Applying for a Work Permit

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Important note

Due to the high number of applications received, longer processing times are currently to be expected.

As our hotline is also presently very busy, we would ask you to submit your inquiries preferably by e-mail or via the contact form.

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  1. What documents do you need?

    We recommend that you prepare well before filling in the application. The following documents and details are useful in this regard:

    Personal details

    Advantages:

    • Surname, first name
    • Full address
    • Date of birth
    • Civil status
    • Nationality
    • Surname, first name and nationality of parents
    • Number of immediate family members living abroad
    • Surnames, first names, dates of birth and degree of kinship of family members travelling with you

    Information concerning the employer

    Advantages:

    • Company details and contact person within the company
    • Billing address in Switzerland
    • Type of employment relationship (permanent position, project, internship, etc.)
    • Is the person concerned already employed?
    • Since when / how long has the person concerned been employed?
    • Employer’s registered office
    • Information regarding the place of work in Switzerland

    Information regarding the stay in Switzerland

    Advantages:

    • Desired length of stay
    • Home address in Switzerland
    • Listing of previous stays in Switzerland
    • In the event a visa is required: specification as to which Swiss representation abroad the visa will be picked up from  
  2. Additional documents

    Uploading of the following documents is mandatory:

    Advantages:

    • Specific reasons for the application
    • Employment contract
    • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    • Copies of educational certificates and diplomas
    • ID, passport copies

    Please do not upload the documents in one single file. 

     

    Postings

    The following additional documents are required for postings (employer abroad):

    Advantages:

    • Confirmation of posting (for postings up to maximum four months, in other words, 120 days)

    or

    Advantages:

    • posting contract (for postings in excess of four months)
       
  3. How much are the fees?

    Please note that the fees in connection with work permits (particularly for negative orders) had to be increased as of March 1, 2024. The fees follow the cost covering principle. The applicable rates can be found in the current regulation on fees.

  4. This is how you submit an application

    You can submit a work permit application online via the cantonal portal ZHservices (via Zürikonto). A one-time registration is required.

    Registration on the ZHservices customer portal (via Zürikonto)

    Advantages:

    • The organization's main admin user responsible for work permits must first register personally.

    Advantages:

    • In a second step, the main admin user can enter their organization.

    Advantages:

    • In order to submit and process applications, individual user profiles are required in the application portal. The organizations's employees create their personal profiles using two-factor authentication. The user profiles can then be linked to the organization.

    Advantages:

    • For each organization, one or more admin users are to be selected who will have the main responsibility for managing the employee profiles in the organization account.

    Advantages:

    • All employee profiles have access to all applications created by the associated organization and the right to process them further.

    Zürikonto-Login

    The «Applying for a work permit» service requires a login for the Zürikonto. In future, the Zürikonto login will be based exclusively on AGOV, the public service login for Switzerland. With AGOV you no longer need a user name and a password. This solution is more secure and even more convenient. AGOV is a service provided by the Confederation.

    For existing services available at ZHservices, you can use your existing ZHservices login until further notice.

    Access via easyGov

    You can also submit your application for a work permit via the federal government's online counter. You can find access to easyGov and all the necessary information under the following link:

    https://www.easygov.swiss/easygov/#

    Only applications from domestic applicants will be accepted. Foreign applicants must provide a domicile for service or a representation in Switzerland.

    The application documents must be uploaded as separate PDF documents using the individual input boxes. Please do not upload any collective files.

  5. What happens next?

    You need not do anything more for now. As soon as you have submitted your application to us online, you can view the status of your application.  The decision and the corresponding invoice will be sent digitally as a PDF document to your organization account.

Contact

Office for Economy - Work Permits

Phone

+41 43 259 49 49

Hotline

Monday to Friday
9pm to 11 pm
2pm to 4pm

Email

ab@vd.zh.ch