The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

Switzerland simplifies process of employing foreign workers

Laboratory technician
Companies will no longer have to prove there are no Swiss job candidates in some sectors. Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved

Moves to cut red tape for non-EU foreign workers in Switzerland will not necessarily lead to more work visas being issued.

On Friday, the government announced measuresExternal link to make it easier to hire skilled workers from such countries as India, Britain, China and the United States.

By making it simpler to award B and L work permits, Switzerland hopes that the “innovative power of the economy can be strengthened.”

Companies are usually obliged to prove that there are no Swiss people who could fill a position before it is offered to a candidate from abroad.

But the new rules sideline this requirement for industries that can prove that they struggle to recruit the best staff because there is a severe shortage of highly skilled workers.

Companies will also no longer have to prove that their desired candidate has a proscribed level of education before a permit can be issued.

A third change will make it easier for foreign workers to switch to self-employment after leaving a job.

Switzerland currently limits the annual number of B permits (up to five-year residency) to 4,500 a year and issues no more than 4,000 L permits (up to a year’s stay).

Some companies and cantons have in the past complained at the restrictions imposed by such quotas. But the government warns that a current review of the foreign worker process may not result in more visas being issued.

Last year, only 80% of available B permits were issued along with 73% of L permits that were on offer.

More

Work permit in Switzerland

Obtaining a permit to work in Switzerland depends on many factors, including where you are from, the skills you have and quotas.

Read more: Work permit in Switzerland


Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Planes

More

Airspace congestion jeopardises safety

This content was published on Flight safety is reduced by the clogging of airspace, says Thomas Steffen, a pilot for Swiss and head of safety at Aeropers, the industry association.

Read more: Airspace congestion jeopardises safety
Work by Malaysian artist on display in Thun

More

Malaysian artist Yee I-Lann holds first major European exhibition in Thun

This content was published on Das Kunstmuseum Thun richtet im August die erste grössere Europaausstellung der malaysischen Künstlerin Yee I-Lann aus. Darin werden Einflüsse des Kolonialismus aber auch das Fortbestehen des indigenen Erbes thematisiert.

Read more: Malaysian artist Yee I-Lann holds first major European exhibition in Thun
Hackers publish sensitive Radix data on the Darknet

More

Data from Swiss health foundation Radix leaked on the dark web

This content was published on After the cyber attack suffered by the Radix foundation at the end of last month, sensitive personal data such as names and debts of people banned from casinos were published on the Darknet.

Read more: Data from Swiss health foundation Radix leaked on the dark web
0.5 per cent less CO2 for companies with a net zero target

More

Net zero firms emit 0.5% less CO2, study finds

This content was published on Companies with an externally validated net-zero target emit less CO2 than those without a climate target. This is the conclusion of a new analysis by the US financial services provider MSCI.

Read more: Net zero firms emit 0.5% less CO2, study finds
Cyberattacks on Swiss companies increase by 9 per cent

More

Cyberattacks on Swiss companies increase by 9%

This content was published on Swiss companies are increasingly being targeted by cyber criminals. In the past quarter, every single company in this country was the target of a cyber attack an average of 1097 times a week.

Read more: Cyberattacks on Swiss companies increase by 9%
21 minutes of power interruption per end customer in 2024

More

Swiss households faced 21 minutes of power outages in 2024

This content was published on End customers experienced an average of 21 minutes of electricity interruption in 2024. This resulted in 0.34 power outages per capita. The duration of electricity interruptions increased by three minutes compared to the previous year.

Read more: Swiss households faced 21 minutes of power outages in 2024
SMEs struggle to find staff, 'employees have more power'

More

Swiss SMEs struggling to find employees

This content was published on Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are struggling to find staff, a problem made more acute by the increased bargaining power of employees and increased absenteeism.

Read more: Swiss SMEs struggling to find employees

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR