Switzerland work visa

Switzerland Work Visa

Switzerland Work Visa is easy and hassle-free to get with Tetra Consultants’ assistance.

For work purposes in Switzerland, you need to have a residence permit before you apply for your entry visa. Your prospective employer applies to the immigration authority at their local Swiss canton for the permit on your behalf, which suggests that you need to have a job in place prior to making your Swiss visa.

Introduction to Switzerland Work Visa

• You can apply for a Switzerland work visa through the Swiss embassy or consulate in your home country after you have a work permit.
• The Swiss visa is also a Schengen visa, which allows free movement across all Schengen countries. As Switzerland signed the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) in 1999, European Union/European Free Trade Association (EU/EFTA) citizens have greater ease for working and living in Switzerland.
• There are many types of Swiss visas available, including work permits, visas for the self-employed and residence permits. A residence permit is needed for all individuals who aim to live in Switzerland for a duration exceeding 90 day.
• You are not able to enter the country as a tourist and then take on work. If you wish to work, you will have to leave the country and then apply from your home country.
• There are fewer conditions for EU/EFTA residents as they do not require visas to enter or stay in Switzerland for up to 90 days. United Kingdom citizens are not included as the UK recently left the EU. For stays exceeding 90 days, you will need a residence permit.
• Whereas for non-EU/EFTA residents, they face more hurdles when applying for Swiss visas due to the implementation of permit quotas, which only allow a certain number of permits to be distributed annually.

Switzerland Work Visa Requirements for EU/EFTA Nationals

• Due to the guidelines of the AFMP, citizens from any EU or EFTA member state are permitted under law to reside and work in Switzerland without applying for a work permit, for a duration of up to 90 days.
• Your work permit in Switzerland is essentially your residence permit, which differs from your work visa. You are responsible for making your visa application, whereas your Swiss employer will register your employment either through the governments online portal or with the local canton authorities.
• EU/EFTA nationals who wish to work in Switzerland will need to look into the following types of Swiss permits:

Permit L (short-term residence permit)

• This permit is suitable for short-term residents who wish to reside in Switzerland for less than a year. If EU/EFTA nationals have an employment contract valid for 3 to 12 months, they are entitled to this permit. The validity of the permit is identical to the term of the employment contract.

Permit B (initial or temporary residence permit)

• This permit is for expats who want to reside in Switzerland for more than 1 year. They will need to have an employment contract of at least 12 months duration.

Permit G (cross-border commuter permit)

• This permit is for cross-border commuters who are working in Switzerland but reside in another EU/EFTA country. To be qualify as a cross-border commuter, the applicant needs to regularly travel back to their main place of stay, for a minimum of once a week.

Permit C (permanent residence or settlement permit)

• This allows one to stay in Switzerland indefinitely although the status needs to be confirmed every 5 years. You may apply for Permit C (settlement permit) if you have lived in Switzerland for:
• • 5 years, if the applicant is from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden as well as EFTA nationals (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway).
• • 10 years, if the applicant is from other EU member states.

Switzerland Work Visa Requirements for Non-EU/EFTA Nationals

• Non-EU/EFTA nationals must obtain a visa, a residency and/or work permit from the State Secretariat for Migration before they enter Switzerland. They are generally eligible for work permits only if they are qualified professionals.
• Third-country nationals will face more restrictions and requirements when applying for a Swiss work permit. This can be attributed to Switzerland’s quotas for the number of work permits they distribute to non-EU/EFTA nationals, and the requirements for securing one of these visas is high.
• To be eligible for a Swiss work permit, a Non-EU/EFTA national has to be a highly qualified worker, possess a university degree or an equivalent degree from a higher education institution and have several years of professional work experience. Other considerations include your age, language skills, ability to integrate into Swiss society and criminal record.

Self-Employment Visas

• There is technically no official Swiss visa specific to self-employment. However, all individuals who desire to reside and begin working in Switzerland as self-employed people will need to obtain official approval and permit. To qualify as self-employed, the applicant must be a Switzerland resident. Non-residents will not qualify.
• To obtain official self-employed status in Switzerland, you have to register your business first.
• Regarding the process of obtaining Switzerland Self-Employment Visas, in addition to your application form for your company registration, you must also petition with your local canton with information as to why you wish to be self-employed.
• Those who are citizens of an EU or EFTA member state and desire to begin work in Switzerland as self-employed can apply. You must register with the proper cantonal authorities within 14 days of your arrival to Switzerland in order to obtain a self-employment work permit.
• Acquiring officially approved self-employed status from the Swiss authorities may not be easy due to the country’s already stringent standards for the employment of foreign workers. Most of the time, only individuals who have already resided in Switzerland for 5 to 10 years are provided with self-employment status.

How we can help you get a Switzerland Work Visa

Contact us to find out more information about how to get a Switzerland Work Visa. Our team of experts will revert within the next 24 hours.

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