How do residence permits work in Switzerland for EU and non-EU nationals?

Checked on 2026-10-26

EU/EFTA nationals get a 5-year B permit with no quota and no labour-market test. Third-country nationals face annual quotas (4,500 B + 4,000 L in 2026), need an employer to apply, and must pass a labour-market test giving priority to Swiss and EU/EFTA workers. C settlement after 5 or 10 years.

Key facts

What	EU/EFTA nationals	Third-country nationals
B permit (residence)	No quota; 5 years, renewable. Need employment contract ≥ 12 months or sufficient financial means	Annual quota: 4,500 B permits in 2026. Employer-led, 1 year, renewable
L permit (short-term)	For contracts under 12 months; no quota	Annual quota: 4,000 L permits in 2026
Labour-market test	None	Priority to Swiss and EU/EFTA workers; employer must prove no suitable local candidate
C permit (settlement)	After 5 years (EU-15/EFTA) or 10 years (other EU)	After 10 years; early after 5 years if well integrated
UK nationals	Separate quota: 2,100 B + 1,400 L in 2026	Same rules as third-country but with a dedicated quota

Two completely separate tracks

Switzerland’s immigration system splits into two legal regimes. EU and EFTA nationals are covered by the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons — they face no quotas, no labour-market test and a straightforward registration. Third-country nationals are covered by the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act, which imposes annual quotas, an employer-led process and a requirement to prove that no suitable Swiss or EU/EFTA worker is available for the role.

Registration is straightforward for EU/EFTA nationals: register at the commune within 14 days of arrival with a valid passport and a written employment confirmation showing the contract duration and working hours. Work of up to 90 days requires no permit, only an online notification by the employer.

B and C permits: what they are

A B permit (residence permit, Aufenthaltsbewilligung) is the standard long-stay permit. For EU/EFTA nationals it is issued for 5 years and is renewable. For third-country nationals it is issued for 1 year and must be renewed — the permit is tied to the employer.

A C permit (settlement permit, Niederlassungsbewilligung) is permanent. It has no time limit and gives the right to change jobs or cantons freely. EU-15 and EFTA nationals (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) get it after 5 years of uninterrupted residence. Other EU nationals and all third-country nationals normally get it after 10 years. Well-integrated third-country nationals can apply for early settlement after 5 years — but there is no automatic entitlement.

The 2026 quotas

The Federal Council left quotas unchanged for 2026. For third-country nationals: 4,500 B permits and 4,000 L permits for the full calendar year. UK nationals, treated separately since 2021, have 2,100 B and 1,400 L permits. These are national quotas released on a quarterly basis — once the quarterly tranche is exhausted, applications wait until the next one.

Third-country nationals must apply through the cantonal migration office. The employer starts the process; the candidate cannot apply on their own.
Switzerland is not in the EU or EEA but participates in the single market through bilateral agreements.

Sources

SEM: Residence permits for EU/EFTA nationals checked 2026-10-26
SEM: Admission of third-country nationals to the Swiss labour market checked 2026-10-26
Federal Council leaves third-country quotas for 2026 unchanged (19 November 2025) checked 2026-10-26
SEM: C EU/EFTA settlement permit checked 2026-10-26

Change history

2026-10-26: Page created

This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.