Due to high earnings and decent working conditions, Switzerland has become a popular destination among economic migrants. If you live and work in Switzerland, you must be wondering what are the days off and holidays in Switzerland – when do they fall? How to plan your vacation in 2023?
Days off and Holidays in Switzerland 2023
At the beginning, let’s recall what the administrative division of Switzerland looks like.
Well, Switzerland is divided into 26 cantons (states). In each of them, the case regarding statutory non-working days looks a bit different. The number of days off is determined at the given canton level. For example, people living and working in the canton of Ticino and Solothurn are entitled to as many as 15 statutory days off. On the other hand, the canton of Basel has only 9 statutory non-working days. The only holiday celebrated in all cantons is the Swiss National Day celebrated on August 1.
Holidays in Switzerland 2023:
- New Year’s Day – January 1 (Sunday)
- St. Berchtold’s Day (Berchtoldstag) – January 2 (Monday) – celebrated in 14 cantons
- Good Friday – April 7 (even though it is not an official holiday in the canton of Ticino and Valais, shops are closed)
- Easter Monday – April 10 (it is a working day in the canton of Valais)
- Ascension of the Lord – May 18 (Thursday)
- Pentecost Monday – May 29 (in Valais it is a working day)
- Corpus Christi – June 8 (Thursday) – celebrated in 14 cantons
- Swiss National Day – August 1 (Tuesday)
- All Saints’ Day – November 1 (Wednesday) – a day off in 15 cantons
- Christmas – December 25 (Monday)
- St. Stephen’s Day (2nd Christmas Day / Boxing Day) – December 26 (Tuesday) – day off in 21 cantons
Certain holidays are celebrated only in some cantons.
| Name of the Holiday | Date for 2023 | Canton |
| Republic Day | March 1 | Neuchâtel |
| Näfelser Fahrt | April 13 | Glarus |
| Juran Independence Day | June 23 | Jura |
| Genevan Fast (Jeûne Genevois) | September 7 | Geneva |
| The day after the Federal Post (El dia después del Correo Federal) | September 18 | Vaud |
| St. Mauritius’ Day | September 22 | Appenzell Innerrhoden |
| St. Niklaus of Flüe Day | September 25 | Obwalden |
| Christmas Eve | December 24 | Glarus |
| 2nd Christmas Day | December 26 | Neuchâtel |
| New Year’s Eve | December 31 | Glarus |
| Restaurant Day | December 31 | Geneva |
Here you can find the the complete list
Days off and Holidays in Switzerland – how to plan a vacation in 2023?
In Switzerland, employees over 20 years of age are entitled to 4 weeks of holiday leave.
On the other hand, trainees and people under this age limit can have up to 5 weeks at their disposal. Compared to other countries, Switzerland has quite a large number of days off. However, it should be borne in mind that in some cantons people work on public holidays, which in most European countries are statutory days off.
How to find a job in Switzerland? – A guide
Jobs in Switzerland and a holiday leave
Do you work in Switzerland and wonder how to use your holiday leave to save as many holiday days as possible? Weave statutory non-working days into your holiday leave! However, before you start planning, be sure to check how many statutory non-working days are available in your canton.
Here is the proposal on how to plan a vacation in Switzerland for 2023.
- January 1-3 (Sunday – Tuesday)
- April 6-11 (Thursday – Tuesday)
- May 18-21 (Thursday – Sunday)
- May 26-29 (Friday – Monday)
- June 8-11 (Thursday – Sunday)
- July 31 – August 1 (Monday – Tuesday)
- November 1 – November 5 (Wednesday – Sunday)
- December 22-26 (Friday – Tuesday)
