Switzerland - Family & Partner - Free Movement of Persons: EU or EFTA

The Free Movement of Persons Agreement and its additional protocol lift restrictions on EU and Romanian and Bulgarian nationals wishing to live or work in Switzerland. The right of free movement is complemented by the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, by the right to buy property, and by the coordination of social security systems. The same rules also apply to EFTA.

WHAT PERMITS DO EU NATIONALS NEED TO BE ABLE TO WORK AND STAY IN SWITZERLAND?

EU-17 1, EU-8 AND EFTA 2 NATIONALS
Nationals from the old EU-15, EU-8 and EFTA countries as well as from Malta and Cyprus benefit from full freedom of movement: they are allowed to stay and pursue gainful employment in Switzerland for three months without a permit. They merely have to report to the competent authorities. If their gainful employment lasts more than three months, they have to report to the local authorities and apply for a residence permit.

EU-8 4 NATIONALS
Nationals from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary are allowed to exercise salaried employment in Switzerland under the following interim provisions:

– Priority of national manpower (national priority)
– Control of wage and working conditions
– Quotas for permanent and short-term residence permits

These admission restrictions apply until 30 April 2011 and only on first-time admission.
After this date nationals from the following countries may settle and work freely – an employment relationship entitles nationals from these countries to a residence permit. The exercise of a self-employed occupation does not come under these provisions.

+ STAYING IN SWITZERLAND +

1. Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands , Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Spain, United Kingdom, Cyprus and Malta
2. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway
3. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Hungary


4. In order to obtain a residence permit, the following documents must be presented to the competent authorities: a valid identity card, the employment contract, a copy of the rental contract, a photograph in
passport format.


NATIONALS
FROM BULGARIA AND ROMANIA

For nationals from Bulgaria and Romania, the exercise of a salaried occupation in Switzerland is authorised under the following interim provisions:

– Priority of national manpower (national priority)
– Control of wage and working conditions
– Quotas for permanent and short-term residence permits

These admission restrictions may be upheld until 2016.