Unemployment in Liechtenstein

The main path begins when employment ends or a job loss becomes likely. Register with the Arbeitsmarkt Service Liechtenstein (AMS FL) as early as possible, ideally during the notice period. AMS FL provides advice, arranges job placement and may assign labour-market measures. The Amt für Volkswirtschaft (AVW) checks the claim, issues decisions and handles payment. The AHV-IV-FAK collects unemployment insurance contributions. Public job placement is free of charge. Unemployment compensation (ALE) generally requires full or partial unemployment, an insurable loss of at least two consecutive working days per month, residence in Liechtenstein, completion of compulsory schooling, working ability and compliance with the control rules. The claimant must not have reached AHV retirement age or receive an AHV old-age pension. Foreign nationals also need the residence and work authorisation required under Liechtenstein immigration and labour-market law. The usual contribution requirement is at least 12 months of employment subject to contributions within the previous two-year contribution period. Contribution exemptions can apply, among other cases, after more than 12 months without employment because of education, retraining or further education where the person has lived in Liechtenstein for at least 10 years, and in certain cases involving illness, accident, maternity, family circumstances or disability insurance. The personal ALE application normally includes the employer certificate, termination letter, employment contract, wage statements for the last 12 months and bank details. Depending on the case, the AVW may also need a foreign national identity document or decisions about disability, accident or sickness benefits. The claim should be asserted within 31 days. An established ALE entitlement can maintain insurance protection for up to 31 days after the daily benefits end. Each control period's claim expires three months after that control period ends if it is not claimed in time. ALE is paid as a daily benefit for five days per week. The insured earnings are based on the average AHV-liable wage from the last six months, or from the last 12 months when that produces a more favourable result. The regular rate is 80%. The rate is 70% when the claimant has no support obligation for children under 25, the full daily benefit exceeds CHF 140 and the claimant does not receive an IV pension based on an invalidity degree of at least 40%. Complete documents normally allow payment within 10 days of the following month. Deductions include 4.7% AHV contributions, the employee share of occupational pension contributions of 0.75% and wage tax. The maximum number of daily benefits depends on age, contribution history, disability insurance and contribution exemption. The maximum is 130 daily benefits for a contribution-exempt claimant, 200 for a person under 25 without support obligations for children, 260 with at least 12 months of contributions, 400 for a person aged 50 or older with at least 18 months of contributions, and 500 for a person receiving an IV pension with an invalidity degree of at least 40% and at least 22 months of contributions. The framework period is two years. Waiting days reduce the first payments but do not reduce the maximum daily-benefit balance. There are five controlled unemployment waiting days. A further general waiting period of 10, 15 or 20 days can apply when insured annual earnings are respectively CHF 60,001–90,000, CHF 90,001–125,000 or above CHF 125,000. No general waiting period applies up to CHF 3,000 per month or, where there is a support obligation for children, at CHF 3,001–5,000 per month. Contribution-exempt claimants can face five additional waiting days after illness, accident, maternity or residence abroad, and 120 additional days after school education, retraining or further education. A person who resigns without another job or loses work because of personal misconduct can receive suspension days. Illness, accident or maternity during the notice period can trigger statutory blocking periods and extend the notice period. Health insurance coverage remains compulsory during unemployment, and ALV pays the statutory employer contribution. Non-occupational accident insurance can continue where the previous coverage conditions are met, including prior coverage or employment of more than eight hours per week. Agreement insurance can extend accident protection for up to six months. A Zwischenverdienst is paid employment or self-employment that produces less income than ALE. The claimant may receive compensation for 80% or 70% of the difference between insured earnings and the intermediate earnings, subject to the applicable rate and a minimum compensation period of 12 months. The work must be paid at the customary rate for the place and occupation. Only employment subject to contributions creates a new contribution period; self-employed intermediate earnings and public labour-market measures do not. The claimant must accept a suitable job without delay, attend counselling and placement appointments and give at least 48 hours' notice when cancelling or postponing an appointment. Personal job-search efforts must be intensive and must be submitted for each control period by the fifth day of the following month. The claimant must remain reachable within one day, report changes, illness, accidents and the start of work without delay, and submit the control card by the third day of the following month. Labour-market measures can become compulsory. Failure to meet these duties can lead to up to 60 suspension days. The AVW issues a written decision, and an appeal to the Government of Liechtenstein must be filed within 14 days. AMS FL can support re-entry through activation programmes, application workshops, skills portfolios, courses, training programmes, employment programmes, temporary work and internships. It can also support preparation for self-employment, including a planning period of up to 90 daily benefits. These measures address different barriers: an application workshop supports job-search documents, a course can close a skills gap, and a temporary placement can provide recent experience or a new contribution period when it is contribution-bearing. Cross-border workers follow a different rule. The country of residence is responsible for unemployment benefits, and there is no free choice of country. A person who worked in Liechtenstein and returns to an EU or EFTA country of residence can request a PD U1 from ALV to confirm insurance and employment periods. After ALE ends or the maximum is reached, a new entitlement may arise after the framework period if the person has completed at least 12 months of new contribution-based employment or more than 12 months of a qualifying contribution-exempt period. The ASD can assess economic social assistance when ALE is unavailable or has ended and the household does not reach the social minimum. This assistance can cover basic needs, housing costs and health-related costs, requires an initial consultation and depends on the centre of vital interests being in Liechtenstein, cooperation and job-search efforts. In the latest complete annual statistics for 2025, Liechtenstein recorded an average registered unemployment rate of 2.0%, 422 unemployed people, 560 jobseekers and 345 daily-benefit recipients. On 31 December 2025, 437 people were unemployed and 113 had reached the end of their benefit entitlement. Across the year, 816 people received 69,360 daily benefits; the average period of receipt was 85 days, the average daily benefit was CHF 182 and ALE payments totalled CHF 12.6 million. The registered unemployment rate differs from the ILO unemployment rate because the two measures use different definitions and data sources. Short-time work, bad-weather compensation and insolvency compensation belong to related ALV situations, but they are not the same as ordinary unemployment.