Payroll services in Vaud for English-speaking SMEs
Swiss payroll is not only about issuing a payslip. It connects salaries, AVS/AI/APG, unemployment insurance, LPP pension, accident insurance, withholding tax, onboarding, offboarding and annual salary certificates.
Robuste Fiduciaire helps SMEs in Lausanne, Renens, Vevey, Montreux, Nyon, Yverdon-les-Bains and Bex manage payroll in a structured, documented and English-friendly way — without turning a Swiss employer obligation into an internal administrative burden.
What you need to understand before delegating payroll
For a Swiss SME, payroll is a compliance function, not a clerical task. A monthly payslip must be consistent with the employment contract, the employee’s permit, social insurance registrations, LPP affiliation, accident insurance coverage, possible withholding tax and the accounting entries.
This page is the English payroll service page. It is not a general accounting page. If your main need is bookkeeping, see our SME bookkeeping service in Vaud. If your question is VAT or corporate tax, the better starting points are Swiss VAT support or tax advisory in Vaud.
Payroll follows the full life of an employee
Good payroll starts before the first salary and continues after the last payslip. This is why we structure the file around the employer lifecycle, not only around monthly calculations.
What Robuste Fiduciaire can handle
The mandate can be limited to payroll preparation or extended to a broader employer administration support, depending on your internal organisation.
Monthly payslips
Preparation of monthly payslips, deductions, employer cost summaries and payroll accounting entries for your bookkeeping file.
Best for SMEs that want recurring payroll without building a full internal HR/payroll function.Social insurance follow-up
Coordination of AVS/AI/APG, unemployment insurance, LPP pension, accident insurance and family allowances according to your situation.
Rates, thresholds and obligations must be checked by year, canton, fund and contract.Withholding tax support
Payroll handling for employees subject to Swiss withholding tax, including monthly deductions and practical checks of the employee situation.
Particularly relevant for permit B employees and some international profiles.Onboarding employees
Payroll setup when a new employee joins: required data, affiliations, salary structure, permits, LPP threshold review and insurance coordination.
We help define who does what between your company, insurer, pension fund and fiduciary.Offboarding employees
Final salary, remaining holiday balance, pro-rata 13th salary if applicable, LPP exit coordination and payroll closing information.
Notice periods, certificates and HR legal matters may require separate legal review.Salary certificates
Preparation of Swiss salary certificate / pension statement data based on payroll records, benefits, reimbursements and year-end checks.
Where simplified settlement applies, the process may differ.The main payroll items employers must understand
Payroll figures are not all fixed rates. Some are federal, some depend on the canton, the insurer, the pension fund, the employee age, the contract and the sector.
| Item | What it means | Payroll risk | How we handle it |
|---|---|---|---|
| AVS / AI / APG | Federal social contributions, usually shared between employer and employee. | Wrong salary base, late registration, missing annual reconciliation. | We check the salary base and prepare payroll entries and reporting data. |
| AC unemployment insurance | Contribution on employee salary, usually split between employer and employee. | Incorrect ceiling or deduction logic when salaries change. | We align payslip calculations with the applicable payroll parameters. |
| LPP / BVG pension | Occupational pension insurance when the legal and contractual conditions are met. | Late affiliation, wrong plan, wrong insured salary or missing exit process. | We coordinate with your pension fund and check the payroll impact. |
| LAA / accident insurance | Occupational accident insurance and, where applicable, non-occupational accident insurance. | Wrong employee category, missing coverage or incorrect employee deduction. | We integrate the insurer’s parameters into payroll and reporting. |
| Family allowances | Canton and fund-dependent employer obligation where relevant. | Wrong canton/fund treatment or incomplete employee documentation. | We clarify the applicable setup and required data. |
| Withholding tax | Tax withheld directly from salary for certain employees, depending on permit and situation. | Wrong tariff due to family status, residence, work percentage or cross-border changes. | We prepare payroll deductions and help maintain the employee data up to date. |
Figures such as AVS/AI/APG, AC, LPP thresholds, accident insurance premiums and withholding tax tariffs must be verified for the relevant year and employee situation. We avoid presenting payroll as a fixed-rate product because the employer risk often sits in the details.
What we need to prepare a reliable payroll file
A clean payroll process starts with the right data. Missing information is the main reason why payslips, withholding tax or LPP become unstable later.
Full name, address, date of birth, AVS number, permit, family situation and bank details.
Salary, work rate, start date, trial period, 13th salary, holidays, bonuses and benefits.
AVS fund, LPP fund, accident insurer, daily sickness benefits if applicable, family allowance fund.
Hours, absences, commissions, expenses, bonuses, unpaid leave, accident or sickness information.
How payroll cooperation works
The goal is to make responsibilities clear: what your company provides, what the fiduciary prepares and what must be confirmed with institutions.
Scope review
We review employee count, salary structure, permits, LPP, insurer setup and existing payroll files.
Data checklist
You receive a clear list of missing documents and monthly payroll variables to collect.
