Working in an international context
International collaboration and research often require spatial flexibility. Mobility is also increasingly important to better fulfil family and/or personal needs. Several conditions must be observed when working from abroad.
Generally, ETH Zurich employees work at an ETH site in Switzerland and perform their work in Switzerland. Work abroad is limited in time and depends on the destination.
- The following information is aimed at ETH employees who are employed in Switzerland.
- Professors refer to the travel regulations of the Office for Faculty Affairs.
- Employees who are employed in Singapore are subject to the regulations of the Singapore ETH Centre.
Business trips and longer assignments abroad
Business trips are short stays outside Switzerland in the name and on behalf of ETH Zurich of a maximum of four weeks. Business trips typically include attending a conference or congress abroad.
Business trips do not have to be reported to HR Administration.
If the destination of the business trip requires a certificate of secondment, this can be submitted later. Please contact your HR Administrator for this.
Employees are deemed to be on secondment if they are travelling abroad for professional reasons and in the name and on behalf of ETH Zurich and continue to work for ETH Zurich in Switzerland after their return.
Secondments of a maximum duration of four weeks are considered a business trip within ETH Zurich and are not subject to authorisation.
Secondments that last longer than four weeks must be applied for at your HR Administrator. This is usually the case, for example, for longer periods of research work or the fulfilment of an assignment at a foreign university. Please find important advice on how to apply for such a secondment in the paragraph below.
Contact your HR Administrator at least four weeks before the planned start of the secondment and add the following details of the employees to be seconded.
- First name and surname
- Nationality
- Destination (country to which the person is travelling to perform the work)
- Duration of the stay abroad (exact arrival and departure dates)
- Will the employee remain employed at ETH Zurich in Switzerland after the assignment abroad?
The HR Administrators will check and clarify the details of the secondment status. They then apply for confirmation of secondment from the relevant authorities. This will be sent to the employee.
The certificate of secondment must be carried when travelling to the country of secondment.
Working remotely abroad – for private reasons
Work for ETH Zurich must generally be performed in Switzerland. Working from abroad for private reasons is possible upon request and in well-founded cases (e.g. family reasons) for a maximum of two weeks per calendar year, i.e. 10 working days with a 100 per cent workload – provided that all of the following conditions are met.
- The conditions for remote work are complied with accordingly when working from abroad, e.g. regarding data security, working environment and availability.
- Depending on your nationality and the destination from which you are working, the conditions in the right column must be met before you begin work:
* The confirmation from HR payroll is to be obtained by e-mail, stating the period (max. two weeks) and the approval of the supervisor.
Further notes
- Special conditions apply for work from the country of residence as cross-border commuters.
- ETH Zurich employees are not eligible for remote work from abroad.
No, ETH employees have an employment contract under public law, which requires the employee's place of work and residence to be in Switzerland. Writing a dissertation abroad also falls under this provision and is not permissible, as this is considered paid work at ETH Zurich.
To enable private mobility abroad, ETH allows employees to work from abroad for a limited period up to a maximum of two weeks per calendar year, provided the conditions as listed above are met.
Residence abroad
No, because if you are employed at ETH Zurich, your official place of residence must be in Switzerland. In that case, working from the foreign home country or another foreign destination is possible under the conditions listed above.
Exception: Special conditions apply for work from the country of residence as a cross-border commuter.
Yes, this is generally possible for employees with a G permit (cross-border commuters) and EU/EFTA nationality. The conditions for this can be found in remote work in the country of residence – for cross-border commuters.