Business areas

General Overview

Although Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, it has signed the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons, enabling it to join the Schengen/Dublin area. Under certain conditions, this agreement promotes the free movement of people between member countries. Citizens of countries that are not members of the Schengen/Dublin area, known as third countries, are subject to additional restrictions on obtaining a permit.

Switzerland offers a wide range of permits to work or live in the country: short-term residence permits (Permit L), residence permits (Permit B), settlement permits (Permit C), residence permits for gainful employment (Permit Ci), cross-border commuters’ permits (Permit G), and more.

Swiss Residence Permit

Our immigration lawyers advise Swiss companies on obtaining and renewing work permits for their foreign employees.

Our team understands the challenges of hiring and managing international workers within the ever-changing Swiss legal framework. We provide personalized assistance, tailored to the specific needs of each company, from large multinationals to SMEs.

We also answer all questions relating to employers’ obligations, such as declarations to cantonal or federal authorities, and the tax or social security implications of hiring foreign workers.

We also help EU/EFTA and third-country nationals to obtain residence permits, with or without gainful employment, for example to benefit from lump-sum taxation in certain Swiss cantons, or to reunite with their families.

Swiss nationality

Since 2018, Switzerland has tightened the conditions for granting nationality. Acquiring Swiss nationality, whether through ordinary or facilitated naturalization, is a demanding process. What’s more, cantons and municipalities have specific prerogatives, and criteria can vary considerably from place to place.

Our immigration lawyers support EU and non-EU nationals in the naturalization process. They represent them before the administrative authorities to obtain the required authorizations and, if necessary, before the competent judicial authorities.

Some case studies

• Our specialist lawyers assist shipping companies in obtaining work permits for their employees who are citizens of non-EU countries.
• We are assisting a Swiss start-up in obtaining a work permit for one of its English managers.
• We are advising a couple living in the United States on their move to Switzerland.