Permits valid for up to twelve months. Subcategories, restrictions on extensions, and change to a B residence permit.
Last reviewed
03.06.2026
Statute as of
01.01.2024
Statute citations
5 linked
Reading time
24 min read
As of: 01.06.2026 · Snapshot
The L short-term permit — an overview of all sub-categories
1. What the L permit legally entails
Frequently asked
3 answers on this topic.
Concrete questions people ask about L — short-term stay..
Maximum of twelve months, usually linked to the duration of the purpose of stay (employment contract, training). An extension of six to twelve months is possible in individual cases.
) is the residence permit under Swiss immigration law for
temporary stays of up to twelve months
, which can be extended in exceptional cases to a maximum of twenty-four months. It is defined in
Art. 32 AIG (SR 142.20)
and further detailed in
Art. 55–58 VZAE (SR 142.201)
. For nationals of an EU or EFTA member state, the
Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (FZA, SR 0.142.112.681)
also applies, in particular Annex I, Art. 6.
The permit legally fixes the purpose of stay: it is always granted for a specific purpose and for a specific duration. A change of purpose (for example, from au pair to employment) is generally not possible during the validity period, but requires a new application procedure. This purpose-based restriction is the central structural difference compared to the indefinite C settlement permit and the annually renewable B residence permit.
The L permit is indicated in the foreign national’s residence permit with the letter «L» and the specific purpose of stay (e.g. “employment”, “au pair”, “trainee”, “treatment”, “studies”). The cantonal migration office at the place of residence is responsible for issuing, extending, revoking and changing the permit; in the case of quota-restricted activities, a preliminary review is carried out by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).
Structurally, the L permit differs from two related instruments: firstly, from the short-term visa-free stay (tourist stay of up to ninety days per half-year according to the Schengen Borders Code), which does not constitute a permit at all, but merely an entry right and does not permit gainful employment. Secondly, from the 90-day registration procedure under the Secondment Act (for AFMP nationals) or the short-term employment registration procedure under Fedlex·Art. 12 AIG (for third-country nationals in specific sectors): both are administrative facilitations, not actual permits, and are presented separately in section 3.5.
The L permit, in principle, only entitles the holder to reside in the canton that issued it. A change of canton during a valid L permit requires an application for change to the new canton of residence; the practice regarding this varies between cantons and is generally restrictive in the case of shorter-term L permits (e.g. for au pairs or medical treatment). Travel within the Schengen area is possible during the validity of the L permit without a visa (up to ninety days per half-year in each other Schengen state).
2. Two parallel regimes — AFMP versus FNIA
The legal treatment of the L permit differs fundamentally depending on whether the applicant belongs to the group of persons covered by the AFMP or not. This distinction is the first filter for any consultation, as it determines the quota requirement, the priority for nationals, the catalogue of criteria and the legal entitlement.
L EU/EFTA — Entitlement under FZA Annex I Art. 6: Nationals of an EU or EFTA state automatically receive the L permit if they can demonstrate an employment relationship of three to less than twelve months; the procedure is purely declaratory. There are no quotas, no priority for nationals, and no review of wage and working conditions in the permit application procedure (checks are carried out separately under the Posted Workers Act). The validity period corresponds to the duration of the contract; an extension is possible without further ado, as long as the employment relationship continues.
L Third-country nationals — discretionary decision under the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration (FNIA) Art. 32: For all persons outside the scope of the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (FZA), the L permit is a discretionary decision of the authorities. It is subject to the general admission requirements under Art. 18–24 FNIA — in particular, the priority for nationals (Art. 21 FNIA), the requirement for locally customary wages and working conditions (Art. 22 FNIA), and the annual maximum numbers (quotas) under Annex 1+2 OASA. The quotas are determined by the Federal Council and distributed among the cantons; there is no entitlement, even if all the requirements are met.
In practice, this division means that the sub-categories dealt with below almost always represent a procedural detail for AFMP members, whereas for third-country nationals, they can represent the material difference between a permit and a removal.
