Swiss work permits for employers: B, L, G and short-term routes
A practical employer guide to Swiss work routes: 90-day notification, 120-day authorization, L permit, B permit, and G permit.
Fenja Brockmann
A practical employer guide to the main Swiss work routes: 90-day notification, 120-day authorization, L permit, B permit, and G permit.
Short answer
Swiss work permits are not one single route. Employers need to choose the right path based on the candidate's nationality, how long the person will work in Switzerland, whether the person will live in Switzerland, and whether the case is local employment, a posting, a short assignment, or cross-border work. The most common employer routes are the 90-day notification procedure, the 120-day permit route, the L permit, the B permit, and the G permit.
💡 Check the Swiss hire feasibility. Permitree gives employers the likely Swiss route, timeline, document checklist, costs, risks, and process overview before they move into the full hiring or mobility case.
Quick route snapshot
Route | Best fit | Employer question |
|---|---|---|
90-day notification | Short EU/EFTA work or eligible posting, up to 90 working days per calendar year. | Can this be handled by notification instead of a permit? |
120-day route | Short work spread across a year, up to 120 days. | Is this a short assignment across several visits? |
L permit | Shorter or fixed-term Swiss employment, often up to around one year. | Is this a temporary Swiss role? |
B permit | Longer employment or relocation to Switzerland. | Is this a long-term Swiss hire or open-ended role? |
G permit | Cross-border worker who lives abroad and works in Switzerland. | Will the person live outside Switzerland and commute? |
Why employers should decide the route before making the offer
The work route controls the whole hiring plan. It affects who files, when work can start, whether quotas apply, whether family members can join, whether the employee receives a physical permit card, and whether Swiss payroll, social security, tax withholding, or A1 certificate questions need review.
A candidate may look simple to hire on paper, but the wrong route can create delays. For example, a short EU/EFTA assignment may fit the notification procedure, while a non-EU/EFTA specialist hire may need a full employer-sponsored permit application with quota and labour-market review.
90-day notification procedure
The 90-day notification procedure can apply to EU/EFTA citizens taking up employment in Switzerland for up to 90 working days per calendar year. It can also apply to posted workers of any nationality if they are posted by an employer based in an EU/EFTA country, subject to conditions.
This route is useful, but it is not a shortcut for every short trip. Employers still need to confirm the work activity, nationality, employer location, number of days, filing deadline, sector, and salary or working-condition requirements.
For a Swiss job start, notification may be required no later than one day before work begins. For postings, notification is generally required 8 days before work begins. Some sectors, including construction, hospitality, cleaning, and other regulated or sensitive sectors, may need notification from the first day.
Legal basis: FNIA/AIG Art. 14; VFP Art. 9.
120-day permit route
The 120-day route may be relevant when work in Switzerland is short but spread across a 12-month period. It is often used for planned project or assignment patterns where the employee needs to enter Switzerland several times for limited work days.
This route should be checked carefully because EU/EFTA and non-EU/EFTA cases may rely on different legal provisions and filing logic. It can be practical for short project work, but employers should avoid using it where the real plan is a long-term Swiss role.
A written authorization may still be needed before the work starts, even if the person will spend only limited time in Switzerland.
Legal basis: VZAE/ASEO Art. 19 para. 4 lit. a; VZAE/ASEO Art. 19a para. 2.
Swiss L permit
The L permit is generally used for shorter-term residence or employment. From an employer perspective, it is often relevant for a fixed-term role or assignment that is longer than a very short notification route but not a long-term relocation.
For non-EU/EFTA nationals, an L permit can still be a serious employer-sponsored process. The employer may need to show qualification level, economic need, salary compliance, quota availability, and why no suitable Swiss or EU/EFTA candidate was available.
Family relocation and spouse work should be checked carefully in L permit cases because the main stay is temporary.
Legal basis: FNIA/AIG Art. 32; VZAE/ASEO Art. 19.
Swiss B permit
The B permit is commonly relevant for longer-term employment or relocation to Switzerland. It may apply where the employment contract lasts more than one year or is open-ended.
