Apply for a Canton-specific work permit for Switzerland
Canton specific guidance on applying for a work permit for Switzerland.
Documents
Details
Since Brexit, UK nationals no longer benefit from the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (FMPA) between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries and must now apply for work permits under the same rules as other third-country nationals.
The UK officially left the EU on 31 January 2020. As part of the withdrawal agreement, the UK and the EU agreed on a transition period until 31 December 2020. During this time, existing bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU continued to apply to the UK.
As of 1 January 2021, the FMPA between Switzerland and the EU no longer applies to the UK. From this date onward, UK nationals are no longer considered EU and EFTA citizens, but rather third-country nationals under Swiss immigration law.
On 25 February 2019, Switzerland and the UK signed the Agreement on Citizens’ Acquired Rights, which has been in force since January 1, 2021.
Based on this agreement:
- Swiss and UK citizens who acquired residency rights under the FMPA by 31 December 2020 retain those rights
- family reunification remains possible even after 31 December 2020
- UK nationals who move to Switzerland after 31 December 2020 cannot claim acquired rights under this agreement
UK nationals newly entering Switzerland from 1 January 2021 who are intending to work are, under Swiss immigration law, treated as third-country nationals.
This means a work permit must be applied for in advance at the relevant cantonal migration or labour market authority.
It is your future employer’s responsibility to apply for a work permit on your behalf before you start working. This ensures that your employment complies with Swiss law and you will be legally authorised to live and work in Switzerland.
Process
Once all documents have been collected your employer can file the application with the competent labour market authority.
Step 1: pre-approval by the cantonal labour authority
Your employer submits the work permit application with the cantonal labour market authority in the canton where you will be working. These authorities play a crucial role in assessing whether your employment complies with Swiss immigration and labour market regulations. They check whether all the immigration requirements are met.
Their responsibilities are not just administrative. They conduct a substantive assessment of your job offer, qualifications, and your employer’s compliance with local hiring rules or assignments rules.
Step 2: review and approval by the cantonal migration authority
Once the cantonal labour authority has approved your work permit, your application package will be sent to the cantonal migration office at the place where you intend to reside in Switzerland. The cantonal migration office will verify your personal circumstances and verifies that you are eligible to reside in Switzerland. If they agree the cantonal migration authority will issue the final approval. UK nationals do not need a visa authorization to be able to enter Switzerland for work purposes.
Step 3: residence registration at the community office
With the cantonal migration office’s final approval, you are eligible to register your residence with the community office at the place of residence. The registration must be done within 14 days after your relocation to Switzerland but latest before you take up work in Switzerland. Only once you have registered at the community office are you fully work compliant. Switzerland has 26 cantons. In each canton there are various communes and all of them have different registration requirements.
Some registrations have to be done by personally visiting the commune office and some registrations can be submitted online or via email. Most commune offices have walk-in counters. However, there are some that you need to schedule an appointment first. If you relocate with family members, usually all family members have to visit the commune office.
Step 4: biometric appointment
The registration at the community office triggers the appointment for taking your biometrics at the cantonal migration office. Some cantons issue the appointment on the spot while registering, other cantons will send you the invitation via mail to your address after registration. The biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) must be completed in person and takes place when you get your permit card.
Step 5: issuance of the L or B permit
Once your biometric data has been collected, your residence permit (work and stay card) will be printed and sent to your Swiss address by post.