Residence permits

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The different types of residence and/or work permits

The different types of EU and EFTA residence and/or work permits

All foreign citizens are required to have a residence and/or work permit in order to work in Switzerland, so what are the different types of permits for citizens of EU and EFTA member states?

The B permit as a long-term work and residence permit

  • The B permit is a long-term work permit
  • A form accompanied by the required documents must be sent to the Service Etrangers et Confédérés -SEC- (Office Cantonal de la Population) at the beginning of the activity.
  • The permit is renewable until the consent of the authorization of establishment (booklet C) after 5 years for the United States and Canada, and 10 years for the others.

The L permit as a short-term work and residence permit

  • The L permit is a short-term work permit
  • A form accompanied by the required documents must be sent to the Service Etrangers et Confédérés -SEC- (Office Cantonal de la Population) at the beginning of the activity.
  • The permit lasts 364 days and can be renewed for EU / EFTA workers

Other types of work and residence permits

The G permit as a work permit for border workers

  • The G permit is a work permit for border workers
  • A form accompanied by the required documents must be sent to the Service Etrangers et Confédérés -SEC- (Office Cantonal de la Population) at the beginning of the activity. A frontier worker can be hired only upon presentation of a proof of employment
  • The license lasts 5 years for contracts of indefinite duration (CDI) or more than 12 months, renewable.

The C permit

  • The spouse of an international civil servant living together is also granted a work permit and children may live in the family home before the age of 21. The cantonal population office inspects the permit application
  • The duration of the permit corresponds to the duration of the duties of the holder of the legitimation card of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)

The Ci permit

  • The Ci permit is an authorization to establish
  • The Cantonal Population Office is the only authority qualified to examine the permit
  • Its duration is indefinite.

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