Payroll setup
We structure the payslip model, deductions, employer charges and accounting entries.
Monthly payroll
Payslips and payroll summaries are prepared according to the validated monthly timetable.
Year-end review
Salary certificate data and payroll-accounting consistency are checked at year-end.
Typical payroll situations we see in Vaud
Small Sàrl hiring its first employee
The director knows the gross salary, but not the full employer cost. We help structure the first payslip, employer registrations, LPP review and accounting impact.
International employee with permit B
The company needs clear English explanations, withholding tax handling and a payslip the employee can understand without confusion.
SME with variable monthly pay
Commissions, hourly work, absences and bonuses make payroll unstable. We create a monthly data routine before calculating the payslip.
Payroll mistakes that become expensive later
Most payroll problems are not spectacular. They are small monthly inconsistencies that become visible during year-end reconciliation, an employee departure, an accident case or an AVS review.
Gross salary only budgeting
The employer budgets the gross salary but forgets employer contributions, accident insurance, LPP and annual provisions.
Wrong withholding tax data
Family status, residence, permit, work percentage and cross-border changes can affect the payroll treatment.
LPP not reviewed in time
LPP depends on threshold, age, employment conditions and pension fund rules. A missed affiliation can create retroactive corrections.
Benefits not reflected
Company car, meals, housing, expense reimbursements and bonuses may need a precise payroll and certificate treatment.
Poor offboarding
Final salary, holiday balance, 13th salary and LPP exit are often the places where employees notice payroll mistakes.
Payroll not connected to accounting
Payroll must reconcile with bookkeeping, bank payments, social charges and annual closing. Otherwise the accounting file becomes inconsistent.
This service is not the best fit if…
Payroll is one part of the fiduciary ecosystem. In some cases, another English service page is more relevant.
You need bookkeeping first
If the payroll file is correct but the accounting is late or incomplete, start with SME bookkeeping in Vaud.
You need full accounting supervision
If you want payroll, bookkeeping, VAT and closing together, start with SME accounting services.
You need VAT or tax advice
For VAT registration, VAT returns or corporate tax questions, use Swiss VAT or tax advisory.
How the payroll quote is built
Payroll pricing should reflect the real workload and risk. A company with two stable salaries is not the same as a company with hourly staff, permits, withholding tax, variable bonuses and frequent entries or exits.
| Factor | Low complexity | Higher complexity |
|---|---|---|
| Number of employees | 1–3 stable monthly salaries | Several employees, hourly pay or frequent changes |
| Permits / withholding tax | No withholding tax | Permit B, cross-border, changing family situation |
| LPP and insurance | Simple pension setup | Multiple plans, age groups, entries/exits |
| Monthly variables | Fixed salaries | Bonuses, commissions, overtime, absences |
| Reporting | Payslips only | Payroll reports, cost allocation, accounting integration |
For a precise quote, send the number of employees, monthly salary types, permits, LPP/insurance setup and whether payroll must be connected to your accounting. We will respond with a structured scope rather than a generic estimate.
Describe your payroll situation in English
Use the form to send the number of employees, your location in Vaud, whether you have permit B employees, your current payroll setup and what you want to delegate.
We prioritise written information because payroll quality depends on details: contracts, insurance, LPP, permits, monthly variables and accounting links.
Your data is processed confidentially under Swiss data protection law. See the privacy policy.
Questions about Swiss payroll in English
A payroll service usually includes monthly payslips, employee and employer social contribution calculations, AVS/AI/APG and AC coordination, LPP follow-up where applicable, accident insurance coordination, salary accounting entries, salary certificates and onboarding or offboarding support. The exact scope depends on the mandate.
The price depends on the number of employees, payroll variables, permits, withholding tax, LPP setup, accident insurance, salary certificates and the condition of the existing payroll file. Robuste Fiduciaire provides a quote after reviewing the scope.
A Swiss payslip typically includes employee deductions for AVS/AI/APG, unemployment insurance, non-occupational accident insurance where applicable, LPP pension contributions if the employee is insured, and withholding tax if applicable. Employer-side costs must also be tracked for accounting and budgeting.
LPP occupational pension insurance depends on the employee’s annual salary, age and employment situation. The annual entry threshold must be checked for the relevant year, and the employer must pay at least half of the total LPP contribution for insured employees.
Yes, where applicable, Robuste Fiduciaire can help identify the correct withholding tax setup, calculate monthly deductions, prepare the payroll entries and coordinate the related reporting. The rate depends on the employee’s situation and the cantonal rules.
In most standard employment situations, the employer must issue a Swiss salary certificate / pension statement showing the benefits paid to the employee. The simplified settlement procedure is a specific exception where the compensation office may handle this function.
Connected fiduciary services in English
Payroll should not be isolated from accounting, VAT, tax and company administration. These English pages support the same business context.
Need payroll support for your Swiss company?
Send your payroll situation in writing: number of employees, permits, current setup, monthly variables and what you want to delegate. We will help you define the cleanest next step.