Citizens of the EU/EFTA member states
In principle, nationals of EU and EFTA states have the right to travel to Switzerland, to stay there and to engage in gainful employment.
"The Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons" between Switzerland and the EU/EFTA states provides for the following conditions with regard to this:
REGISTRATION
EU-15/EFTA citizens and citizens of Malta and Cyprus no longer require a permit for stays and employment of up to three months or 90 working days per calendar year. Self-employed service providers and posted employees (citizens of third countries must have been lawfully admitted to the EU/EFTA labour market for at least 12 months) may also for a total of 90 working days per calendar year render cross-border services in Switzerland. For this group of people there is an obligation to register any stays of a duration of more than 8 days in advance. This obligation to register must in principle be complied with.
Registration is to be made online through the free-of-charge registration service.
Employees who are members of EU-8 nations require from the first day of employment a work and residence permit, even if their employment is of a shorter duration than 3 months.
SHORT-TERM RESIDENCE PERMIT EU/EFTA FOR 364 DAYS AT MAX.
The granting of a short-term residence permit EU/EFTA is subject to fulfilment of the following pre-conditions:
- There must be a legally valid employment relationship for a period of less than one year. The duration of the employment governs the period of the residence permit.
- There is no quota for one-time short-term residence permits for periods of up to 4 months or 120 days per calendar year.
- Permit holders have the right to have their permit renewed if they receive a new employment contract for a period of less than one year.
- A confirmation from the employer is sufficient for EU-15/EFTA citizens.
RESIDENCE PERMIT EU/EFTA UP TO 5 YEAR
The granting of a residence permit EU/EFTA for gainful employment is subject to fulfilment of the following pre-conditions:
- There must be a legally valid employment relationship for a period of at least one year or an unlimited employment relationship.
- The permit is automatically issued for a period of 5 years.
- After the expiration of 5 year, the permit may be extended upon presentation of an employment confirmation.
RESIDENCE PERMIT EU/EFTA FOR SELF-EMPLOYMENT UP TO 5 YEARS
The granting of a residence permit EU/EFTA for self-employment is subject to fulfilment of the following pre-conditions:
- Proof that sufficient financial means are available for a secure existence.
- meaningful business plan, incl. market potential, expectation of profits, personnel development, etc.
EU/EFTA citizens who enter Switzerland for the purpose of self-employment are granted an initial residence permit for a period of six months (settling-in period). During this period they lay the necessary operational foundations to provide proof of permanent, effectively carried out self-employment. Proof of self-employment can be provided by forming a company or establishing a branch in Switzerland conducting active business activity. The business activity is to be documented by furnishing business records (accounting, balance sheets, profit and loss statements, orders, operating volume) showing that the activities are existence-securing. If after the expiration of 6 months proof of self-employment can be provided, a residence permit for a period of 5 years will be granted. This permit also includes the right to professional mobility, in particular changing to employment without requiring an additional permit.
PERMANENT RESIDENCE PERMIT
As a rule, EU/EFTA citizens can obtain a permanent residence permit after five years of uninterrupted stay in Switzerland, which is, however, not included in the treaty on the free movement of persons.
The permanent residence permit is valid for an unlimited period of time and is not tied to any conditions. The permanent residence permit for EU/EFTA citizens can in the event of stay abroad upon request be retained for 2 years.
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