Income & taxes

Meal deduction in Swiss taxes: who can claim what

The short answer: if you can't reasonably eat at home during work, you can deduct meal costs – federally CHF 15 per workday up to CHF 3,200 per year (halved to CHF 7.50/day if your employer subsidises meals, e.g. a canteen). Cantonal rules mirror this closely.

Von Leutrim MiftarajGründer von BudgetHub, MSc Innovation Management (FFHS)

Who qualifies

The test is practicality: distance and break length make going home unrealistic. Shift workers and commuters typically qualify; home-office days don't count.

Canteen and Lunch-Checks

Employer-subsidised meals halve the deduction. Check your salary certificate: field G indicates canteen/Lunch-Check arrangements – your tax software applies the reduced rate.

Collect the days, not the receipts

The deduction is a flat rate per day – you count workdays, not lunch receipts. Track your work pattern and the number falls out automatically.

Track these costs in your own budget: create your free Swiss budget in BudgetHub – in English, with Swiss categories built in.

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Income & taxes

Source tax in Switzerland: corrections and refunds for foreign employees

The short answer: if you're taxed at source (B permit and others), you may reclaim money through a source-tax correction or – above income thresholds or on request – switch to ordinary assessment where deductions like pillar 3a, commuting and childcare reduce your bill. Deadlines are strict: typically 31 March of the following year.

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Meal deduction in Swiss taxes: who can claim what · BudgetHub.ch