Residence and employment of EU/EFTA citizens

EU/EFTA nationals are treated the same as Swiss nationals in the labour market as a result of the free movement of persons agreement. Job seekers may remain in Switzerland for three months without a permit. Citizens of the EU-17 member states already enjoy completely free movement - citizens of the EU-8 states are still subject to restrictions until the permanent transition on 31 May 2011 (priority of Swiss nationals, controls, quotas). These permits can be extended, if needed. By no later than 1 June 2014, however, citizens of all 25 EU countries will enjoy unrestricted free movement.

Currently EU-17 nationals do not need a work permit, but they must still obtain a residence permit, which is issued by the cantonal migration office upon confirmation of employment/submission of an employment contract. No permit is needed for stays of less than 90 days, but these workers are still required to register.

Self-employed service providers whose headquarters are based in the EU or EFTA region no longer require a licence for activities in Switzerland lasting less than 90 days per calendar year. They simply need to register, which can be done via the Internet. Exceptions to this are EU-8 service providers in the fields of construction, landscaping, cleaning and surveillance/security, who still require a licence.

The introduction of the free movement of persons is being accompanied by a series of measures designed to prevent wage and social dumping, as well as by the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and the coordination of social insurance issues. This simplifies recruiting employees from EU/EFTA countries and attending and using academic institutions in these countries, and it boosts the efficiency of the labour market and increases the availability of highly qualified staff.