Other residence permits and naturalisation

The L permit: a stay of limited duration

The short-term permit suits a limited engagement, an internship or a brief course of study. The first choice is the route: the quota, or the stay of four months in twelve, which is not counted against it.

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For whom

Who applies for the L permit

The employer, for a limited engagement

Additional staff for a project, a replacement, an assignment of known duration: for a third-country employee, the application comes from the employer. We compare the quota route and the four-months-in-twelve route, then build the file for the one that fits.

The private individual, for a specific stay

An internship, continuing education, a stay whose end is fixed in advance: the L permit requires a precise purpose and a duration of one year at most. We check that your project fits this frame, or that another permit suits it better.

The requirements of the law

A limited stay, a specific purpose

The law confines the L permit to a short duration. It also makes it a permit that cannot be renewed at will.

Two routes for salaried work

The quota or the four months in twelve

For a third-country employee, the employer chooses between two routes. The choice depends on the duration, the nature of the assignment and the size of the company.

The exemption concerns the maximum numbers: the canton examines the rest of the file.

EU and EFTA nationals

An L permit that follows the length of the contract

Our work

What we do for you

Choice between the quota route and the four-months-in-twelve route
Review of the admission requirements that apply to your situation
Calendar: start, end, possible extension within the two-year limit
List of the documents required by your canton
Preparation and filing of the file with the cantonal authority
Follow-up until the decision, federal stage included

Documents

What generally needs to be gathered

Valid passport
Employment contract or firm offer with start and end dates, or internship or training agreement
CV and proof of qualifications, for salaried work by a third-country national
Description of the assignment and justification of the need, for the employer
Housing certificate

The exact list depends on the canton and the route chosen. We send it to you with our proposal.

Fees

One flat fee per person

L permit, short-term

CHF 1,200 to CHF 2,000

flat fee per person

A short-term permit for an assignment of one year at most, or a stay of four months in twelve. The fee depends on nationality and purpose.

Choice between the quota route and the four-months-in-twelve route
Review of the applicable admission conditions
Preparation and filing with the cantonal authority
Follow-up until the decision, including the federal stage

For a third-country employee, the application is made by the employer; the fee then applies to the company.

See the service

Indicative amounts, excluding VAT (Swiss standard rate of 8.1% since 1 January 2024). They are confirmed in writing before any engagement, on the basis of the actual file. For an employer established abroad, the service is deemed to be supplied abroad within the meaning of art. 8 para. 1 LTVA and the invoice is issued without VAT. For a private individual domiciled abroad, the VAT treatment is specified in the proposal.

All flat fees in this section

Limits of the engagement

The decision rests with the authorities

The first step

A short-term stay

Tell us the assignment, its duration and the person's nationality.

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