Work permit in Switzerland for non-EU/EFTA nationals

If you are a third-country national (Drittstaatsangehörige) and want to work in Switzerland, admission is limited to certain cases and usually requires a work-related prior decision before the residence permit is issued. The rules below summarise the federal requirements and, for Zürich, the local procedure for applying.

Who needs this

• This procedure applies to people from states outside the EU/EFTA who want to take up employment in Switzerland. Admission is limited to well-qualified workers, such as managers, specialists, and other qualified workers, usually with a university or university of applied sciences degree and several years of professional experience 12.
• For longer stays, authorities also consider integration factors such as professional and social adaptability, language skills, and age 12.
• In Zürich, third-country nationals need a permit from the first day of work, regardless of the planned length of stay 34.

Step by step

1. The employer submits the application for the work permit. In Zürich, the application for employment (Arbeitsbewilligung) is filed with the Amt für Wirtschaft (AWI); it can also be submitted via EasyGov for companies 34.
2. The AWI issues a labour-market preliminary decision (arbeitsmarktlicher Vorentscheid) 4.
3. If the preliminary decision is positive, the AWI forwards it to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) for approval 4.
4. After SEM approval, the file goes to the Migrationsamt, which checks the foreign-national law requirements and issues the permit if all requirements are met 4.
5. If the person is still abroad and a visa is needed, the Migrationsamt authorises the Swiss foreign representation to issue the visa 4.
6. After entry, registration at the municipality (Gemeinde) takes place, and the person is given an appointment for biometric data capture 4.

Documents

• The employer must show that no suitable person is available on the Swiss labour market or the EU/EFTA labour markets, despite search efforts 12.
• Search efforts should be documented; the sources mention, for example, job advertisements, confirmations from recruitment agencies, and other documents 2.
• For qualification review, the authorities need copies of the CV, diplomas, and employment references in the original language and translated into one of the Swiss official languages or English 2.
• If the education system differs significantly from the Swiss system, additional documents on the educational institution, duration, and content of the training can be helpful 2.
• For self-employment in Zürich, a business plan or opening balance sheet (Planbilanz) is mandatory; lease or loan agreements can also be helpful 3.

Cost and time

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Deadlines

• In Zürich, the general rule is that third-country nationals need authorisation before starting work, from the first day 34.
• The 8-day rule does not apply in certain sectors; in those sectors, a permit is required already at the start of work 4.
• For stays of less than four months with employment, no registration and no foreigner’s identity card are required; instead, affected persons receive an entry permit (Einreiseerlaubnis) 4.

City by city

Zürich

• The AWI decides the labour-market side first, and the Migrationsamt issues the residence permit afterwards 4.
• The employer submits the application to the AWI; for people living outside Zürich who want to work in the canton, the Migrationsamt issues a consent to employment after receipt of the preliminary decision 4.
• For stays of less than four months with employment, no registration and no foreigner’s identity card are required; instead, affected persons receive an entry permit (Einreiseerlaubnis) 4.
• The canton also states that in 2026, 8,500 specialists from third countries can be recruited, split into 4,500 residence permits (B) and 4,000 short-stay permits (L) 4.