Legal adulthood

A person who reaches his or her eighteenth birthday is deemed to have reached the age of legal adulthood. According to the Swiss Civil Code (CC, SR 210), a person is deemed to be of legal age if he/she is capable of forming his/her own views and is not banned from doing so. They thus possess the ability to act. A person who has reached the age of legal adulthood no longer needs to be legally represented by his/her parents or, where applicable, by the guardianship authority to exercise his?/?her rights and obligations.

Once a learner has reached the age of eighteen, he/she can, in accordance with the legal provisions in force, sign, modify or terminate the apprenticeship contract without having to refer to his/her parents or, where applicable, the guardianship authority. Learners of legal age sign their school reports and absence notes themselves.

The principle of domicile applies to foreign apprentices. If they live in Switzerland, the age of legal adulthood is eighteen. The regulations of their country of domicile however apply to cross-border commuters.

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