3. The eight practically relevant sub-categories
The L permit does not contain an exhaustive list of sub-categories in the OASA or in the supplementary SEM instructions, but rather various purpose categories with different requirements. The following eight scenarios cover the vast majority of permit practice.
3.1 Au-pair
Legal basis: Art. 32 FNIA, Art. 30 OASA (hardship clause for quota exemption), supplemented by the SEM directive on au pairs (see SEM website).
Au-pair stays are intended for third-country nationals between the ages of 18 and 25 who are unmarried and have no children. The length of stay is a maximum of twelve months and cannot be extended; a second au-pair year in Switzerland is not permitted, even with a different family.
The activity is limited in scope by law: a maximum of thirty hours of housework and childcare per week, supplemented by at least three hours of weekly language lessons in the official language of the canton of residence (German, French or Italian) at a recognised school. The language course is not a hobby, but a prerequisite for the permit; without proof of attendance, the migration offices will refuse to grant the permit.
The minimum wage is based on the cantonal standard employment contracts (NAV – domestic work) and typically amounts to between CHF 700 and CHF 800 per month in cash, in addition to board and lodging; some cantons (in particular Geneva and Vaud) have different, higher rates. VERIFY – check the cantonal minimum cash wages for 2026 with the respective cantonal migration offices, as annual adjustments are possible.
For AFMP nationals, the au pair arrangement is practically obsolete, as they are recognised as employees with entitlement to an L or B permit under AFMP Annex I, Article 6.
Common sources of conflict in practice include exceeding the weekly working hour limit (e.g. by working additional weekend shifts or providing childcare outside the family), failure to attend the language course (in the hope of saving money), and lack of accident and health insurance for the au pair. All three situations can lead to revocation of the permit and removal; the host family also risks a fine for employing someone without the proper permit for the agreed-upon activity. The au pair contract should therefore be reviewed by the responsible placement agency (in the German-speaking cantons, often Pro Filia or Au-Pair-Service-Schweiz) and approved by the cantonal migration office before the au pair begins their stay.
3.2 Trainee (Intern within the framework of bilateral trainee agreements)
Legal basis: Art. 42 FNIA (young professionals), Art. 41–42 OASA, supplemented by bilateral internship agreements between Switzerland and third countries.
The trainee scheme is a reciprocal mobility instrument: it enables young professionals aged between 18 and 35 with completed vocational training to work in Switzerland for up to eighteen months (twelve plus six months extension) in their chosen profession, in order to expand their language and professional skills.
The main advantage: the trainee permit is quota-free, meaning it does not count towards the annual maximum number of permits for nationals of third countries. The principle of priority for nationals and the requirement to pay locally customary wages still apply. The prerequisite is an existing bilateral trainee agreement between Switzerland and the country of origin.
VERIFY — the current list of countries with which Switzerland has agreements on internships can be found on the SEM website under “Internships”. According to the SEM, the existing network of bilateral internship agreements includes industrialised countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea, as well as various countries in Latin America and Eastern Europe; annual changes are possible, which is why the drafter consults the SEM list again before each specific consultation.
For AFMP nationals, the trainee scheme does not exist in this form; young professionals from the EU/EFTA obtain an L or B permit via the ordinary labour mobility scheme.
For stage artists, musicians, athletes and similar performing activities, a special regime applies which is tailored to the typically short and project-based activity. Third-country nationals can perform in Switzerland for up to eight months within a period of twelve months under this category.
In principle, the permit is subject to quotas, but the SEM provides for administrative simplifications for short-term engagements (typically less than eight days per organiser); for very short engagements, the notification procedure under the Secondment Act (EntsG) or the simplified 90-day procedure via the national notification platform is sufficient.
The event or engagement contract is examined by the cantonal office for economic affairs and labour (or the relevant cantonal authority) with regard to wages and working conditions. In this context, compliance with the relevant collective labour agreements of the Swiss Stage Association or the respective sports associations is of particular importance.
