Immigration support is the part of a Swiss move that decides whether your transferee can start work and settle on time. It is also the part where responsibilities are most often left unclear. This page sets out what immigration support for a relocation to Switzerland usually covers, what cannot be delegated, and how to brief a specialist.
What immigration support means in practice
Immigration support is administrative and procedural help. A specialist company prepares the file, checks that it is complete, follows it through the cantonal and federal channels, and keeps you informed of the status.
It does not decide anything. The authorities grant or refuse a permit. No agency can promise an outcome, and you should treat any such promise as a warning sign.
Immigration support is also not legal advice on your employee's personal situation. It explains the general rules and manages the process. A case with unusual features is examined individually by a specialist.
Start with the regime that applies
Switzerland applies two regimes. Nationals of EU and EFTA states come under the free movement agreement. Nationals of other countries (third states) come under the national admission rules. The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) describes this split on its page on the admission of workers.
The conditions behind each regime differ in detail. The detail, including qualification requirements and the priority given to the local workforce, should be confirmed with the authority or a specialist for each case. Do not assume that a route used for one transferee applies to the next.
If your assignees come from the UK, the US, India, Germany, France, Canada, China, Japan, the UAE or Australia, sort them by regime before you plan anything else. Two employees on the same team can follow quite different processes. Our permit finder is a starting point for that sort.
What an agency typically handles
The scope varies by provider and by your contract. A typical immigration scope includes:
- Intake and eligibility review. The agency reads the assignment details and identifies the likely route.
- Document list. It tells your employee which documents to obtain in the home country, and in what form.
- Application preparation. It completes forms, assembles the file and checks it for gaps before submission.
- Liaison with authorities. It handles queries from the cantonal migration office and keeps a record of each exchange.
- Arrival formalities. It supports the registration with the local municipality and the collection of the permit card.
- Family files. It prepares the parallel applications for a spouse, partner or children.
For the wider picture of what such companies do, see relocation services in Switzerland. Family applications are closely linked to spouse and partner support.
What stays with your employer and your employee
Some tasks cannot be outsourced, whatever the contract says.
The employer
- The job offer, the employment contract and the facts about the role.
- Decisions on the assignment type, duration and policy.
- Accurate information given to the specialist. An error in the file belongs to the file's owner.
- Planning for any employer-side requirements for the transferee's nationality. See immigration compliance for employers.
The employee
- Obtaining and signing the original documents.
- Attending any appointment that requires personal presence.
- Telling the specialist at once about any change in family or travel plans.
- Registering on arrival.
The arrival step is a good example. On arrival, your employee must report to the municipality. The commonly cited deadline is 14 days, but it can vary by municipality or canton, so confirm it locally (ch.ch is the national portal). At the counter, the employee typically needs an identity document, the residence or work permit and proof of health insurance. An agency can prepare the folder, but the employee has to turn up.
How the process unfolds
The sequence below shows the usual order of an immigration file. Timing depends on the regime, the canton and the completeness of the file, so ask the specialist for the expected path rather than assuming one.
When to use a specialist
A transferee with a simple file and plenty of time may manage with the authority's own guidance. Use a specialist when the timeline is tight, when several family members apply together, when the route is unclear, or when you move groups of employees and need consistent handling. For that last case, see corporate relocation service.
Cost is a policy question as well as a procurement one. Our page on employee relocation costs explains which items sit in which budget line. We state no prices here.
How the introduction works
This site does not carry out immigration work. It is a matching service. It works with the best relocation companies in Switzerland and, depending on your request, introduces you to the one that fits your need.
- You describe the assignment in the relocation support request.
- The request is reviewed for route, location and scope.
- You are put in touch with a suitable company.
- You hold a first conversation and decide whether to go ahead.
Questions to ask a provider
- Which regimes and cantons do you handle most often?
- What is in the scope, and what is excluded?
- Who prepares the family applications?
- How will you report on the file's status, and how often?
- What do you need from the employer, and by when?
- What happens if the authority requests additional documents?
- Who is responsible for arrival registration?
- How do you handle a change of start date?
Use the relocation calendar to map these steps against the start date, and the personalised checklist to give your employee a list of their own tasks.
Frequently asked questions
Does immigration support guarantee a permit?
No. The authorities decide, and no provider can promise the result. A good provider prepares a complete and correct file and tells you early about any risk it sees.
Is immigration support the same as legal advice?
No. It covers process and preparation. A case with unusual features, such as a complex family situation or a prior refusal, is examined individually by a specialist.
Which regimes does Switzerland apply?
Two: free movement for EU and EFTA nationals, and national admission rules for nationals of other countries. The SEM explains the split on its page on the admission of workers. The detailed conditions should be confirmed for each case.
Who pays for immigration support?
That depends on your policy. Some employers cover the whole file, including family members. Others cover the employee only. Set the rule in your policy before the first transferee moves.
Can my employee handle the application alone?
Sometimes. A simple file with a long lead time may be manageable. A tight timeline, a family application or an unclear route is where specialist help earns its place.
What does the employer have to supply?
The contract, the role details and any employer-side information the file requires. Errors here are the employer's to correct, so check the facts before they go to the specialist.
What must the employee do personally?
Obtain the original documents, sign where required, attend any appointment that needs personal presence, and register with the municipality on arrival.
When must my employee register on arrival?
The commonly cited deadline is 14 days. It can vary by municipality or canton, so confirm it locally. Typically the employee brings an identity document, the permit and proof of health insurance.
Does it matter which country my employee comes from?
Yes, mainly through the regime. A transferee from Germany or France falls under free movement. A transferee from the US, India or Japan falls under the rules for third states. See our page on transfers from the UAE and the Gulf for one example of a departure-country view.
What happens if the authority asks for more documents?
The agency relays the request, tells your employee what is needed, and updates the file. Delays at this stage are common, so build a buffer into the start date.
Can I name the company that handles the file?
You may state preferences in your request. The matching service then introduces a company that fits the need. You decide after the first conversation whether to proceed.
How does this connect to the rest of the move?
Immigration is one workstream among several, alongside home search, schooling and settling in. Delays in one often affect the others, so plan them together. For the whole picture, see employee relocation to Switzerland.