1. Why a Clean Debt Enforcement Extract Can Be Misleading

When conducting financial integrity checks in Switzerland, employers face a significant limitation: debt enforcement records are currently maintained at the local level.

More than 300 debt enforcement offices operate separate registers, and an extract generally only reflects proceedings recorded within the respective jurisdiction.

As a result, previous debt enforcement proceedings may remain undiscovered if an individual has moved between municipalities or regions.

Another challenge is that an extract may be issued without confirming whether the individual actually resided within the relevant jurisdiction.

A clean debt enforcement register extract therefore does not necessarily mean that an individual has no debt enforcement proceedings in Switzerland.

For employers and background screening providers, this creates additional administrative work and increases the risk of incomplete information.

2. The 2026 Revision Introduces Nationwide Debt Enforcement Information

On 19 June 2026, the Swiss Parliament adopted an amendment to the Federal Act on Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy (DEBA), establishing the legal basis for nationwide debt enforcement information.

The referendum period expired without a referendum being requested on 8 October 2026. The Swiss Federal Council will determine when the new provisions enter into force.

The revision introduces three major changes.

Central information system: The federal government will establish a central system containing the information required for nationwide debt enforcement enquiries.

Unique identification: Natural persons will be identified using their Swiss social security number (AHV number), while legal entities will be identified through their business identification number (UID).

Nationwide enquiries: Debt enforcement proceedings will become accessible independently of the local debt enforcement office responsible for the original proceedings.

These changes address significant weaknesses in the current decentralised system.

3. What the New System Means for Background Checks

The introduction of nationwide debt enforcement information represents an important improvement for risk-based background screening.

Currently, a comprehensive financial integrity check may require several debt enforcement register extracts.

To obtain meaningful results, employers must often verify an individual’s residential history and identify the relevant debt enforcement offices.

Once the central information system becomes operational, a single nationwide enquiry should provide access to the relevant Swiss debt enforcement records.

This will reduce administrative complexity and improve the completeness of available information.

It will also reduce the risk of overlooking previous proceedings because an individual has changed their place of residence.

For employers, this creates a more reliable basis for assessing financial integrity in positions involving financial responsibility or elevated levels of trust.

4. Financial Integrity Checks Must Remain Proportionate

Although nationwide debt enforcement information will improve access to relevant records, it will not change the legal requirements governing employee background checks.

Under Article 328b of the Swiss Code of Obligations, employers may generally process personal information only when it is relevant to an employee’s suitability for the position or necessary for the performance of the employment relationship.

Financial integrity checks must therefore be justified by the responsibilities associated with the specific position.

Examples may include employees with substantial budget authority, signing powers or access to significant financial assets.

A debt enforcement proceeding is not proof of insolvency, dishonesty or a lack of integrity.

The nature of the claim, the status of the proceedings and the individual circumstances must be considered.

Furthermore, the new system will only cover Swiss debt enforcement proceedings. International residential histories may still require additional checks in the relevant countries.

5. What Employers Should Do Until the New System Is Available

Until the Swiss Federal Council brings the revised provisions into force and the central information system becomes operational, existing procedures remain applicable.

For reliable financial integrity screening, employers should continue to consider an individual’s relevant residential history.

Depending on the position and applicable legal requirements, this may involve documenting residential addresses from the previous three to five years and obtaining separate debt enforcement register extracts from the relevant jurisdictions.

Each document should be checked to ensure that it relates to the correct individual and covers the relevant period.

The new nationwide system is expected to simplify this process considerably.

However, professional interpretation, data protection compliance and a risk-based approach will remain essential.

Strengthen Financial Integrity Screening with Validato

Financial integrity checks are an important component of risk-based background screening, particularly for positions involving financial responsibilities or access to valuable assets.

Validato supports organisations with structured, risk-based background screening solutions designed to comply with applicable data protection and employment requirements.

Our financial integrity screening services take relevant residential histories and jurisdictional limitations into account.

Once nationwide debt enforcement information becomes available, Validato intends to integrate the new capabilities into its screening processes.

Would you like to improve the efficiency and reliability of your financial integrity checks? Contact Validato for a consultation.