There are no practical instructions, which is why the process of SECO (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs) approval for permanent placement & contracting is still a mystery for many specialized staffing agencies. For international staffing agencies, there is a limited service offering on best practices when expanding into Switzerland.

This guide illustrates HUCAI’s consulting approach to discuss real-life experiences of foreign companies that want to establish themselves in the Swiss human resources market. We want to shed light on why it is interesting for international staffing companies to offer their services in Switzerland, what challenges are associated with applying for a SECO permit and how HUCAI can help you to be successful faster.

Switzerland is a crucial hub in the STEM market, as one of the few specialists in the recruitment industry we are therefore pleased to help our clients to a successful enter the Swiss market.

(Thomas A. Sola | CEO HUCAI AG)

Recognized by KPMG as number one for global competitiveness, innovation and location choice, Switzerland is recognized as a leading home for biotech, engineering and technology companies. Since the future lies precisely in the technology sector, Switzerland is a promising business location where specialists and managers at well-known companies can help shape the world of tomorrow.

For this reason, it is important to be active on site as a staffing company in order to be able to place talents and executives quickly and easily, especially in the tech sector. For staffing companies that adopt an agile approach, Switzerland therefore offers a lucrative future market with a great deal of growth potential.

If a foreign staffing company wants to place talent in the Swiss labor market, it needs a SECO permit. This represents a major challenge for many staffing companies, as information about the approval process is scarce.

The legal framework is clear: Anyone who wants to provide staffing services in Switzerland needs to be approved by SECO. 

A distinction is made between two types of licenses: permanent staffing licenses and staff leasing or contracting licenses. The former is intended for the placement of permanent positions, the latter for the placement of personnel on a temporary basis.

The following requirements must be met in order for a SECO permit to be issued:

• Staffing company must be entered in the Swiss commercial register
• Staffing company requires a physical registered office Staffing company
• requires an authorized representative who is either a Swiss citizen or a foreigner resident in Switzerland

It usually takes 10 to 14 weeks until a SECO permit is available – provided that all the necessary documents are correctly completed and submitted to SECO.

(Thomas Stiegler | CFO HUCAI AG)

The SECO permit is crucial to enable your staffing business to build positive and sustainable client relationships, which will then lead to improved visibility, consistent and more effective staffing services, and reduced operational costs such as payrolling.

However, the HUCAI team not only supports you in the approval process of a SECO license – we support you comprehensively in the expansion of your company into Switzerland, which we have proven adds tremendous value to our clients’ organisation.

We know the Swiss market, the customs and the recruitment processes. With extensive experience on the agency side in various Swiss branches, we can not only support existing Swiss businesses, but also companies that want to expand into the Swiss interim and permanent employment market.

(Hermann T. Bär  | Head of Life Science Advisory)

Our experience here at HUCAI shows us that there is no market entry like everyone else is, even if staffing companies operate in a similar sector. The strategy for a successful market entry is therefore individual and should be tailored precisely to the business model of the staffing company.

The good news is: If you plan to expand into the Swiss market and serve local customers, a change in business strategy is not mandatory. However, the staffing services offered must be correctly translated and implemented. The consultants at HUCAI are your partner for strategic market entry and will show you the special features of the Swiss recruitment market. 

This enables an efficient entry and saves you both operational and financial frustration because suboptimal strategies are not implemented in the first place. With a quick and efficient market entry, you serve the Swiss labor market at an early stage and in this way also secure competitive advantages in your specific market segment.

By directly providing recruitment services for temporary and permanent employees, our customers have a competitive advantage and a single point of contact for their market entry in Switzerland.

(Andre T. Sola | CEO HUCAI AG)

We have a dedicated team specializing in the Swiss HR industry, providing advisory services covering various aspects of the SECO licensing process, including regulatory administration, legal framework, and operational and strategic best practices.

Thanks to our many years of experience, our team has extensive knowledge of the market, which we use to validate your expansion strategy and, if necessary, adapt it to the Swiss staffing market. The experts at HUCAI will show you where the potential in your market segment is greatest and where you can best serve the market with your staffing services. With this insight, your staffing company is perfectly equipped for entering the Swiss market and for further growth.