fed-eral Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) of 1 May 2006 on the hiring of private servants. Employment contracts concluded before the entry into force of the PHEO will remain subject to the FDFA Directive of 1 May 2006 at the latest until the expiry of the legitimation card of the private employee. The employer et the private employee may at any time conclude a new contract that is in conformity with the PHEO. 

The diplomatic missions and the consular posts have been informed about this in a circular verbal note dated 8 June 2011 by FDFA Protocol. The permanent missions and the interna-tional organisations have been informed in a circular note dated 8 June 2011 by the Swiss Mission. 

The ordinance is addressed to employers who wish to engage a private employee with a legitimation card and to those who already have one working for them, and to the private em-ployees themselves.

Private Household Employees Ordinance

Specimen of working contract

Specimen of pay slip

Employer's declaration (form)

Private household employee's declaration (form) (PDF, 248.3 kB, English)

Table for the calculation of insurances contributions and premiums

The working contract specimen is available in format „word“ and the pay slip specimen in format “excel” and the table allowing to convert the net salary and the gross salary, to calculate the hourly salary rate for the payment for hours worked overtime and to calculate the insurances contributions and premiums upon request by e-mail:  protokoll-priv-immu@eda.admin.ch

Ordinance and appendices in Spanish can be found on the page in French

An Information Note, translated in several languages, which is a summary of the Ordinance, has been prepared for the private servant

English Version

French Version

Spanish Version

German Version

Italian Version

Portuguese Version (PDF, 8 Pages, 64.8 kB)

Employment Registration Desk for private household employees of members of dip-lomatic missions, permanent missions, consular posts and international civil servants, as well as for the employers of such private household employees

On 7 September 2011 the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs sent to all diplomatic missions in Switzerland and consular posts dependent on a embassy abroad the circular note no 11 drawing their attention to article 8 PHEO (Priority is to be given to private household em-ployees that are already in Switzerland) and to existence of the employment registration desk. For more detailed information on the purpose of this desk, on the persons with access to it and on how it works) consult the following notice informative:

 Information note

Privileges and Immunities Section
Bundesgasse 32
3003 Berne
Fax +41 (0)58 464 90 62

For staff members of embassies:
Tel. +41 (0)58 462 30 18

For staff members of consulates:
Tel. +41 (0)58 485 27 70 et (0)58 462 30 20
E-Mail: protokoll-priv-immu@eda.admin.ch