L PERMIT
SHORT-TERM AUTHORIZATION TO WORK OR RESIDE IN SWITZERLAND
The “L” permit can be granted for temporary employment, for an internship after academic studies or to follow medical treatment. The short-term “L” permit is often granted first to non-EU skilled workers or for an independant activity.
The application process
The application process follows the same rules as the B permit for non-EU citizens. The short-term “L” permit is also subject to yearly quotas, the years spent under a “L” permit do not count when applying for a “C” permit “anticipé” (art. 34 al. 4 LEI).
For non-EU citizens, it is the employer who must lodge the application on behalf of the applicant. A contract stipulating the length of the work to be undertaken and signed by the two parties must be joined.
The employer must also submit a letter of motivation, a description of the company and his employees work permit status and citizenship.
The employer should also justify why he is hiring this particular non-European worker on a short-term basis.
The process can take three to four months before receiving a decision from the authorities, the SEM in Bern delivers the final decision to the employer or the legal representative.
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Read MoreMore free content on Permits in Switzerland
Browse our free content topics below. Some answers to most of the important and frequently asked questions can be found here.
Amending an employment contract in Switzerland – Do’s and Don’ts
In the context of the global pandemic, many companies try to avoid bankruptcy by reducing their costs, among which the salaries of employees. Before unilaterally...
Read More
Obtaining the Swiss citizenship
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...
Read More
What is happening in 2017 with Swiss work permit quotas?
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...
Read More
Applying for Swiss citizenship before 2018: how to proceed…
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...
Read More
Non EU-27/EFTA citizens: how to apply for a work permit?
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...
Read More
Naturalization made easier for 3rd generation immigrants
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...
Read More
Divorcing and maintaining your B permit: How to proceed
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...
Read More
Recent update of the Swiss Federal Law on Foreigners and Integration
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...
Read More
What happens to my permit in the case of criminal proceedings?
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...
Read More
The fast-tracked C permit anticipé
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...
Read More
Annulment of a simplified naturalization decision
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...
Read More
Maintain your C permit while living abroad
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...
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