Family allowances for cross-border workers: who pays and how to get the supplement
When you live in France and work in Switzerland, two countries may pay family allowances. Only one pays first, and the other may top it up. Here is how not to lose out.
In short
- One country pays the allowances first, depending on where the parents work.
- If the other country is more generous, it pays the difference: this is the differential supplement.
- This supplement is not automatic: you must send proof every year.
Which country pays first?
| Your situation | Country that pays first | Country that may top up |
|---|---|---|
| Both parents work in Switzerland (or a single parent who works in Switzerland) | Switzerland | France, if its allowances are higher |
| One parent works in Switzerland, the other in France | France (the country where you live and where one of you works) | Switzerland, if its allowances are higher |
The supplement compares the total of all benefits from each country, not benefit by benefit. As Swiss allowances are often higher, Switzerland is often the one that tops up.
Getting the supplement paid by Switzerland, step by step
- Ask your CAF (family allowance office) for a payment certificate, or form E411, which shows what you receive in France.
- Send it to your employer's Swiss family allowance fund. Your HR department will tell you which one.
- Attach the documents requested: family record book or birth certificates, the children's identity documents, marriage certificate if applicable, school or training certificate for older children, and your bank details.
- The Swiss fund calculates the difference and pays you the supplement.
- Renew the CAF certificate every year, and report any change: birth, separation, new job, unemployment.
Do not forget: without up-to-date proof, payment of the supplement may be suspended.
Frequently asked questions
Which country pays family allowances to a cross-border worker?
If only one parent works, in Switzerland, Switzerland pays. If the other parent works in France, France pays first, and Switzerland may top up.
Is the differential supplement paid automatically?
No. You must send a CAF payment certificate to the Swiss fund every year, otherwise payment may be suspended.
Useful links
- caf.fr to request your payment certificate
- Frontaliers Grand Est: the differential supplement
Source: Frontaliers Grand Est, how to receive the differential supplement