To work in Switzerland, most people from other countries need a work pass. Getting a work permit and a work visa for Switzerland depends on your job and the type of visa you need. EU/EFTA citizens, UK citizens, and people who are not EU/EFTA citizens all have to follow different rules. This post will explain how to get a work visa for Switzerland. The Federal Statistical Office says that 1.819 million people from other countries worked in Switzerland in the third quarter of 2023.
Seventy-eight percent of them came from an EU/EFTA country or the UK. Twenty-one percent came from a third-party country. It has three kinds of permits to live there. Home licenses for a short time, a long time, or permanently live in the country. People who are not from the EU must also apply for a national visa, also known as a D-visa. The person who has it can work in Switzerland as long as the visa is valid.
Types of Switzerland Residence Permits
In Switzerland, the work permit and the living permit are usually thought of as the same thing.
Residence permits for EU/EFTA nationals
The various residence permits for nationals of EU and EFTA member states
- B EU/EFTA permit (Resident foreign nationals)
- C EU/EFTA permit (Settled foreign nationals)
- Ci EU/EFTA permit (Resident foreign nationals with gainful employment)
- G EU/EFTA permit (Cross-border commuters)
- L EU/EFTA permit (Short-term residents)
Residence Permits for non-EU/EFTA nationals
The different types of residence permits for people from third-party states (non-EU/EFTA)
- Permit Ci (residence permit with gainful employment)
- Permit F (provisionally admitted foreigners)
- Permit G (cross-border commuter permit)
- Permit N (permit for asylum-seekers)
- Permit S (people in need of protection)
Requirements of Working in Switzerland as a foreign national
How to get a work permit in Switzerland depends on what kind of citizen you are.
Citizens of EU/EFTA member states
People from EU/EFTA member states can come to Switzerland, live there, and work there because of freedom of movement.
- Short-term employment: If you only work for 3 months for a Swiss company, you don’t need a pass.
- Long-Term Employment: This is what you need to do if you want to work in Switzerland for more than three months.
Citizens of Non- EU/EFTA member states
Switzerland only hires skilled people, students, and recent college graduates with a few years of work experience.
People who are not from the EU or EFTA need a work pass even for short-term jobs. A certain number of passes can be given out.
Citizens of UK Country
Since the UK is no longer a part of Europe. People from the UK must follow the same rules as people from other countries.
Requirements for Switzerland Work Visa
You can apply for a work visa in Switzerland if you are not a member of the EU or EFTA and meet the following requirements:
- You are a skilled and qualified worker (manager, specialist), and you have a college degree, a lot of work experience, and a certain area of knowledge.
- The job is already set aside for you.
- Your possible boss will apply for the right work/residence permit for you.
- The job could not be filled by a member of the EU or EFTA.
- There are enough yearly work visas for Swiss people to do it.
How to apply for a Switzerland Work Visa?
- Getting a job in Switzerland is easy, and the company is ready to help you get a work visa.
- Fill out the file for the Swiss work visa documents.
- Your boss in Switzerland asks for your residence permit.
- You go to your home country to apply for a work visa for Switzerland.
- Your Swiss work visa is given to you by the Swiss embassy or consulate in your country.
- When you get to Switzerland, you have 14 days to sign up at the Residents’ Registry Office through the transfer offices in your home canton.
- Now that you have your Swiss residence pass, you can live and work in Switzerland.
Where you can apply for the Switzerland work visa?
People who are not from the EU can apply at the Swiss Embassy, consulate, or VFS Global in their home country.
Before you can get a Swiss work visa, you need to have a job.
Conclusion:
How easy it is to get a work visa in Switzerland varies on what country you are from. This guide tells you about residence permits, what you need to do to apply, and whether you’re from the UK, an EU/EFTA country, or a non-EU/EFTA country. Managers, experts, and skilled workers can find out what they need to do to get a Swiss work visa and what qualifications they need to meet. To legally live and work in Switzerland, you must follow the steps listed, which include having your employer get involved.
People Also Ask
Who needs a work permit to work in Switzerland?
You need a work pass to work in Switzerland if you are not from Switzerland. To get a work pass, EU/EFTA citizens, UK citizens, and people who are not EU/EFTA citizens must follow different rules and steps.
What types of residence permits are available in Switzerland?
Switzerland has different rules for people who are not EU/EFTA citizens and people who are EU/EFTA citizens. For EU/EFTA citizens, the categories are B, C, Ci, G, and L. For citizens of other countries, the categories are Ci, F, G, N, and S.