3.4 Mandatory internships as part of higher education
The legal treatment of mandatory internships depends on the higher education institution at which the student is enrolled.
Mandatory internship as part of a Swiss higher education programme: Students enrolled at a Swiss university or university of applied sciences who are required to complete a mandatory internship as part of their curriculum do not need additional work authorisation; their existing L or B student permit covers the internship, provided that it can be demonstrated to be part of the study regulations.
Mandatory internship as part of a foreign higher education programme: Students from a foreign higher education institution who complete a mandatory internship in Switzerland as part of their curriculum will receive an L permit with quota exemption, provided that the internship can be proven to be part of the course of study (confirmation from the foreign higher education institution, module description, transcript of grades). The duration corresponds to the duration of the internship; extensions of more than twelve months are possible if the curriculum requires a longer practical phase.
In both cases, the requirement is that the internship must not conceal actual employment: the migration offices examine the salary, job description and the ratio between training-related and productive activities.
3.5 Short-term employment of up to four months (registration procedure)
Legal basis: Art. 12 FNIA in conjunction with Art. 19 OASA; for AFMP members, additionally the Secondment Act and AFMP Annex I.
A third-country national who plans to engage in gainful employment for no more than four months per calendar year does not fall under the ordinary permit procedure, but under a simplified procedure: the employer registers the employment via the online platform EasyGov (or the relevant cantonal system). The employment is subject to quotas (or is quota-free in certain sectors), but the administrative burden is significantly reduced.
For AFMP nationals, the 90-day notification procedure of the Secondment Act applies: up to ninety working days per calendar year, no residence permit is required; an online registration eight days in advance via the registration platform is sufficient. If the stay exceeds ninety days, an L EU/EFTA permit must be applied for.
This scenario is the most common “invisible” L permit variant in practice: those seeking advice believe it is simply a registration procedure, but they fail to recognise the consequences of exceeding the calendar year limit. Anyone who performs multiple short-term activities in Switzerland during a calendar year – whether as a self-employed consultant, artist or seasonal worker – should cumulatively count the days and initiate the transition to the ordinary permit procedure before exceeding the limit; a subsequent change is administratively complex and may be subject to fines for unauthorised gainful employment (Fedlex·Art. 117 AIG).
A special situation arises in the case of self-employed third-country nationals carrying out short-term assignments: neither the Secondment Act (which is designed for employees) nor the simplified employee registration procedure applies here. Self-employment generally requires a standard L or B permit with the express purpose of "self-employment" pursuant to Art. 19 LEI/LStrI/FNIA, with substantial requirements regarding business plan, capital, economic interest and personal qualifications. This situation is discussed in more detail on the dedicated page on self-employment (VERIFY — reference to permits/permit_self_employment.md, if available).
3.6 Medical treatment or rehabilitation
Legal basis: Art. 29 FNIA, Art. 29 OASA.
Third-country nationals who undergo medical treatment or a course of therapy in Switzerland will receive an L permit, the duration of which is linked to the medically certified duration of the treatment or therapy. The permit does not entitle the holder to engage in gainful employment; a change of purpose to a work permit during the stay is only possible in exceptional situations.
The requirements include, in particular:
Treatment agreement with a Swiss clinic or hospital, stating the expected duration.
Financial guarantees for the costs of treatment and living expenses during the stay (bank confirmation, cost guarantee from a foreign insurance company or deposit of a guarantee sum; depending on the canton, CHF 30,000 to well over CHF 100,000).
Health insurance cover for the duration of treatment.
Obligation to return after completion of treatment; migration offices typically require proof of a return flight or a corresponding declaration.
In the case of chronic or indefinite treatments (oncology, transplant medicine), the permit can be extended in stages, provided that the need for treatment is medically certified.
