Applying for a Work Permit
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What documents do you need?
Good preparation is recommended before filling in the application.
The following documents and details are useful: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
- List with previous stays in Switzerland
- If a visa is required: specification as to which Swiss representation abroad the visa will bei picked up from.
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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)
Posting confirmation form
- Specific reasons for the application
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What are the fees?
Kindly note that the fees related to work permits (in
particular, for negative rulings) had to be increased, effective 1 March, 2024. The cost-covering principle applies to fees. Information on applicable rates is available in the current regulation on fees.
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This is how to submit your application
You can submit a work permit application online via the cantonal portal ZHservices (via Zürikonto). A one-time registration is required.
Attention:
Applications for work permits can only be submitted by persons or companies domiciled in Switzerland. Persons or companies based abroad cannot be registered as applicants. Invoices can also only be issued to a Swiss address.
As a foreign employer, you need an authorized representative in Switzerland who registers as the applicant and is the contact person in the application process.
Registration on the ZHservices customer portal (via Zürikonto)
Advantages:
- The organisation's main admin user responsible for work permits must register personally first.
Advantages:
- The main admin user can enter their organisation in a second step.
Advantages:
- Individual user profiles are required in the application portal in order to submit and process applications. The employees concerned create their personal profiles using two-factor authentication. The user profiles can then be linked to the respective organisation.
Advantages:
- For each organisation one or more admin users need to be selected who will be chiefly responsible for managing the employee profiles within the respective organisation account.
- All employee profiles have access to all of the applications submitted by the associated organisation, and they have the right to process them.
Zürikonto-Login
The »Apply for a work permit” service requires a »Zürikonto” login. In future, the »Zürikonto” login will be based exclusively on Switzerland’s public service login AGOV. Thanks to AGOV, you no longer need a user name or a password. This solution is more secure and more convenient. AGOV is a service provided by the Swiss Confederation.
For existing ZHservices, you can continue to use your ZHservices login until further notice.
Access via easyGov
You can also submit your work permit application via the Confederation’s new online desk. For access to easyGov and for relevant information, use the following link:
https://www.easygov.swiss/easygov/#
The application documents must be uploaded as separate PDF documents using the individual entry boxes. Please do not upload any bulk files.
- The organisation's main admin user responsible for work permits must register personally first.
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What happens next?
You do not need to do anything more for now. Once you have submitted your application to us online, you can view the status of your application. The ruling and
corresponding invoice will be sent digitally in PDF format to your organisation account.
Contact
Office for Economy - Work Permits
Hotline
Monday to Friday
9pm to 11 pm
2pm to 4pm