I have a job offer as a Research Scientist in the University of Bern, and I would like to get more information on Employer contributions to the 2 pillars of social security.
How much does the employer contribute to my social security? Do they match my contribution or is there a flat rate? For example the SNSF (Swiss national science foundation) shows flat rate of 15% for Bern. Is this rate followed by SNF only or is it applicable to the Univ of Bern as well?
I was working previously in ETH Zurich and have been working outside Europe for the last 1 year. When I left CH in 2015 I received a lump sum amount for AHV and OASI. However when I did a rough calculation I found that my employer's (ETH) contribution to be significantly less than what I contributed to social security. Can anyone explain this?
Also can we voluntarily increase our contribution to AHV and OASI? Will the employer also match this contribution?
AHV/IV is a fixed percentage of gross salary, currently 5.125%, paid equally both by you and the employer, which makes it 10.25% in total. A part of it however is for insurance rather than pension. I think the pension component is only 4.2% of 5.125%.
No, but you can make voluntary payments to pillar 2 and 3. It's tax deductible and reclaimable just as well. I don't think employers wouldn't match such extra contribution as a rule.
My guess is that it would be repayable in the same way that you’d have to repay any pension money used to buy a house here if you decide to sell and move to another country.
I see what you mean. It is stated that those who leave Switzerland permanently are entitled to be paid the benefits as a lump sum amount. But in my case I didnt really leave permanently if I return in the future (although that was not planned).
I have mailed the SCO and pension office and hopefully will get an authoritative answer soon .
I emailed Sicherheitsfonds BVG and they said " If you return to work in Switzerland, there is no obligation to return the contributions from former periods. Without this savings, your age insurance in Switzerland will though be with a gap "
I havent heard from OASI, but one representative from PUBLICA (who handled my previous account) said that there is no obligation to return the money either to pension funds or OASI.
Sort of, but you should look at repaying some if not all of both to get them back up to full value unless you have other plans to make sure you have enough to live on when you retire.
Note: it is up to the employee to check the employer has been paying the correct amount into his AHV account. Employees can ask the relevant AHV office for a statement of the account.
The AHV account should be correct one year after the appropriate employment period. Employees can only claim up to 5 years for any missing contributions from employers.