A less visible, but practically important, arrangement is the accompanying stay (parents of a minor child undergoing treatment, spouse of a seriously ill patient). Accompanying persons generally receive their own, subsidiary L permit with a shorter or equal period of validity; the requirement is the medically certified necessity of their presence, proof of sufficient means to support the accompanying person, and proof of their health insurance cover. The accompanying L permit does not entitle the holder to engage in gainful employment; circumventing this rule through alleged accompanying arrangements involving actual employment is common and is increasingly being monitored by the migration offices.
3.7 Family members of an L permit holder
Legal basis: Art. 44 and Art. 45 LEI/LStrI/FNIA, Art. 70 and Art. 73–75 OASA.
Family reunification with a holder of an L permit is the exception, not the rule. Unlike the B residence permit, the law does not provide for an ordinary right to family reunification for holders of L permits. The cantonal migration offices grant family reunification with a holder of an L permit only if:
the L permit is issued for more than twelve months from the outset or a corresponding extension is guaranteed.
adequate accommodation is available (generally, the number of rooms should correspond to the number of people plus one)
sufficient financial means to support the entire family without recourse to social welfare have been demonstrated.
no integration-related reservations apply (e.g. language skills, school attendance of children)
In practice, family reunification is regularly excluded for au pairs, short-term trainees, performers and those undertaking treatment stays. In the case of longer trainee stays and certain student L permit situations, some cantons allow family reunification in hardship cases; however, there is no legal entitlement to it. Therefore, individuals who wish to come to Switzerland as part of a family often switch from the L permit to the B permit as soon as the requirements for this are met.
3.8 Students from outside the AFMP area
Legal basis: Art. 27 FNIA, Art. 23–27 OASA.
Third-country national students at a recognised Swiss higher education institution (university, university of applied sciences, teacher training college, recognised vocational school) receive an L permit for study purposes, which is issued for the duration of their studies and renewed annually, provided that the academic requirements are met. In certain cases – in particular for doctoral studies with employment at the higher education institution – a B permit may also be granted; cantonal practice in this regard is inconsistent.
The requirements are:
Certificate of enrolment from a Swiss higher education institution
Proof of sufficient financial means for tuition fees and living expenses during the period of study (typically in the range of CHF 21,000 to CHF 25,000 per academic year – varies by canton).
Health insurance cover
adequate knowledge of the language of instruction
Intention to return (plausibility that the student will return to their country of origin after completing their studies) — in practice, this requirement is the most common reason for rejection and the subject of several VERIFY — Federal Supreme Court judgments on the interpretation of Art. 27 AIG; consult current case law before providing advice
Students may engage in limited employment during their studies: according to OASA Art. 38, generally a maximum of fifteen hours per week during term time and full-time during semester breaks, but no earlier than six months after the start of their studies in Switzerland (waiting period), and always with the approval of the cantonal migration office. Doctoral students and research assistants are exempt from the waiting period.
After completing their studies, Art. 21 para. 3 AIG stipulates that Swiss university graduates with a job offer in an area of scientific or economic interest are granted a work permit under simplified conditions – a practically very relevant transition from the L student permit to the B work permit. A more detailed discussion of this situation is provided in a separate study permit content section – VERIFY – update the reference as soon as permit_l_student.md exists.
4. Transition from L to B
The L permit does not automatically lead to a B permit. Anyone who wishes to remain in Switzerland after the L permit has expired must submit a separate application for a B permit to the cantonal migration office, which will be processed in accordance with the rules of the relevant B permit category.
The most common transitions in practice are:
Third-country nationals in employment (L → B permit): The requirements are the general admission conditions according to Art. 18–24 AIG: priority for nationals, local wage and working conditions, personal requirements (qualifications, language skills, integration), and the availability of annual maximum numbers. As the B permits for third-country nationals are regularly limited, a successful transition is by no means guaranteed, even with an impeccable L permit record.
EU/EFTA nationals in employment (L → B permit): The requirement is unlimited employment or a fixed-term employment contract of at least twelve months. Under FZA Annex I, Article 6, there is a legal entitlement to the B permit; the procedure is declaratory.
