Family Benefits

If you live in Switzerland, it's good to know that the country offers family benefits Generous for those who have children, understand everything about it below.

These benefits are known as family allocations, and function as a monthly help to cover expenses for children and young people in training.

After all, raising children in Switzerland is not cheap.
And fortunately, the Swiss social system understands this and offers financial support, including for foreign workers with residence permits or frontieri.

So, in this article you will understand everything: Who is eligible, how much you receive, how to apply and what changes from one canton to another.

What are family allocations?

To the family allocations are amounts paid by the State to help parents and legal guardians with the costs of raising children.

In practice, it is a monthly benefit deposited directly into the account of the person caring for the child.

There are three main types:

• Allocation by child (allocation pour enfant) — until the age of 16
• Allocation of training (allocation de formation professionnelle) — from 16 to 25 years old, if the child is studying
• Birth or adoption allocation — offered in some cantons, such as Geneva and Vaud

Therefore, the system is designed to cover both the first years of life and the period of young people's professional training.

Who can receive?

This is the good part: you don't have to be Swiss to receive.
Brazilians can also benefit, as long as they meet the basic criteria.

Anyone who has the right:

• Work legally in Switzerland, with minimum annual income of CHF 7,560
• Acts as autonomous with recognized activity
• Lives in Switzerland and has children under his care
• You are unemployed but receive unemployment benefits
• AND frontline worker, that is, lives outside Switzerland and works in the country

Therefore, it is enough to be in a regular situation and carry out paid activity with a minimum income.
Even single-parent families and foreign couples are included.

How much do you receive per child?

Switzerland sets minimum values by law, but cantons can pay more.
The values also vary depending on the age of the child and whether he or she is still studying.

Minimum values established nationally:

• CHF 200 to 220 per month per child up to 16 years old
• CHF 250 to 280 per month per child in training (up to 25 years old)

Examples by canton:

• Geneva: CHF 300 per child and CHF 400 for children in training
• Vaud: CHF 250 per child, plus bonus at birth or adoption
• Valais: also offers extra allocations at birth

So depending on where you work, the value could be even better.

In some cantons, even, there is a single payment at the time of birth, something that comes to CHF 2,000 in certain places.

How to apply?

If you are an employee:

The request for allocations is made by your employer, which sends the documents to the compensation fund.
The amount is then deposited along with your salary, every month.

If you are self-employed or unemployed:

You must make the request directly at compensation fund of your canton.
The process is simple, but requires documents such as:

• Proof of activity (or unemployment insurance)
• Birth certificate of children
• Residence permit (if foreign)

So, the more organized you are with your documents, the faster you will receive them.

Important rules

• Only one person per child can receive the benefit., even if both parents work.
  Priority follows rules: whoever lives with the child, whoever has the highest salary or whoever works in the canton where the child lives.
• Amounts are paid monthly, proportional to the time worked in that month.
  If you work half the month, you get half the allocation.
• In case of change of job or residence, it is necessary to notify the compensation fund so as not to lose the benefit.
• If the child stops studying after the age of 16, training allocation is closed.

Therefore, it is important to keep everything up to date to avoid problems.

Can I receive payment even if I live outside Switzerland?

Yes, in certain cases.
The so-called border workers — who live outside the country but work in Switzerland — may also be eligible.

Example: a Brazilian who lives in France or Germany and crosses the border to work in Switzerland.
If he contributes regularly, he can apply normally.

In this case, the funds check whether there is an equivalent payment in the country of residence and complement the difference.

What if I am Brazilian with dual nationality?

You follow the same criteria as any Swiss citizen.
In other words, if you work in Switzerland and have registered children, you receive the amount normally, without any differentiation.

So the Swiss system is quite inclusive in this regard.

It is worth it?

For sure.
Receiving CHF 200 to 400 per child every month helps a lot — especially with the high cost of living in Switzerland.
It is a guaranteed right and involves little bureaucracy.
And the best part: it doesn't depend on your nationality, but on professional activity and regularity of contributions.

Conclusion

If you are Brazilian and have children in Switzerland — or are thinking about moving — it is worth getting to know and taking advantage of the family allocations.

This benefit represents a royal and monthly support, which can help from the child's early years until the end of their academic education.

With clear rules, attractive values and an efficient system, Switzerland shows once again why it is one of the countries with best social support in the world — and that includes those who come from outside.