Family allowance for children of cross-border commuters

As a cross-border commuter from an EU/EFTA country, you are entitled to Swiss or Liechtenstein family allowances (family allowance) for your children, even if they live in an EU or EFTA country.

If your partner works in your country of residence, where your children also live, you will receive the family allowances in your country of residence. Any difference to the family allowances in Switzerland / Liechtenstein will be paid out.

In concrete terms, this means that as a rule the state of residence, i.e. Austria, pays the family allowance and the Swiss or Liechtenstein state pays an equalization allowance, as their family allowance is higher than the Austrian family allowance.

Amount of family allowance in Austria

Since January 2025, the family allowance has been per child and month:

from birth: EUR 138.40 per month
from 3 years: EUR 148.00 per month
from 10 years: EUR 171.80 per month
from 19 years: EUR 200.40 per month

The total monthly amount of family allowance is increased by the sibling scale for each child if you:

• is granted for two children by EUR 8.60 for each child
• is granted for three children by EUR 21.10 for each child
• is granted for four children by EUR 32.10 for each child
• is granted for five children by EUR 38.90 for each child
• is granted for six children by EUR 43.40 for each child
• etc.

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Family allowance (family allowance) in Switzerland

The federal law on family allowances (family allowance) in Switzerland provides for two types of family allowances. The child allowance, which amounts to at least SFR 215.00 and the education allowance, which amounts to at least SFR 268.00 per month and child.

Child allowance

The child allowance is paid from the month of the child’s birth up to and including the month in which the child’s 16th birthday falls. The child allowance amounts to at least SFR 215.00 per month and child. However, the cantons may provide for higher rates.

Education allowance

The education allowance is paid from the month in which the child begins post-compulsory education, but at the earliest for the month in which the child’s 15th birthday falls. Children who have reached the age of 16 and are still attending compulsory school are also entitled to an education allowance from the month following their 16th birthday. The education allowance is paid until the completion of education, but at the latest until the end of the month in which the child reaches the age of 25.

The education allowance is at least SFR 268.00 per month and child. However, the cantons may provide for higher rates.

For cross-border commuters (Austria / Switzerland), the regulation applies that the Swiss family equalization fund pays a differential compensation on the Austrian family allowance. This means that you receive the Austrian family allowance from Austria and the difference from Switzerland.

Child allowances (family allowance) in Liechtenstein

The amount of the child allowance (family allowance) depends on the number and age of the children.

Child allowances amount to SFR 310.00 per month for each child. They increase to SFR 330.00 per month from the beginning of the month in which the child reaches the age of 10.

As soon as a beneficiary has more than two children entitled to allowances, the child allowances amount to SFR 330.00 per month for each child. For twins, the child allowances from birth are SFR 330.00 each.

For cross-border commuters (Austria / Liechtenstein), the rule applies that the Liechtenstein family equalization fund pays a differential compensation on the Austrian family allowance. This means that you receive the Austrian family allowance from Austria and the difference from Liechtenstein.

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