Social insurance - Residence Permit  
 
Social insurance


Pension plan: The Principal of Three Columns

First Column

Senior Citizens and Their Survivors Social Insurance (Social Security) (AVS), Unemployment insurance (APG) and Disability Insurance (AI).

These insurances cover the vital needs of the insured. They are obligatory for anyone who lives or works in Switzerland.

Contributions:

AVS
AI
APG

TOTAL

8.4%
1.4%
0.3%

10.1%
(50% to be paid by the employee, 50% to be paid by the employer).

The employer must pay the total amount of these contributions to the social security office to which it is affiliated.

 
Second Column

Professional Precaution Law (LPP)
Employee’s Obligatory Company Retirement Plan
This allows the recipient to maintain his/her standard of living during retirement. The employer and employee contribute to the plan with a required minimum deduction taken from the employee’s annual salary until a certain total is reached. This guarantees a retirement savings.

The law applies to every person with an annual salary of more than CHF 24’120. This plan is portable when changing jobs.

 
Third Column Private Savings

In addition, individuals may save privately through banks, investments, and insurance for more comprehensive coverage. This is not obligatory.



Health and Accident Insurance (LAMAL)

Function

Protection against the economic consequences following professional and non-professional accidents and illnesses.

 
Insured Persons

Obligatory: for every person who works or resides in Switzerland All employee must make a small deduction from their salary to help cover treatment following an accident. This provides essential medical and recuperation costs and minimal income for those who are disabled.

Optional: for every individual and their relatives working in a family operation.
(These people are insured by a private organization, which they are
free to select).

 

Links (in French only)

Les assurances sociales, les 10 lois fédérales & les taux de cotisations
Le « Guide de l’employeur »



Residence Permit

A foreign national must hold a residence permit to work in Switzerland. A number of different kinds of permits are described in Swiss law, the most common of which are outlined below :

1. For EU 15, Cyprus/Malta and EFTA nationals

EU: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.
Cyprus, Malta

EFTA: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
EU 8 : Estonia, Latvia, Lituania, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia


Type

Short description
Residence
Permit B
  • issued on a proof of an employment contract running for one year or more (for the EU 8, the transitional measures remain applicable)
  • can be joined by extended family
  • geographical and professional mobility*
  • possibility to be self-employed
  • possibility to be transformed into a C permit

Settlement
Permit C
  • issued in principle after a regular, unbroken stay of five years or 10 years, depending on the nationality
  • checking period every five years
  • can be joined by extended family
  • geographical and professional mobility*
  • possibility to be self-employed

Cross-border commuter
Permit G
  • issued on a proof of an employment contract
  • possibility to have an activity as an employed person or be self-employed
  • valid for five years if the employment contract runs for more than one year, otherwise renewable according to the length of the contract
  • the cross-border commuter must return home at least once a week
  • possibility to buy a secondary residence or stay throughout Switzerland during the week
  • geographical and professional mobility*

Short-term resident
Permit L
  • issued on a proof of an employment contract running of more than 3 months and less than one year (364 days maximum) transitional measures applicable to EU 8 nationals
  • validity corresponds to the length of the employment contract
  • can be renewed without having to leave the country
  • can be joined by extended family
  • geographical and professional mobility*
   
Resident with an activity, limited to
3 months/90 working days by calendar year
  • no authorization needed
  • the activity must be announce
  • possible prolongation (permit L or B EU/EFTA) without obligation to leave the country

* can freely change employer, business activity and address (when changing address it is compulsory to contact the department of monitoring individuals of the new commune).

New EU member countries

Nationals from Romania and Bulgaria, the new EU member states, remain subject to the Swiss law on foreigners (LEtr) and to the decree relating to the admission, residence and exercise of gainful employment (OASA), until the entry into force of this additional protocol.

The treatment for the nationals of these two states is similar to the citizens of non-EU member states (see below).

2. For nationals of a third state (outside the EU / EFTA)

Type

Short description
Annual
B Permit
  • annual renewal
  • valid for the canton that issued the permit; any change of canton is
    subject to authorisation
  • any change in job or business activity is subject to authorisation
  • right to be joined by immediate family (wife and children)
  • possibility to be transformed into a C permit

 

Settlement
Permit C
  • checking period every three years
  • valid for the canton that issued the permit; any change of canton is
    subject to authorisation
  • right to be joined by immediate family (wife and children)
  • possibility to change job or employer
  • possibility to be self-employed

 

Short-term residence
Permit L
  • work permit for the same period as the employment contract
    (up to a maximum of one year)
  • valid for the canton that issued the permit
  • cannot be joined by immediate family


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Useful links

Cantonal Employment Service
Cantonal Population Service
Federal Office for Migration (FOM)
Switzerland-Europe Integration Office