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Which Swiss permit do I need? Interactive finder

The finder gives your HR or mobility team a first orientation on the permit route that may apply to a transferee. It is a starting point, not a decision by the authorities.

Send my result to the team

Updated 1 November 2026 · official sources listed at the end

Tablet on a wooden desk displaying a blurred flowchart, with an alpine lake and green mountains behind
Illustrative photo

Which permit do you need to move to Switzerland?

Three questions to see which authorisation fits your plans. The result is a likely route: the canton and the SEM decide.

Your nationality
Purpose of the stay
Planned length

Result

Likely route: B permit (resident)

For a stay of more than a year, the SEM provides for the residence permit, the B permit, which is limited in time.

A Swiss employment contract is the central document of the file.

  • Within 14 days of arrival: register with the commune, with an ID, a residence permit and proof of health insurance.
  • The C permit (settlement, no time limit) comes later, under conditions set by the SEM.
  • Ci (people linked to foreign representations) and G (cross-border commuters) are separate cases.

This result is a likely route, not a decision: the canton and the SEM decide. A specialist checks your situation before the file is submitted.

Which permit? Likely routes by nationality and purposeDecision tree. First question: are you a citizen of an EU or EFTA country? If yes: a stay of less than one year leads to an L permit; a longer stay to a B permit (limited residence permit); settlement to a C permit (no time limit, conditions set by the SEM). If no (third country): a qualified worker or specialist, L or B permit within the 2026 quotas; family reunification (spouse, children under 18, application within 5 years), decided by the canton; studies, retirement or self-employment, conditions specific to each purpose, set by the SEM. The result is a likely route; the authorities decide.Citizen of an EU or EFTA country?Yes, EU / EFTAStay of less than oneyearLLonger stay, limitedpermitBSettlement, no timelimitconditions: set by the SEMCNo, third countryQualified worker orspecialistwithin the 2026 quotasL / BFamily reunification:spouse, children under18apply within 5 yearsCantonStudies, retirement,self-employmentconditions specific to eachcaseSEMCi: people linked to foreign representations who work. G: cross-bordercommuters. A likely route, not a decision: the canton and the SEM decide.Sources: SEM; Federal Council press release of 19.11.2025 (quotas); FNIA (LEI) art. 42to 47 (family reunification).
Which permit? Likely routes by nationality and purpose Source : SEM (sem.admin.ch); Federal Council press release of 19.11.2025; FNIA (LEI) art. 42 to 47 (consulted 1 November 2026)

Assumptions and sources

Sources: SEM (permit types L, B, C, Ci and G; two regimes, EU/EFTA and non-EU/EFTA); Federal Council, press release of 19.11.2025 (2026 quotas); FNIA, art. 42 to 47 (family reunification). Permit validity periods are not given here: the SEM and the canton set them.

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Have my route checked

Which Swiss permit do I need? The answer starts with two questions: where is your employee's passport from, and how long will the assignment last. The finder above asks for these and returns a likely route.

What the finder is for

Your transferee lives abroad today. Before a contract is signed or a start date is set, your team needs to know which regime applies. The finder gives that first view in a few minutes.

It is an orientation. The cantonal and federal authorities grant permits, not this site. The result cannot replace a review of your employee's file.

How to use it

  1. Enter the nationality of your transferee.
  2. Indicate the purpose of stay, such as employment or family.
  3. Indicate the expected duration.
  4. Read the suggested route and the points to check.

You can then send the result with the request at the bottom of the page. A specialist examines the case.

The rules behind the result

Switzerland applies two regimes. Nationals of EU/EFTA states follow the free movement route under the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (ALCP). Nationals of third states, meaning outside the EU/EFTA, follow a separate route under the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (LEI). The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) describes both.

The SEM distinguishes short-term permits (under one year), annual permits (limited) and settlement permits (unlimited). For EU/EFTA nationals, the titles are:

Permit Meaning
L Short-term stay
B Resident
C Settled
Ci Resident with gainful activity, for persons linked to foreign representations
G Cross-border commuter

Permit G concerns people who live abroad and work in Switzerland. It is outside the scope of this site, which covers people moving to live in Switzerland.

First orientation on the regimeIs your employee a national of an EU or EFTA state? · Yes · Free movement route (ALCP); a short-term or · resident permit is possible in principle · No · Does your employee have a job offer from a · Swiss employer? · Yes · Employer-led application under the · third-country rules · No · Other routes such as family or study, · assessed case by caseIs your employee a national of an EU or EFTA state?YesFree movement route (ALCP); a short-term orresident permit is possible in principleNoDoes your employee have a job offer from aSwiss employer?YesEmployer-led application under thethird-country rulesNoOther routes such as family or study,assessed case by case
First orientation on the regime

Limits of the result

  • Durations and conditions for each permit depend on the authority and the canton. They are not set out here.
  • Conditions for third-country nationals, such as qualifications, are checked by the authorities.
  • Nothing in the result is assured.

For detail, read Swiss work permits, how to get a Swiss work permit, permit L, permit B and third-country nationals. For the wider picture, see residence permits.

Other tools can help your team plan: the relocation calendar and the personalised checklist. For support, see immigration support.

Frequently asked questions

Is the finder a legal decision?

No. It is an orientation based on general rules. The authorities decide on every permit.

Does the result apply to a transferee's family?

Family members may follow a different route. Read family situations such as binational couples and ask for a review in the request at the bottom of the page.

Which regimes does Switzerland use?

Two: the EU/EFTA route under the ALCP and the third-country route. The SEM publishes both.

What if my employee is a student?

Students follow separate rules. See student permits.

What happens after I send my result?

The site puts you in contact with a relocation company that matches the need. It does not file applications itself. See relocation services.

Sources

Related pages

Tell us about your move

A few details are enough for us to understand your situation and put you in touch with the relocation company that fits it.

What happens after your request

  1. 01
    We read your brief

    Nationalities, headcount, start date and canton tell us what kind of support fits.

  2. 02
    We connect you with a company

    A Swiss relocation company suited to the brief receives your request.

  3. 03
    First call with them

    They contact you to scope the assignment and send their own proposal.

We work with the best relocation companies in Switzerland and, depending on the request, put you in touch with the one that matches your needs. We do not give legal, tax or insurance advice.

1. Your move
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