Unemployment after a job in Switzerland
Have you lost your job in Switzerland and do you live in France? France pays your benefits. Here are the steps, in order.
- Register with France Travail as soon as your contract ends.
- Ask the Swiss unemployment fund for form U1.
- Your benefit is calculated on your Swiss salaries.
You lose your job: the steps
- Register with France Travail as soon as your contract ends, online or at a local office.
- Ask a Swiss unemployment fund for form U1. This document proves your periods of work in Switzerland.
- Send it to France Travail. Your claim is then assessed under French rules.
The benefit is calculated on your Swiss salaries. It can be paid for 18 to 27 months.
Your company cuts back its activity
If your Swiss employer introduces short-time work (you work less, without being dismissed), Switzerland pays. You receive 80% of the lost salary.
What is going to change
A European reform adopted in July 2026 provides that, in the long run, the country where you work will pay your benefits. For now, nothing changes: the dates and details are still to be set. We will update this guide as soon as they are known.
Frequently asked questions
Which country pays unemployment benefit to a cross-border worker who loses their job in Switzerland?
France, through France Travail, with a benefit calculated on your Swiss salaries.
What is form U1 for?
It proves your periods of work in Switzerland. You request it from a Swiss unemployment fund, then send it to France Travail.
Does the European unemployment reform already apply?
No. Adopted in July 2026, it provides that the country of work will eventually pay benefits, but nothing changes for now.
- France Travail to register
- Swiss unemployment insurance (arbeit.swiss) to contact an unemployment fund
Source: Frontaliers Grand Est, unemployment for cross-border workers