Marriage to a Swiss national: The foreign spouse of a Swiss national is entitled to a B residence permit for family reunification under Art. 42 AIG, provided that the marriage was not entered into in order to circumvent the permit regulations. In this case, the L permit will be converted into a B permit before it expires; the original purpose of the L permit (au pair, trainee, study) becomes irrelevant.
Marriage to a C permit holder or other EU/EFTA B permit holder: Family reunification according to Fedlex·Art. 43 AIG or FZA Annex I Art. 3 with a B permit; requirements include, in particular, shared accommodation and proof of sufficient financial means.
From L permit for studies to B permit for employment: Graduates benefit from Art. 21 para. 3 LEI/LStrI/FNIA (facilitated admission). In practice, this is the most important career path for young third-country nationals with a Swiss degree.
From L permit (short-term) or L permit (au pair) to B residence permit: A change of status is legally possible, but in practice it almost always fails due to the lack of a job offer with proof of priority for domestic applicants and due to quota restrictions. In such cases, the migration offices expect the applicant to leave the country after the L permit expires and to submit a new application from abroad.
From L short-term permit to B residence permit: Anyone who has successfully completed the trainee year in Switzerland and receives a job offer from their current employer can apply for a transition to a B residence permit. This transition is not guaranteed, but in practice it is more favourable than applying directly for a B residence permit, because the person has already demonstrated their professional suitability and linguistic integration. However, the quota situation remains identical to that of an ordinary third-country national B residence permit.
From L artist or L athlete to B: If there is a sustained contractual relationship with a Swiss stage, orchestra or sports club, a transition to a B residence permit for the purpose of gainful employment is possible, often facilitated by the recognised economic and cultural interest. In practice, close cooperation between the organiser or club and the cantonal migration office has proven effective; in these cases, the office can often refer to existing precedents.
In each of these transitions, timing and sequence are critical: anyone who submits the B application only after the L period has expired risks a gap in their legal stay and, in some cases, a removal order. VERIFY — check the cantonal practice regarding application deadlines before the L permit expires with the competent migration office; three to four months before expiry is common. A particular risk exists in the case of permit extensions that are submitted on the last working day before expiry: if the application is formally recorded as incomplete (missing documents, missing signature) and not supplemented within a few days, a break in stay may occur between the expiry of the old permit and the granting of the new permit, which will be counted as an interruption of the continuous period of stay for the subsequent C settlement permit (Fedlex·Art. 34 AIG).
5. Extension of the L permit
The standard validity period of the L permit, which is twelve months, can be extended to a maximum of twenty-four months in total, in accordance with OASA Art. 56. Any further extension as an L permit is not provided for; the person must either leave the country or switch to a different permit category.
A condition for the extension is that:
the original purpose of stay continues to apply (same employer, same conditions, same course of study)
the requirements for the permit to be granted are continuously met (wage conditions, financial resources, insurance cover)
the application is submitted in good time before the current permit expires (the deadline varies from canton to canton, between two and four months; VERIFY — cantonal practice)
For the exceptional extension beyond twenty-four months, a particularly severe hardship case is required (Art. 30 para. 1 lit. b AIG). Examples in practice include medical treatments that have been unexpectedly extended, extraordinary delays in studies due to health reasons, or trainee arrangements with a longer internship period covered by the bilateral agreement. These extensions are rare and are examined by the SEM in each individual case.
In the case of au pairs, there is no possibility of extending the stay beyond twelve months, either under normal circumstances or in cases of hardship.
6. Cantonal Migration Offices and Quota System
The L permit is formally issued by the cantonal migration office at the place of residence. In practice, the permit application process differs considerably between the twenty-six cantons, both in the interpretation of hardship cases and in the speed of the procedures, the required documentation and the use of quotas.
