ALV Daily Allowances Switzerland 2026: How Your Unemployment Benefit Is Calculated
The question everyone asks first: "How much money will I get?" The answer depends on several factors — and is surprisingly good for most people. But only if you know and follow the rules.
Daily allowances are not a gift. They are an insurance benefit that you funded yourself over the years through wage deductions. You are entitled to it — and you should protect it.
Legal Basis: The AVIG
The daily allowances are regulated in the Federal Act on Mandatory Unemployment Insurance (AVIG). You can find all official figures and formulas on arbeit.swiss.
Widgets.SwissLohnBenefitRechner.title
Widgets.SwissLohnBenefitRechner.subtitle
Widgets.SwissLohnBenefitRechner.labelBenefits
Widgets.SwissLohnBenefitRechner.resultTitle
Widgets.SwissLohnBenefitRechner.desc
Widgets.SwissLohnBenefitRechner.ctaTitle
Widgets.SwissLohnBenefitRechner.ctaDesc
How Much Is the Daily Allowance?
The daily allowance is calculated as a percentage of your insured earnings — your average gross salary over the last 12 months.
| Situation | Daily Allowance Rate |
|---|---|
| Standard case | 70% of insured earnings |
| With dependent children | 80% |
| Partial IV pension or pension (25–74%) | 80% |
Maximum insured earnings 2026: CHF 148'200/year → max. daily allowance CHF 492.— per working day.
How Long Does the Entitlement Last?
| Contribution Period | Age | Max. Daily Allowances |
|---|---|---|
| 12–18 months | All | 200 |
| 18–24 months | Under 25 | 200 |
| 18–24 months | 25–55 years | 260 |
| 18–24 months | Over 55 | 400 |
| Over 24 months | All | 400 |
400 daily allowances = approx. 18.5 months. Most full-time employees with more than 2 years of contribution period are entitled to 400 daily allowances.
Short-Time Work Compensation 2026
In addition to classic unemployment compensation, there is short-time work compensation (KAE) — for companies with less work instead of layoffs.
New feature: On October 8, 2025, the Federal Council increased the maximum entitlement period for KAE to 24 months (valid November 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026). Affected: mainly export-oriented sectors (machinery industry, watchmaking, chemicals).
Suspension Days: What They Are and How to Avoid Them
Suspension days (Einstelltage) = sanction for breach of duty. For the days in question, there are no daily allowances.
Common reasons:
- Incomplete or late job search efforts
- Rejection of a suitable position
- Self-induced termination
- Unexcused absence from RAV appointments
Suspension days are cumulative — multiple violations in a single month add up. This can quickly become expensive.
How to Protect Your Entitlement
- Attend RAV appointments on time (or cancel in advance)
- Submit job search efforts completely and on time
- Document everything seamlessly — every application, every response
- Do not reject suitable positions
- Report problems proactively to your RAV advisor
PARAT Protects Your Daily Allowance Entitlement
Suspension days usually happen due to incomplete documentation — not out of ill intent. Anyone frantically gathering applications at the end of the month makes mistakes.
PARAT prevents this: You document live after every application. At the end of the month, you generate seamless proof via ZIP export — in seconds instead of hours.
This is part 3 of 5. Continue with: Job-Room Switzerland: The Official Job Database Explained.
