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Working at the HSLU All taken care of

The HSLU is a public university-level institution offering attractive employment conditions. Find more information via the link below:

Social Insurance

Switzerland has an array of social insurances. Learn more about them here.

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  • OASI (Old age and survivors' insurance): OASI is a compulsory insurance for all people living and working in Switzerland. The employees’ contributions are deducted directly from each salary payment and passed on the Swiss Compensation Office by the employer along with their contribution. Learn more here.
  • DI (Disability Insurance): Like the OASI, the DI is compulsory. The contributions are also deducted directly from the employees’ salaries. Learn more here.
  • UI (Unemployment Insurance) Like the OASI and the DI, the UI is a compulsory social insurance in Switzerland. Employees whose salary is subject to contributions and their employers must pay into the UI insurance fund. Employees and employers each owe half of the contributions, which are deducted from each monthly salary. Learn more here.
  • Pension Fund: In Switzerland, every employee is insured under the occupational pension scheme (learn more here). The HSLU’s employees are insured with the  Lucerne Pension Fund LUPK and, in the case of the School of Music, the Gemini Collective Foundation.
  • Restricted pension provision (3rd pillar): Voluntary private and restricted pension plans are designed to cover additional personal needs in retirement. It allows workers to pay a certain amount into a bank account or life insurance policy. The payments can be deducted from the taxable income. With some exceptions, these savings remain blocked until retirement. They are then paid out and can be used freely. The pillar 3a (restricted private pension plan) is available for people who are employed or self-employed and whose salary is subject to OASI contributions. Learn more here.
  • Accident insurance: Every person working in Switzerland has compulsory occupational accident and occupational illness insurance. People working eight hours or more per week for the same employer also have cover for non-occupational accidents (learn more here). The occupational accident insurance contributions are borne by the employer, while those for non-occupational accidents are typically borne by the employee. The employer takes the employee’s share from his or her salary and transfers it to the insurer along with the share owed by the employer.

Taxes

In this segment, you will learn whether your taxes will be taken directly from your salary or if you must complete an annual tax return. 

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The income of foreign nationals without a “C” permit is subject to withholding tax, i.e. it is taxed at the source. People whose income tax is withheld by the employer include those who

  • have their tax domicile in Switzerland, but do not (yet) have a “C” permit, or
  • live and pay tax for their income abroad (cross-border commuters, weekly residents, public speakers, athletes, artists, etc.).

The employer is obliged to deduct the tax due from the salary and pass it on to the tax authorities.

All other foreign nationals (with a “C” permit) must complete an annual tax return. The state will then send a tax bill based on the income declared.

Staff and lecturer mobility

There are two types of mobility between the HSLU and its Schools and their partner institutions for employees and lecturers alike.

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They may opt for a stay abroad in the framework of the Movetia Swiss European Mobility Programme:

  • Exchange for training purposes for all employee categories (e.g., shadowing, workshops or seminars).
  • Exchange programmes for lecturers 

For more information, please contact your School's International Office directly:

Other services at the HSLU

You can also find more information on this website: Living in Switzerland.