The route differs sharply between EU/EFTA and non-EU/EFTA candidates. EU/EFTA candidates often have a more direct route with a valid employment contract. Non-EU/EFTA candidates usually need to meet stricter admission requirements as qualified specialists, managers, or skilled professionals.
For non-EU/EFTA hires, the B permit route is often document-heavy. Employers should review candidate qualifications, labour-market evidence, salary standards, quotas, visa steps, family needs, and realistic timing before making the offer.
Legal basis: FNIA/AIG Art. 33; VZAE/ASEO Art. 20.
Swiss G permit for cross-border workers
A G permit is for cross-border workers who live outside Switzerland and work in Switzerland. It is not a relocation route. The employee normally keeps their main residence abroad and returns there regularly.
Employers should check G permit cases carefully when remote work is involved. If the employee works partly from the country of residence, tax and social security analysis can change.
Non-EU/EFTA cross-border cases can be much more restricted than EU/EFTA cases and should be checked before the employer designs the role.
Legal basis: FNIA/AIG Art. 35; FNIA/AIG Art. 25.
Employer decision framework
Before choosing a Swiss work route, employers should answer these questions:
Is the candidate EU/EFTA or non-EU/EFTA?
Will the person live in Switzerland or remain abroad?
How many days will the person physically work in Switzerland?
Is this local employment, secondment, posting, or cross-border work?
Is the contract under 90 days, up to 120 days, under one year, over one year, or open-ended?
Who pays the employee, and where is payroll located?
Does the case require an A1 certificate or social security review?
Will family members relocate?
Does the candidate need an entry visa?
When does the company want the employee to start?
These answers usually determine whether the likely route is notification, 120-day authorization, L permit, B permit, G permit, or a more specific mobility route.
Documents employers may need
The exact checklist depends on the route. Employers should usually expect candidate identity documents, CV, diplomas, employment references, current permit if any, employment contract or assignment letter, job description, Swiss work location details, employer or posting company details, and permit or notification forms.
Case-specific documents may include A1 certificate or social security evidence, recruitment evidence for non-EU/EFTA cases, salary and working-condition evidence, proof of residence abroad for G permit, family documents, and visa documents where required.
Common employer risks
The most common risk is choosing a route based only on duration. Short work is not automatically a business trip, and a short assignment may still need notification or authorization.
Other risks include missing the 8-day posting rule, treating 120-day work as informal travel, choosing L when B is more appropriate, treating G as a relocation route, ignoring A1 or social security, and missing family implications.
The practical control is to classify the case before the offer: nationality, activity, duration, residence, payroll, family needs, and start date.
Before making the offer
Employers should not choose a Swiss work route only after the contract is signed. The route should be checked before the offer where possible, especially for non-EU/EFTA candidates, cross-border workers, family relocations, and short-term assignments with aggressive start dates.
The safest sequence is:
Classify nationality and work activity.
Identify whether the case is employment, posting, secondment, or cross-border work.
Estimate duration and physical work days in Switzerland.
Check permit, notification, A1, payroll, tax, and family implications.
Confirm the document checklist and realistic start date.
Make the offer with the immigration timeline built in.
How Permitree helps
Permitree helps employers choose the right Swiss work route before they promise a start date. It shows the likely route, timeline, document checklist, key risks, and next steps for the hire.
💡 Check the Swiss hire feasibility. Permitree gives employers the likely Swiss work route, timeline, document checklist, costs, risks, and process overview before they move into the full hiring or mobility case.
FAQ
Legal references
Topic | Legal basis |
|---|---|
90-day notification | FNIA/AIG Art. 14; VFP Art. 9 |
120-day route | VZAE/ASEO Art. 19 para. 4 lit. a; VZAE/ASEO Art. 19a para. 2 |
L permit | FNIA/AIG Art. 32; VZAE/ASEO Art. 19 |
B permit | FNIA/AIG Art. 33; VZAE/ASEO Art. 20 |
G permit | FNIA/AIG Art. 35; FNIA/AIG Art. 25 |
Non-EU/EFTA admission | SEM guidance on non-EU/EFTA nationals; FNIA/AIG Art. 18-24 |
