The Swiss salary certificate is a form given to an employee that certifies exactly what he or she has been paid by an employer. The certificate also itemises all contributions, benefits and allowances paid.
Your employer is obliged to provide you with a salary certificate each year and usually sends it to you before the end of January. If you had more than one job at any time or if you changed employers during the year in question, you will receive a certificate for each job.
The salary certificate is the most important document you need for completing your tax return. In several cantons, employers have to send a copy directly to the tax authorities. As an employee, you only need to attach a salary certificate to your tax return if you work for an employer outside your canton or if required by the competent tax authority.
If your employer did not send you a salary certificate, if the document you received is incorrect, or if you have lost it, you must request a new certificate directly from the employer.
If you are an employer and do not know what to do, you can follow the instructions and use the forms from the Federal Tax Administration to draw up a salary certificate. The templates are available in various sizes.
You can also use the free software for producing an electronic salary certificate
The Federal Tax Administration offers instructions and a list of frequently asked questions (content in german, french or italian) about salary certificates.
The list of cantonal tax authorities (content in german, french or italian) offers contact information for obtaining information and documents on the salary certificate in each canton.