The annual maximum numbers under Fedlex·AIG Art. 20 and Annex 1+2 VZAE are determined by the Federal Council for each calendar year and distributed to the cantons. The distribution is not proportional to the population, but is based on historical usage and economic indicators. In economically strong cantons (Zurich, Geneva, Vaud, Basel-Stadt, Zug), the quotas for third-country nationals with L permits are considerably higher; at the same time, they are usually used up more quickly there. Cantons with lower demand (Jura, Glarus, Appenzell) have, in principle, more favourable quotas, but often do not offer the jobs that are being sought.
This platform does not provide quota advice specific to each canton. If you would like to know whether quotas are available in a specific canton at the time of application, please contact the relevant cantonal migration office directly or ask your employer to clarify this, as they often have experience with the office.
The availability of quotas is particularly favourable at the beginning of the year (newly allocated quotas) and often exhausted towards the end of the year (especially in cantons with high demand). When quotas are exhausted, some cantons issue permits subject to the release of quotas in the following year; others reject the application and require a new submission in January. This inconsistent treatment can delay the start of employment by several months and should therefore be discussed during the negotiation phase with the employer for any employment of a third-country national.
For AFMP nationals, the maximum numbers have been abolished since the definitive entry into force of the AFMP for Romania and Bulgaria (1 June 2019); only a safeguard clause (“valve clause”) can be reactivated under extraordinary circumstances, which was last the case in 2017 (Croatian nationals). A renewed activation is a recurring political topic, but is currently VERIFY — check the current status with SEM and EDA not in force.
7. Related content
framework/fw_aig_vzae_glossary.md — Terms relating to the AIG and OASA, including the priority for nationals, quotas, and hardship cases.
framework/fw_fza_vfp_glossary.md — Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons and Ordinance on the Free Movement of Persons
permits/permit_b_resident.md — B residence permit (renewable annually) and transition from L
framework/fw_kantonale_migrationsaemter.md — cantonal responsibilities and contact points (VERIFY — does the file exist?)
permits/permit_l_student.md (planned) — in-depth treatment of the L student permit, including the permitted working hours, waiting period and transition to a B permit after graduation.
8. Anti-Scope — what this page does not explicitly cover
This content is general legal information, not advice for individual cases. In particular, it does not constitute:
Assessment of whether an L permit would be granted in a specific case.
Quota consultation regarding the current availability of third-country quotas in a specific canton.
Arranging placements with host families for au pairs, internships or Swiss employers.
Advice on specific foreign universities or on the recognition of foreign qualifications (responsibility: Swissuniversities, recognition of qualifications SBFI).
Interpretation of bilateral agreements on internships with regard to specific occupational profiles
Anyone wishing to clarify their specific chances of obtaining a permit should contact the cantonal migration office at their intended place of residence or a lawyer registered in the cantonal bar register. The SwissImmigrationPro platform provides a directory service in the form of a marketplace; acceptance of a mandate takes place directly between the person seeking advice and the lawyer.
HARD GLOSSARY — non-negotiable Swiss federal codes / agency names.
"AIG" → "FNIA"
"Ausländer- und Integrationsgesetz" → "Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration"
"VZAE" → "OASA"
"BüG" → "SCA"
"Bürgerrechtsgesetz" → "Swiss Citizenship Act"
"FZA" → "AFMP"
"Freizügigkeitsabkommen" → "Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons"
"AsylG" → "AsylA"
"Asylgesetz" → "Asylum Act"
"nDSG" → "revFADP"
"DSG" → "FADP"
"SEM" → "SEM"
"Staatssekretariat für Migration" → "State Secretariat for Migration"
Legal status: 1 January 2024; next review no later than ninety days after last_reviewed.
Note on status: This draft is AI-DRAFT and has not yet been proofread by CLR (Lawyer-of-Record). Before going live, it will undergo a senior counsel review, source verification of all sections marked with «VERIFY» and formal approval via the ADR-018 byline workflow.
As of: 01.06.2026 · Snapshot
Reflects the cited law as of the snapshot — not a check of current force.
