Switzerland New Caledonia

Updated 2026-05-04

Switzerland

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

CHF7,800 /mo

New Caledonia

Minimum Wage

₣991.73 /hr

$7.04 USD

Switzerland has no statutory minimum wage, while New Caledonia sets a floor of $7/hr.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Switzerland and New Caledonia
Metric	Switzerland	New Caledonia	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	None	₣991.73 $7.04	—
Minimum wage /mo	None	₣167,602 $1,189.76	—
Minimum wage /yr	None	₣2,011,224 $14,277.08	—
Avg. gross salary /mo	CHF7,800 /mo $9,951.52	N/A/mo	—
Avg. net salary /mo	CHF6,396 /mo $8,160.24	N/A/mo	—
Median individual income /yr	CHF81,456 /yr $103,924.47	N/A/yr	—

Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Switzerland is higher.

Work Week

Switzerland: 42 hrs/wk standard

Max 45 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.25x pay

No single statutory standard; typical contractual hours are 40-42/week depending on sector. Maximum legal hours: 45/week for industrial, office, and retail workers; 50/week for others. Overtime premium is 25% (can be compensated with time off by agreement). Swiss Labour Act (Arbeitsgesetz) governs working time.
New Caledonia: 39 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.25x pay

Standard workweek is 39 hours in New Caledonia (differs from metropolitan France's 35 hours). Overtime: 25% premium for hours 40-43, 50% premium beyond 43 hours.

What This Means for Workers

Standard work weeks differ: Switzerland mandates 42 hours while New Caledonia mandates 39 hours.

See this comparison from New Caledonia's perspective: New Caledonia vs Switzerland

Compare Switzerland with...

Switzerland vs United States $ 7.25 /hr

Switzerland vs China ¥ 25 /hr

Switzerland vs Germany € 13.9 /hr

Switzerland vs United Kingdom £ 12.71 /hr

Switzerland vs India ₹ 4,576 /mo

Switzerland vs Japan ¥ 1,121 /hr

Switzerland vs France € 12.02 /hr

Switzerland vs South Korea ₩ 10,320 /hr

Switzerland vs Canada C$ 18.1 /hr

Switzerland vs Australia A$ 24.95 /hr

Switzerland vs Brazil R$ 7.37 /hr

Switzerland vs Russia ₽ 156.31 /hr

Switzerland vs Mexico MX$ 9,583.52 /mo

Switzerland vs Indonesia Rp 33,058 /hr

Switzerland vs Netherlands € 14.71 /hr

Switzerland vs Saudi Arabia ﷼ 23.08 /hr

Switzerland vs Turkey ₺ 164.94 /hr

Switzerland vs Taiwan NT$ 190 /hr

Switzerland vs Poland zł 31.4 /hr

Switzerland vs Thailand ฿ 10,400 /mo

Switzerland vs Sweden

Switzerland vs Argentina ARS 1,762 /hr

Switzerland vs Singapore

Switzerland vs Norway

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Switzerland or New Caledonia?

In Switzerland, the minimum wage is no statutory minimum wage. In New Caledonia, it is ₣991.73/hr ($7.04 USD).

How do work hours compare between Switzerland and New Caledonia?

Switzerland has a longer standard work week at 42 hours, compared to 39 hours in New Caledonia. Workers in Switzerland work 42 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in New Caledonia working fewer hours may have comparable or better effective hourly earnings depending on the wage levels of each country. Total annual compensation depends on both the wage rate and the number of hours required.