Trainees/interns
Switzerland has negotiated agreements with numerous countries on the exchange of trainees/interns. These trainee agreements make it easier to obtain residence and work permits of limited duration. Trainees from countries which have no special agreement with Switzerland must follow the normal application procedure for work and residence permits.
Trainees/interns are defined as people between the ages of 18 and 30 who have completed their vocational training of at least two years. The age limit is 35 years (exceptions: Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Russia and Hungary: 30 years). The job must be in the profession learned and may last no more than 18 months. Canadian students who would like to complete their education with an internship are also admitted. There are special quotas for trainees, and national legislation giving priority to Swiss nationals does not apply. There is no provision for trainees to bring their families with them.
Countries with which Switzerland has a trainee agreement
Source: Foreign trainees in Switzerland: guide for foreign trainees and Swiss employers, www.swissemigration.ch
As a result of the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU on the free movement of persons, nationals of the 15 original EU countries and Norway no longer need official work permits. Verification has been replaced by mandatory registration - anyone residing in Switzerland for more than four months in order to work must be officially registered with the cantonal labour market office. Owing to this improved legal status, the trainee agreements with these countries have been suspended.