Allowances for family
Parents who are in paid work are entitled to family allowances. The purpose of this supplemental income is to partially compensate parents for the costs associated with raising a child.
Eligibility criteria
You are entitled to family allowances for each of your children provided that you are in paid work – employee or self-employed – and earn a minimum of CHF 7,560 per year, or CHF 630 per month.
If you are not in paid work, you may, under certain conditions, be entitled to a family allowance.
Only one allowance is issued per child even if both parents are in paid work (employee/self-employed). The decision on who will receive this allowance is made based on a pre-defined order of precedence. If the allowance paid to the parent whose entitlement takes precedence is less than the allowance that the other parent would have received, the parents can submit a request for payment of the difference.
More information about conditions
If your child lives abroad, you will find additional information here: Children living abroad
Benefits
There are two types of family allowances which are paid out in all Swiss cantons: the child allowance and the education allowance.
Some cantons also pay a one-time childbirth allowance and, in some cases, a one-time adoption allowance.
Child allowance
You are entitled to claim a child allowance for your child from their birth until their 16th birthday. The minimum monthly child allowance is CHF 215.
Education allowance
You are entitled to claim an education allowance for your child from the month when their post-obligatory education or training programme begins but no earlier than their 15th birthday and not beyond their 25th birthday. The minimum monthly education allowance is CHF 268.
Childbirth/adoption allowance
The cantons of Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Schwyz, Uri, Valais and Vaud pay a one-time childbirth allowance. With the exception of Schwyz, these cantons also pay a one-time adoption allowance.
Agricultural workers
You are entitled at least to the minimum child allowance and minimum education allowance per child. Nonetheless, special conditions apply : Family allowances for agricultural workers.
Contributions
If you are a salaried employee, your employer pays family allowance contributions. However, if you work in the canton of Valais, you and your employer pay contributions.
If you are self-employed, you pay contributions to the family allowances office where you are registered.
Application process
If you are in salaried employment, you need to ask your employer to apply to their family allowances office.
If you are self-employed, you need to submit your application to the family allowances office where you are registered.
Contact
Most OASI offices have a family allowances office. List of OASI offices: