Withholding tax: how to reclaim thousands of francs as a newcomer

For most newcomers, the greatest untapped savings potential in the first year is reclaiming overpaid withholding tax. If you work in Switzerland as a foreign employee with a B permit, your employer deducts tax directly from your salary. Convenient – but rarely optimal, as the tax rate does not take many personal deductions into account.

The key is NOV

With the subsequent ordinary assessment (NOV), you submit a standard tax return and claim deductions that were not included in the withholding tax rate. The difference will be refunded to you – for many households, this amounts to several thousand Swiss francs.

The deadline is 31 March of the following year – and the decision then applies for all subsequent years.

Because the NOV is binding, it is worth calculating beforehand: in low-tax cantons with high deductions, it almost always pays off, whereas in high-tax municipalities the withholding tax rate may be more favourable. Anyone earning over CHF 120,000 is automatically subject to ordinary assessment anyway.

Here’s how to proceed

Collect all receipts throughout the year (3a certificate, medical expenses, training), apply for the NOV with your cantonal tax office and submit your return by the deadline. Specialist expat tax advisers can handle the entire process for you – including checking whether the application is worthwhile for you.

Source: DBG, Withholding Tax Ordinance. Status July 2026. Guidance only, not individual tax advice.