Handbook for Investors. Business location in Switzerland.

6.4.1 Professional licenses
For some professions and for certain businesses, the federal
government or the cantons impose rules. Such cases require a
special permit or a patent or license. This applies to activities for:
• Banks, insurance companies and investment brokers
• Hotels and restaurants (only in certain cantons)
• Physicians, dentists, pharmacists and attorneys
• Certain mercantile and services businesses (e.g. wine merchants,
private employment agencies, temporary employment
services)
Foreign nationals can perform these activities in Switzerland if
they have the required permits. In certain cases, approval is subject
to a «demonstration of need» clause. Since the introduction
of the bilateral agreements with the EU, the rules have gradually
been eased thanks to the mutual recognition of professional
qualifications.
Residing in Switzerland
www.ch.ch
Search under: Residence permits
Languages: German, English, French, Italian
Fig. 22: Work and residence permits: rules and procedures
EU/EFTA nationals
EU-17 (original EU states including Malta
and Cyprus)
Temporary residence permit
(L permit for EC/EFTA)
• entitlement to permit, provided that employment
in Switzerland for three months
to one year can be proved (employment
of less than three months in one calendar
year: registration only)
• possibility to bring family
Cross-border commuter permit
(G permit for EC/EFTA)
• no travel restrictions
• obligation to return home to main residence
in EU/EFTA country every week
• self-employment possible
• validity based on employment contract,
with maximum of five years, after which
renewable
EU-8 (eastern European countries joined
in 2004)
Temporary residence permit
(L permit for EC/EFTA)
• entitlement to permit, provided that
employment can be proved, renewal after
one year for up to one year if employment
is secure, subject to any quotas
• annually rising quota for permits: 15,800
(2007) to 29,000 (2010)
• priority to Swiss nationals, controls on
salary and employment conditions
• possibility to bring family
Cross-border commuter permit
(G permit for EC/EFTA)
• travel within all Swiss border zones
• priority of Swiss nationals, checks for
salary and employment conditions
• rest same as for EU-17
Non-EU/EFTA nationals and Bulgarian
and Romanian citizens
Short-term residence permit
(L permit)
• for key positions (founding a company,
training new staff, specialists from international
companies): 12 months, can be
renewed for 24 months
• possibility to bring family
• annual quotas of 5,000 permits for trainees:
valid for 12 – 18 months, no option
to bring family
Cross-border commuter permit
(G permit)
• valid for 12 months for border zones of
the canton issuing the permit, must be
renewed every year
• resident at least six months with permanent
residence permit in the border zone
of a country neighboring Switzerland
• weekly return to this residence
• possible to change place of work or
profession with permission
54 Handbook for Investors 2010