Huge regional differences due to unregistered work: This is how little domestic helpers earn in Switzerland

class = “sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc”>

They are at the bottom of the labor market food chain: domestic helpers. They clean the apartment, look after the children or mow the lawn. A new report now provides figures on employment conditions for this professional group.

The Quitt platform’s report states that 50 percent of Swiss households do not record cleaning aid correctly. According to its own information, the ETH subsidiary is the market leader in the private hiring and billing of domestic helpers. Cleaners, babysitters, etc. Not registering or insuring is illegal, which means large parts of the industry are left in the dark.

High hourly wage – but only at first glance

Every year, Quitt analyzes contracts signed through its platform; last year this number was close to 10,000. This shows: The average gross hourly wage of domestic helpers across Switzerland was 31.24 francs in 2023. Last year it was 30.77 francs. A 1.5 percent wage increase, however, cannot compensate for annual inflation of 2.1 percent. In fact, there was a loss in the real wages of domestic helpers compared to the previous year.

At first glance, a good hourly wage of 31 francs may seem like a lot. Only: Most domestic helpers work on a very small basis, and the hourly wage cannot be extrapolated to a hypothetical full-time monthly wage.

French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino are leaders in informal employment

The report also shows large wage differences by region: Domestic helpers earn the best wages in the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Zurich and Zug, with gross hourly wages between 33.60 and 32.50 francs.

Wages are lowest in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino, with gross hourly wages starting at 26.80 francs. Quitt explains that this has to do with generally low fare levels in Ticino and French-speaking Switzerland, as well as cross-border travelers. And with undeclared work: According to official figures, more domestic workers are working undercover in Latin Switzerland. “Illegal competition also drives down the wages of legally employed domestic workers,” the new report says.

The cleaning industry has been experiencing a boom since the pandemic: Demand for cleaners has increased by up to 15 percent. Cleaning helpers are especially popular among young people. According to the Homegate survey, multi-person households without children (classic shared flats) are particularly likely to be able to afford a cleaner.

Source :Blick