Switzerland is a prime destination for seasonal workers, especially during the winter months. Given the short duration of their stay, typically four to six months, seasonal workers are subject to temporary work permits. Here’s how it works for both European and non-European citizens. For European citizens Switzerland’s Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) […]
Obtaining the Swiss citizenship
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What changes under the new law? In June 2014, the Swiss Parliament modified the law regarding the conditions to obtain the Swiss citizenship. This change reflects the Parliament’s wish to facilitate the obtention of the Swiss citizenship to foreign residents who are well integrated in Switzerland. Currently, there are between 30’000 and 40’000 individuals obtaining […]
The quotas for work permits attributed to non-European citizens in 2017 have been now established by the Federal Council. Bern decided that Switzerland must be able to recruit high skilled workers from countries not necessarily part of the EU/EFTA to sustain the economic market and remain in accordance with the agreement on the free movement […]
Applying for Swiss citizenship while holding a légitimation card is still possible before the end of 2017. From January 2018, the naturalization law (LN) will change and applicants holding a C permit only will be considered for citizenship. Therefore, expatriates planning to obtain the Swiss citizenship and having lived in Switzerland for more than 12 […]
Applying for a work permit to hire skilled non-European staff is an important step for any international company based in Switzerland. The type of permit delivered is dependent on the length of the contract. A contract going over 365 days will result in a B permit while a contract under one year will result in […]
From 15th February 2018 onwards, children of immigrants born in Switzerland will have easier access to Swiss citizenship. Last week, the Federal Council modified the law regarding facilitated naturalization for 3rd generation applicants to establish a simplified procedure. Hence, the Swiss population has voted in favour of fast-tracked naturalizations for third generation non-nationals by 60.4%. […]
A recent court judgment pronounced in Zurich has highlighted the fact that maintaining a B permit after a divorce can be sometimes challenging when the permit was obtained through family reunification. Thus, the law grants the right to a Swiss citizen or C permit holder to live in Switzerland with his foreign spouse and children […]
In August 2018, the Federal Counsel approved the modifications brought to the Swiss Federal Law on Foreigners (LEtr), which consequently will become from the 1st January 2019 the Federal Law on Foreigners and Integration (“la loi fédérale sur les étrangers et l’intégration” LEI). The introduction of the LEI in 2019 aims to ameliorate foreigners’ integration […]
The new Federal Law on Foreigners and Integration (LEI) introduced on January 1st 2019 brought a few changes to the previous Swiss Federal law regulating foreigners on Swiss territory. The enforcement of the LEI means stricter conditions for Swiss permit applicants as the notion of integration gains importance in Swiss immigration policy. Hence, a foreigner […]
The fast-tracked C permit anticipé
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The Swiss C permit is the equivalent of permanent residency, allowing a foreigner to live and work in Switzerland without any restrictions. The permit C holder does not need an authorization to change employer or to work as an independent. Additionally, the C permit does not restrict employment to a specific canton (art. 34 LEI). […]
Article 36 of the Swiss Citizenship Act (SCA) allows the Secrétariat d’Etat aux Migrations (SEM) to declare null and void a simplified naturalization decision when it can be assumed that it has been granted on the basis of false information or of a deliberate concealment of material circumstances by the concerned individual. In other words, […]
A C permit is the equivalent of permanent residency in Switzerland. It allows the holder to work and live in the country indefinitely without any cantonal or employer’s restrictions. A C permit is obtained after 10 years of residency or after 5 years holding a B permit while being strongly integrated (art. 34 al. 4 […]