L Permit up to 4 consecutive months/120 non‑consecutive days within 12 months: • No quotas are applicable and no registration in Switzerland required. The State Secretariat for Migration SEM  may exceptionally authorise trips outside of Switzerland and in such cases will issue the necessary travel documents. The Schengen Agreement has an impact on the movement of persons. If your sponsoring family member holds a B or L permit, then they can only sponsor other family members with the approval of their canton. If you change jobs, you may not receive a new permit. Britain will be considered a third state if it exits from the EU with no … Switzerland has signed the freedom of movement agreement as part of the bilateral accord with the EU, allowing EU-27/EFTA citizens to enter, reside and work in the country. Citizens of EU and EFTA must fulfill the following conditions to obtain Residence Permit B: The immigrant must have adequate financial resources to bear the cost of living of self and family members in Switzerland without becoming requiring assistance or becoming dependent on welfare benefits. Applying for a work permit to hire skilled non-European staff is an important step for any international company based in Switzerland. Comparis explains the difference between the B and C permits, and the benefits of each. Eligibility Conditions. Work permits for non member EU/EFTA. Although Switzerland is not part of the EU, it does belong to the EFTA along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Then you will need a valid permit. Send an email to nmossaz@oalegal.ch or call directly +41 22 786 88 66. Proofs of job advertisement posted on recruitment platforms as well as on the official site of the Office Cantonal de l’Emploi (OCE) must be joined to the application. Since 1 January 2017, Protocol III of Agreement on the free movement of persons between Switzerland and the EU is applicable to nationals from Croatia. Nationals from all EU/EFTA member states without gainful employment are entitled to a B permit if they can prove they have sufficient financial means and adequate health and accident insurance. Switzerland makes available about 8,500 B and L work permits annually to people from outside the EU. Holders of the following Swiss residence permits may travel within the Schengen Area* without a visa for stays of up to 90 days: B permit (residence permit) C permit (settlement permit) L permit (short-term stay permit) Ci permit (residence and work permit) At the cantonal level, the permit request is examined by the SMOE (Service de la main-d’oeuvre étrangère). 2 LEI). EU/EFTA nationals Within 14 days of arriving in Switzerland EU/EFTA nationals must register with local authorities External link in the town where they will live to apply for a residence permit. 33 al. There are two exceptions where someone can apply for a C permit sooner: If an applicant is well integrated and has five years of consecutive residency on a B permit; B Permit: • Long term permit valid for up to 12 months for non EU/EFTA nationals and up to 5 years for EU/EFTA nationals. Permit B for EU and EFTA Citizens. It is restricted by quota if the duration is longer than four months. Send an email to legalexpat@oalegal.ch or call directly +41 22 786 88 66. In order to start a business, EU and EFTA citizens must obtain a B permit, valid for 5 years. Employees: the issuance or extension of B type work and residency permits to non-EU nationals may be subject to integration criteria moving forward, although only the signature of a legally binding integration agreement for non-EU nationals is specifically mentioned in the new law/ordinance. Finally, the worker’s CV and diplomas must also be joined demonstrating expertise and skills in a specific area justifying the fact that his profile is standing out. Non-EU/EFTA nationals that have been employed for at least 12 months in an EU/EFTA country may use this simplified, fast-track registration procedure. This means, essentially, that you should have a degree from a university or an institution of higher education, as well as a number of years of professional work experience. if you are a manager, specialist or other skilled professional. Send an email to graggenbass@oalegal.ch or call directly +41 22 786 88 66. For non-EU citizens, yearly quotas apply for B and L permits. These countries include Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Re: Non-EU B permit If you have lost your job and are entitled to chômage, you get to stay in Switzerland for as long as you are receiving the payments. The visa is delivered once the SEM has approved the application and has sent electronically the authorization to the Swiss consulate. B Permit: Available for non-EU nationals and EU/EFTA nationals. How do I obtain a visa to enter Switzerland? The work permit application process follows strict rules. Bern will take in account aspects such as national quotas for non-European work permits. Because of this, nobody from EU/EFTA countries needs a visa to enter Switzerland. Send an email to legalexpat@oalegal.ch or call directly +41 22 787 04 60. A contract going over 365 days will result in a B permit while a contract under one year will result in the delivery of a short-term L permit. Only the employer can submit the application on behalf of the non-European worker. *There are currently 26 countries that have signed the Schengen Agreement:Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Principality of