Citizens from countries outside the European Union will now find it easier to get a job in Switzerland. The country has simplified the process of obtaining residence and work permits for highly qualified foreign specialists.

The Swiss government is changing its immigration policy because the country does not have enough specialists. The entry of skilled foreign workers into the labor market will be enabled thanks to the following measures:

1) The right to a residence permit will now also be available to citizens from third countries without proper academic education and a diploma of higher education. However, they must have at least one year of vocational training or several years of relevant experience. 

2) Foreigners who have received permission B without restrictions can arrange self-employment in a simplified procedure. In particular, they no longer have to prove that their business is in the general economic interest of the canton (canton — the largest state-territorial unit in Switzerland with its constitution and laws — Ed.). Currently, holders of a residence permit must go through a complicated process to obtain the status of the self-employed. Now the process should accelerate.

3) Employers will now have less paperwork. If they are looking for workers in an area where they are particularly scarce, they will not need to do a labor market check. This will save time, as usually this process consisted of several steps and took up to three months.

Which professionals are especially in demand in Switzerland right now?

  • managers in the fields of information and communication technology, consulting, finance and insurance, mechanical engineering, electrical equipment, metallurgy, chemical-pharmaceutical and food production;
  • engineers, scientists, information technology specialists, researchers in mathematics and technical sciences; 
  • health care workers, medical specialists, paramedics, nursing and emergency care specialists, and radiology assistants;
  • faculty members in higher education.

All these changes should accelerate and simplify the processes of employment of foreigners in Switzerland. However, the authorities emphasize that they will still be able to request the information they need from employers.