Temporary work in healthcare: who is it really for?

How temporary work operates in Switzerland

As a temporary worker you are not employed by the hospital, care home or home care service, but by a staffing agency. The agency signs your employment contract, pays your salary and social security contributions and places you with its client. In Switzerland, staff leasing requires a licence under the Recruitment Act (AVG), and the sector is also covered by a generally binding collective labour agreement for staff leasing that sets minimum standards.

Three forms are common in healthcare: short-notice single shifts as a floater, pool models in which you are regularly available to one or several institutions, and longer assignments lasting weeks or months, for example to bridge a vacancy. Many professionals move between these forms over time.

Temporary work is not a detour but a distinct employment model with its own rules. If you know those rules, you can use the flexibility deliberately.

Who the model suits best

Temporary work mainly suits experienced professionals who want to organise work around their life rather than the other way round. Typical situations include:

Parents or family carers who can only work on certain days or at certain times.
Students and people in further training who adjust their workload each semester.
Professionals who want to work for a few weeks or months between travel or time off.
Experienced nurses who want to get to know different specialties, hospitals or regions before committing again.
People after a resignation or a move who want to keep working without a gap while exploring the market.

When a permanent job fits better

Temporary work is less suitable if a stable team, familiar routines and a career path within one institution matter to you. If you only feel confident in a new team after a long time, or find changing workplaces stressful, you will often be happier in a permanent position. Newly qualified staff also generally benefit more from structured onboarding and a fixed mentor.

Flexibility has limits

Which assignments you actually get depends on qualification, region, season and demand. You can influence days, shifts and workload, but you cannot set them freely. If you rule out weekends and only want early shifts in one particular city, you will receive fewer offers.

Practical requirements

The basis is a qualification recognised in Switzerland. Foreign diplomas in nursing and other health professions are recognised, depending on the profession, by the Swiss Red Cross (SRK) or, for university medical professions, by MEBEKO. Working under your own professional responsibility may also require a cantonal licence to practise. Clarify these points before your first assignment, as the procedures often take several weeks.

Question	What matters	Points to temporary work if …
Is my qualification recognised?	Formal eligibility	recognition is in place or completed in time
Do I have enough experience?	Professional confidence without long onboarding	you adapt quickly to new settings
Is my command of the local language good enough?	Communication with team and patients	you communicate reliably under time pressure
How do I handle change?	Resilience and openness	variety motivates rather than tires you
Do I need a steady income?	Predictability	you can absorb income fluctuations

Checking contract and conditions

Hourly rates in temporary work often look higher than the monthly salary of a permanent job. The comparison is only fair if you include every component. Go through the contract point by point:

Holiday and public holiday pay: is it shown separately? For four weeks of holiday it equals 8.33 percent of salary, for five weeks 10.64 percent.
Supplements for night, weekend and on-call duty: how high are they and do they apply to every assignment?
Pension fund: from which assignment length are you insured under the BVG?
Sickness and accident cover: what applies if you fall ill during or between assignments?
Notice periods: in the first months of an assignment they are usually shorter than in a permanent job.
Travel time, expenses and onboarding: are they paid?

Tip

Ask for written confirmation of the terms of every assignment. For questions about the collective agreement or social insurance, professional associations and unions can advise.

Frequently asked questions

Do I earn more as a temporary worker than in a permanent job?

The gross hourly rate is often higher because holiday and public holiday pay may be included. Project it over a full year and account for gaps between assignments, pension contributions and supplements before comparing.

Can I work on a temporary basis with a foreign diploma?

Yes, provided the qualification is recognised in Switzerland or recognition covers the specific activity. Depending on the profession, the SRK or MEBEKO is responsible. Start the process early.

Is temporary work a good idea straight after training?

Usually only to a limited extent. Temporary assignments assume you can work confidently without long onboarding. A few years of experience in a stable team are generally the better foundation.

Can I switch back to a permanent job later?

Yes. Many professionals use temporary assignments precisely to get to know employers and are later hired permanently. Check whether your contract contains rules on being taken over by the client institution.

Am I insured between two assignments?

That depends on the contract and on the insurers' deadlines. Ask the agency how accident and sickness cover work during gaps, and find out about unemployment insurance if you plan a longer break.

Temporary work is a good choice when qualification, experience and life situation fit together and the contract terms are transparent.