12 December 2025

Swiss social security insurance when leaving Switzerland: options for continued coverage

  • Articles
  • Legal
  • Employment / Immigration

The Old Age and Survivors' Insurance (AHV) is the cornerstone of the Swiss social security insurance system. Anyone who works and lives in Switzerland is generally required to have social security insurance through the AHV. But what happens to insurance coverage when you move abroad? Depending on your situation, there are several options for maintaining full or at least partial coverage and avoiding gaps in contributions. In this article, we will provide an overview of the most important options available.

  • Patricia Neuhaus

    Legal Associate

  • Michèle Stutz

    Legal Partner

1. Retaining Swiss social security insurance coverage when posted abroad from Switzerland on the basis of a bilateral or multilateral agreement

There are numerous bilateral and multilateral social security agreements between Switzerland and other countries, particularly with EU/EFTA countries. These social security agreements regulate social security coverage between the contracting states and are intended in particular to prevent double insurance of persons who are employed, self-employed or perform work in several countries or who are resident in one country and work in another. Social security agreements usually contain provisions on posting. Under these provisions, employees from one contracting state may be temporarily posted by their employer to another contracting state. When an employee is posted abroad, the employee remains subject to the social security system of their country of origin, provided that all conditions set out in the applicable social security agreement are fulfilled. To verify these conditions, the relevant social security agreement must be consulted. The posting cannot be for an indefinite period, but is generally limited to two years and can then usually be extended to up to six years. In order for the posted employee to prove their insurance coverage in their country of origin (in this case, Switzerland), the competent compensation office issues a certificate of posting. If the EU/EFTA social security agreements apply, a so-called A1 posting certificate is issued. In all other cases, the document is called a "Certificate of Coverage (COC)". For further information on the A1 posting certificate, please refer to our previous magazine article: A1 certificate – important for cross-border activities.

When applying the respective social security agreement, the personal, material and geographical scope of application must always be clearly assessed. For example, the agreement with the EU only applies to Swiss and EU citizens. A Brazilian citizen who is resident in Switzerland but works in Germany cannot invoke the EU agreement. In contrast, under most bilateral agreements, third-country nationals can also be posted.

An overview of the countries with which Switzerland has concluded a social security agreement can be found here: Overview of social security agreements

2. Continuation of Swiss social security insurance for employees working abroad (Art. 1a para. 3 AHVG)

Employees who are temporarily working abroad for a company based in Switzerland with which Switzerland has not concluded a social security agreement (see section 1) may, under certain conditions, remain subject to Swiss social security (AHV/IV/EO and ALV). The provisions on the continuation of insurance under Art. 1a para. 3 AHVG and thus the following requirements apply only to assignments outside the EU/EFTA area and to countries that do not have a social security agreement with Switzerland.

The following conditions must be met for continuation:

  • The employment relationship must be with an employer based in Switzerland.
  • Both parties – employer and employee – must agree and consent to the continuation.
  • The salary must be paid by the Swiss employer. Salaries received from the foreign employer for the same activity may also be taken into account, provided they are correctly accounted for.
  • The employee must have been insured with the AHV for at least five years without interruption – either compulsorily or voluntarily – immediately prior to starting work abroad.
  • The application must be submitted to the compensation office no later than six months after the start of the activity abroad. If this deadline is missed, insurance will only start from the following month, which may result in a potential contribution gap.

3. Insurance cover for non-working spouses accompanying their partner abroad

Another scenario concerns spouses who are not gainfully employed and accompany their spouse, who continues to be covered by social security insurance in Switzerland, abroad. This category has the option of joining the Swiss social security insurance system and continuing to pay contributions.

The following conditions must be met in order to join the insurance scheme:

  • The person concerned is not gainfully employed.
  • The employed partner remains insured in Switzerland on the basis of posting, continuation of insurance or an international agreement between Switzerland and the relevant country.
  • The posting is not as a cross-border commuter.
  • The application must also be submitted within six months of departure so that insurance cover is retroactive from the start. Otherwise, insurance cover will only begin from the month following the month in which the application was submitted.

The application must be submitted to the competent compensation office of the employed spouse. Continuing insurance for accompanying spouses who are not gainfully employed also ensures that these persons are entitled to a pension at a later date. However, the non-working spouse's enrolment does not mean that they themselves have to pay contributions. If the working spouse pays at least twice the minimum AHV contribution, the non-working spouse is exempt from the obligation to pay contributions.

4. Voluntary insurance for Swiss citizens living abroad (outside the EU/EFTA)

Swiss citizens – as well as EU or EFTA nationals – who move their place of residence outside the EU/EFTA area have the option of joining the voluntary AHV/IV scheme.

The following conditions must be met in order to join the AHV insurance scheme:

  • The person must be a Swiss, EU or EFTA citizen.
  • This only applies to residences outside the EU/EFTA area and countries without a social security agreement with Switzerland.
  • Before leaving the country, the person must have been insured (compulsory or voluntary) under the AHV for at least five years without interruption. It is sufficient to have been insured, without having to have paid contributions for the entire period (e.g. relevant for minors who are not yet required to pay contributions but are compulsorily insured, or young people who are not yet gainfully employed).
  • The application for admission to voluntary insurance must be submitted within one year of leaving the Swiss social security insurance scheme.

Enrolment is done directly through the Swiss Compensation Office (SAK) in Geneva. Upon successful enrolment, individuals remain liable for contributions in Switzerland and consciously expose themselves to a double burden in order to maintain their pension entitlements in Switzerland and avoid contribution gaps. Voluntary insurance only applies to AHV and IV, but not to EO (income compensation scheme) and ALV (unemployment insurance).

Continuing, joining or voluntarily taking out Swiss social insurance serves as a precautionary measure against later AHV gaps. However, not every option is suitable for every person or every destination, and it must be carefully clarified in advance whether the requirements are met and what (financial) consequences continuing, joining or voluntarily taking out insurance will have.

Our team of social security specialists and experts in labour and immigration law will be happy to provide you with competent, comprehensive and personal advice.

 

Click here to learn more about our expertise:
Back