B permit: Swiss residence permit
Who is it for?
Permit B is the Swiss residence permit: it applies if you are moving to Switzerland for more than 90 days to work, study or join your family. The application is filed with the cantonal authority within 14 days of arrival, before starting work.
Conditions
Required documents
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The steps
Establish your reason
Get a job, a study admission or prepare your family file.
Register with your commune
Register your arrival with the commune within 14 days, before starting work.
Submit the application
File your application with the cantonal migration office.
Review
The authority reviews your file and supporting documents.
Permit B issued
You receive your residence permit.
Renewal
Renew before expiry if conditions are still met — ideally 3 months ahead. Permit B can lead to permit C after several years of residence.
Understanding the permit
EU/EFTA or third country: two very different procedures
Your nationality determines the whole procedure. If you are an EU/EFTA national, free movement works in your favour: you enter Switzerland, register, and permit B is issued on presentation of an employment contract of at least one year (or proof of sufficient means and health insurance if you are not working). Your permit is valid for 5 years.
If you come from a third country, admission is subject to quotas and reserved for qualified profiles: your employer files the application before you enter Switzerland, and the authority checks that recruitment was not possible in Switzerland or the EU/EFTA. The permit issued is valid for one year, renewable.
Permit B, L or C: which one applies to you?
Permit L covers short stays: a contract of under one year, temporary assignments. Permit B is the durable residence permit — the one any move to Switzerland aims for. Permit C is not requested on arrival: it is the settlement permit, available after 10 years of residence (5 for EU/EFTA nationals and certain cases), with no expiry to renew.
In practice: an 8-month contract → permit L; a permanent or one-year contract → permit B; ten years in Switzerland → time to aim for permit C.
Work, family, studies: the three ways in
Work. The most common case: an employment contract founds the right to the permit. EU/EFTA, the contract is enough; third country, quotas and an employer-led procedure.
Family. Family reunification lets your spouse and children join you and obtain their own permit B — subject to housing and means conditions.
Studies. Admission to a Swiss school or university opens the right to a student permit B, valid for the duration of the programme, with limited part-time work.
FAQ
Within 14 days of arrival, and before you start working.
Yes: after 10 years of residence, the last 5 uninterrupted on a permit B (5 years for EU/EFTA nationals and certain agreements).
Five years for EU/EFTA nationals, extended by 5 years if the conditions are still met. For third-country nationals, the first authorisation lasts one year (FNIA Ordinance art. 58), renewed annually. Start your renewal about 3 months before expiry.
EU/EFTA: yes, the permit includes the right to change jobs and employers; moving canton must be announced. Third country: changing jobs or cantons requires prior authorisation — check with your cantonal office before taking any step.
EU/EFTA: yes, once you have registered and filed a complete application. Third country: no — work may only start after the authorisation requested by your employer has been received. In all cases, registration must precede your first day of work.
The permit remains valid until expiry. For EU/EFTA nationals, involuntary unemployment does not end the right of residence, but more than 12 consecutive months of unemployment can limit the first renewal to one year. Every situation deserves review — ask your office or get support.
All your permit B questions
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Official sources: sem.admin.ch · Cantonal migration offices
- SEM — EU/EFTA permit B: 5-year validity, extension, contract ≥ 365 days (accessed 28.07.2026)
- ch.ch — Working in Switzerland as a foreign national: 14-day registration, third countries via the employer (accessed 28.07.2026)
- Federal Council — 2026 quotas for third countries (decision of 19.11.2025)
- FNIA Ordinance (SR 142.201), art. 58 — first residence authorisation: one year (verified 28.07.2026)
The information shown is indicative and may vary by canton and nationality. Always check with the relevant cantonal migration office. Content reviewed on 14 July 2026.