Changing jobs in Switzerland: what happens to your 2nd pillar
Occupational pension provision is governed by federal law: the rules below are the same in every canton. What changes from one case to another is your pension fund's own regulations - they set the details, and they're given to you on request.
1. Understand what belongs to you
The capital accumulated in your employer's pension fund is yours, not theirs. When you leave the company, it becomes your "exit benefit", also called vested benefits. It never stays with the former employer: it must be transferred somewhere, and this is the step many people let happen on its own without knowing where the money ends up.
2. If you're moving straight into a new job
Your exit benefit must be transferred to your new employer's pension fund. The move that avoids every problem: proactively tell your new fund the name of the one you were insured with before, right from your first day. Take the opportunity to read your new pension certificate - the plan and contribution rate vary significantly from one employer to another, and any health-related reservation on risk benefits must be disclosed to you upon entry.
3. If you're not taking up a job right away
Between two positions, on a sabbatical, unemployed, or moving abroad, no pension fund can receive your capital. It must then be paid into a vested benefits account or policy, which you open yourself with the institution of your choice. If you give no instructions, your former fund will transfer your assets to the LPP substitute institution - it isn't lost, but it sits there dormant with no one following up with you.
4. Watch out for coverage gaps
2nd pillar affiliation assumes a sufficient annual salary with a single employer. Reduced part-time work, several employers each staying below the threshold, or a move to self-employment can therefore drop you out of it without it being announced as such. The consequence isn't just a lower future pension: disability and death benefits also disappear during that period. The LPP substitute institution exists specifically to take in people without a fund.
5. Finding forgotten assets
After several employers, a period abroad, or a break in activity, it's common for vested benefits to sit somewhere without the institution knowing how to reach you. The Central Office for 2nd Pillar, linked to the LPP Guarantee Fund, searches for free: it compares your data against assets reported by pension institutions. The request is made in writing - the form is filled in online, then printed, signed and sent; no information is given over the phone.
Official sources
Answer a few questions once: wézon identifies the modules that apply to you, with their deadlines and the right contact, for free.
Start my profile