Work permit and visa for Switzerland
How to obtain a Swiss visa or work permit
Switzerland relies on a quota system to limit the number of foreign workers 漏 D-Keine / iStock.com
Switzerland is one of the world鈥檚 most innovative research countries and has attracted international students and researchers for some time. This article provides information which will help you get your visa no matter your nationality and focuses on UK and US residents in particular.
Updated: 2024-09-11
By: Charles Hawley, Dacha Media
Working in Switzerland as an EU citizen
Switzerland boasts one of the world鈥檚 strongest economies, which rests on the strength of the country鈥檚 precision instrument industry, pharmaceuticals, banking, insurance and more. It is also home to top-ranked universities. The result is an extremely highly-skilled workforce and an attractive place to work and 鈥� with plenty of natural beauty to take advantage of 鈥� live.
While Switzerland may not be a member of the European Union itself, it is a member of Schengen (Europe鈥檚 border-free travel regime) and, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). This means that the hurdles for EU passport holders to live and work in Switzerland are low.
Still, while EU and EFTA citizens can enter Switzerland without a visa, they will need to register to work in the country and apply for a residence permit if they plan to stay for longer than three months.
There is, however, currently an exception in place for Croatian nationals, with a quota system sill applying to citizens of Croatia interested in working in Switzerland in 2024. Full freedom of movement will be reintroduced in 2025
Does Switzerland require a visa for US-citizens or other third-country nationals?
Citizens of all countries that are not members of the EU or EFTA, including the United Kingdom and the United States, will need to apply for permits to live and work in Switzerland. It should be kept in mind, however, that the country鈥檚 work-visa policy is relatively strict, heavily prioritizing highly skilled workers. The country also relies on a quota system to limit the number of foreign workers in the country and prioritizes candidates from EU and EFTA member states.
For 2024, a total of 4,500 people will be issued with year-long residency permits with a possibility of renewal (so-called Category B permits 鈥� see list below), with an additional 4,000 permits available for shorter-term residency permits up to a maximum of one year (Category L).
There is currently still a separate quota system for workers from the UK, though this is a transitional agreement. Accordingly, 2,100 Category B residence permits are available for UK citizens along with an additional 1,400 Category L permits. Switzerland is intending to phase out the separate quota system for UK citizens in the near future.
Residence and work permit for Switzerland
The primary pre-requisite for being issued a work visa (which allows you to enter the country) is a work permit, which is essentially the same as a residence permit (which allows you to stay in the country). And it is the employer鈥檚 responsibility to apply for the incoming worker鈥檚 residence permit in the canton where the employer is located.
Once that application is approved, immigration authorities are notified and the visa application discussed above can then be approved by the embassy or consulate in question.
There are a number of different types of work/residence permits in Switzerland, but the main categories are the following:
- Category L permits: These permits are granted for a period of three to twelve months with no opportunity for extension beyond that time limit. They are issued to those holding a temporary employment contract of less than a year and to citizens of EU/EFTA member states who come to Switzerland to look for a job.
- Category B permits: These permits are granted to foreign workers intending to live and work in Switzerland for more than a year. They are issued for a year and can be renewed annually as long as the permit holder continues to be employed by the same employer.
- Category C permits: Once a foreign national has lived and worked in Switzerland for 10 continuous years (or five continuous years for U.S./UK nationals), they may apply for a Category C settlement permit.
- Category G permits: This is a special category for those who commute to their workplace inside Switzerland from a home located just outside the country鈥檚 borders.
Work visas 鈥� Requirements
It is important to note that while citizens of the U.S., the UK and EU/EFTA member countries do not need a visa to enter Switzerland for the purposes of tourism, different rules apply if they are entering the country with the intention of staying and working in Switzerland.
EU/EFTA citizens may enter the country before looking for work and then apply for a residence permit once they have secured a job.
Citizens of the U.S., UK and all other third countries, however, must meet a number of requirements before being issued a work visa:
- A job offer from a Swiss employer
- Possession of managerial-level seniority, specialized skills or an advanced degree paired with several years of experience
- Application submitted at a time when the annual quotas have not yet been exhausted
Swiss authorities may also consider other criteria, such as language skills, ability to integrate into Swiss society and ability to support oneself and all family members who may be joining.
It is important to note that even if citizens of the U.S., the UK or other countries may enter Switzerland without a visa for tourism purposes, they are not allowed to apply for a work visa or a residence permit from within the country. They must leave Switzerland and apply through a Swiss embassy or consulate in their home country.
Studying and researching in Switzerland
While many countries have special visa categories for academic researchers, Switzerland does not. Those interested in working at a Swiss university or research institute must go through the same process outlined above. Still, the website of the Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Z眉rich) is a great place to start if you want to work at a university.
Those interested in studying in Switzerland have two visas available to them, depending on whether they are planning to merely take a short course or seminar or earn a degree at a Swiss university.
- Those in the first catagory will apply for a 鈥淐鈥� visa (not to be confused with Category C residence permits), which are valid for three months or less.
- Students who want to pursue a degree at a Swiss university must apply for a 鈥淒鈥� visa.
To be eligible for a 鈥淒鈥� visa, applicants must have been accepted to a Swiss university and they must be able to show that they have a valid health insurance policy and that they can afford to financially support themselves while living in Switzerland. As with work visas, applications must be filed in the student鈥檚 home country through a Swiss embassy or consulate.
Holders of a student visa may not work during their first six months in the country and may only work for 15 hours per week after that.
We assume no liability for the accuracy of the information in this article.聽
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