Liechtenstein, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Switzerland. You do not forfeit your permit and you will not be asked to leave the country. To EU/EFTA nationals, this permit is issued for five years, whereas for non-EU/EFTA nationals, for one year. But here's the best part: When you accept a job offer through Darwin, our Contractor Care team will begin the announcement/online permit process right away. The process can take three to six months before receiving a decision from the authorities. The residents permit must be obtained from the Residents Registry office via the local cantonal migration office within 14 days of arrival in Switzerland. All Non-EU citizens holding a B permit can apply for C permit after 10 years of residency in Switzerland. Permit B for initial or temporary residence. Diplomatic ID cards issued by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). The rest of this guide applies to non-EU/EFTA citizens only. From 1 June 2017, the Swiss government will also apply quotas to work and residence permits granted to newer EU members, Romania and Bulgaria. To obtain a work permit in Switzerland, citizens of the European Union (EU) or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) (EU countries but also Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) are subject to different conditions from those applicable to third-country nationals (non-EU/EFTA citizens). You will receive a B permit if you want to move to Switzerland to work or study there. They also declare their object of activity and provide proof for it. Family members of both EU/EFTA and non-EU/EFTA citizens can come to Switzerland only if their sponsoring family member has either Swiss citizenship or a permanent residence visa (see our section on this below). In Geneva, employers must, first of all, fill up the M form in two copies. Third-country nationals may only be hired if no one with equivalent qualifications can be found in Switzerland or in an EU/EFTA member state. The Swiss B permit or “autorisation de séjour” is a multi-faceted residency and work permit delivered for specific reasons such as: skilled non-EU workers, EU-27/ALELE workers or residents, family reunification, international students enrolled in higher academic institutions, refugees and retirees over 55 with sufficient funds to support themselves in Switzerland (art. Only managers, specialists and other qualified workers will be admitted. However, it can be renewed if needed. The Swiss government has set work permit quotas for EU and non-EU nationals and, for the first time due to Brexit, a separate quota for UK nationals. You get your Swiss residence permit and are allowed to live and work in Switzerland. Read more in our guide for EU/EFTA nationals moving to Switzerland. The process can be long and confusing at the best of times. For the canton of Geneva, the OCPM first receives the application, sends it to the SMOE for examination and then issues a positive or negative notice. Non-EU/EFTA citizens will need to get a special residence per… If you are an EU/EFTA citizen. A high percentage of B permit applicants from Italy, France and Germany and other EU countries where long-standing agreements are in place with Switzerland will not have to take a test. Please enter your municipality. Only after that, the applicant will be able to start working. This website aims to provide general information regarding Swiss law and should not be regarded as a legal opinion. Since Switzerland has established free movement with the EU and EFTA, citizens from those countries can freely enter Switzerland and stay there for up to three months, without any visa. For more specific advice, do not hesitate to contact us. The Agreement of Free Movement of Persons states that these citizens don’t require a C permit in order to be able to have their residence in Switzerland. The type of permit delivered is dependent on the length of the contract. The employer must also submit a letter of motivation, a description of the company and his employees work permit status and citizenship and justify why he is hiring this particular non-European worker. Finally, the applicant has to obtain a visa through the Swiss consulate of his country of residence to be able to travel to Switzerland and have his permit issued. As per the revised law, dependents of non-EU nationals with non-EU nationality aged 18 or over who apply for a B-permit must be able to demonstrate either: Their speaking and writing skills in the language spoken in the region of Switzerland in which they live or intend to relocate to upon presentation of a language certificate (level: at least A1); or The B permit is valid for up to 12 months but it is extendable allowing it to cover long term work. If you are employed and are from an EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member state, you may stay in Switzerland for a period of three months without a permit. EU/EFTA citizens can freely enter Switzerland but must apply for work authorisation. Applying for a work permit to hire skilled non-European staff is an important step for any international company based in Switzerland. If you come from a non EU/EFTA state and would like to work in Switzerland, you may only do so if you are highly qualified, i.e. If it is positive, the application is then examined by the SEM (Secrétariat d’Etat aux migrations) in Bern that takes the final decision. Citizens from countries not in the EU who are holding a B permit can apply for a C permit after 10 years of residency in Switzerland.