Work visas in Switzerland

Thanks to the agreement on the free movement of persons between EU member states, including Switzerland, most European citizens can come and work in Switzerland with very little formalities and restrictions. 

Citizens of France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are not restricted as far as work permit quotas are concerned.

Citizens of Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Slovakia benefit from the agreement on the free movement of person agreement in Switzerland, but work permit quotas apply for the above mentionned nationalities. Work permit quotas must end in 2011. 

Romanian and Bulgarian citizens are in turn subject to quotas until 2016. 

To find out more about the agreement on the free movement of persons in Switzerland, please refer to Swiss Migration Office website at http://www.bfm.admin.ch/. 

Work permits for EU/EEA nationals: 

To work in Switzerland, a work permit is required. There are several kinds of work permits: frontier workers, temporary or permanent worker. The main work permits are the following: 

1 - Authorization for short stay - "L" permit  

The "L"work permit allows to undertake any paid activity anywhere in Switzerland. The "L" work permit is valid for 3 months up to one year. Citizens from Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania are subject to quotas.  

2 - "B" work permit  

The "B"work permit allows to undertake any paid activity anywhere in Switzerland. The "B"work permit is valid for 5 years and may be extended. Citizens from Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania are subject to quotas. 

3 - Frontier workers - "G" work permit  

The "G"work permit allows to undertake any paid activity anywhere in Switzerland. The foreign worker under a "G" work permit must be domiciled in an other EU or EEA member state. The "G" work permit validity is variable in cases of temporary work contract,  or of 5 years renewable in case of permanent work contract. 

How to apply?  

Usually, the application documents checklist includes: 

• a valid Identity card or a passport; 
• a police record; 
• proof of employment; 
• the family record book; 
• the application for a residence permit duly campleted; 
• payment of administrative fees. 

For further information, contact the cantonal aliens police, or cantonal immigration and labour market authorities to get a most comprehensive documentation about requirements and specific regulations applicable in your canton. 

 Useful links: 

Cantonal immigration and labour market authorities - State of Genève

http://www.geneve.ch/

Cantonal immigration and labour market authorities - State of Fribourg

http://admin.fr.ch/

Cantonal immigration and labour market authorities - State of Jura

http://www.jura.ch/

Cantonal immigration and labour market authorities - State of Neuchâtel

http://www.ne.ch/

Cantonal immigration and labour market authorities - State of Vaud

http://www.population.vd.ch/

Cantonal immigration and labour market authorities - State of Valais

http://www.vs.ch/

Cantonal immigration and labour market authorities - State of Berne

http://www.pom.be.ch/

Please refer to Federal Office for Migration website to find cantonal immigration and labour market authorities in German or Italian speaking cantons. 

Information designed for nationals from outside the EU/European Economic Area: 

Foreign nationals from outside the EU/EEA are subject to strict quotas. Requirements are sometimes hard to reach and the most qualified and graduated applicants are likely to get a work permit in Switzerland.  

An employer in Switzerland who wishes to hire a foreign national from outside the EU/EEA must prove to the Swiss authorities that there's not Swiss or European candidates to fill up the position. The job offer must first be advertized in local employment networks, then on the European employment network. If no Swiss or EU candidate applies or meet the eligibility criteria for the position, the application for a residence permit for the foreign worker can start. 

Initially, the employer in Switzerland or the applicant files an application form to the cantonal immigration and labour market authorities.

The cantonal authority makes a preliminary decision and sends the file for final approval to the Federal Office for Migration. 

The Federal Office for Migration makes its final decision and notifies the candidate, the employer and the relevant cantonal authorities. 

The Federal Office for Migration finally notifies the competent Swiss representation abroad of the work authorization for the foreign worker. 

Special procedures apply to employees of international organizations based in Switzerland like the UN, WHO or IOC. For more information, please refer to the Federal Office for Migration website at http://www.bfm.admin.ch/.

 

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