Following the Swiss Federal Council's release of 500 L-Permits for the second quarter of 2016, the quota for L-permits for EU nationals on assignments lasting more than four months has been exhausted. Employers seeking to send EU nationals on assignment to Switzerland will need to wait until July 1, 2016, when third-quarter quotas become available.
Background
Because some cantons allowed EU nationals to start their assignments prior to the release of the quota numbers for the second quarter of 2016, many L-Permits were claimed prior to the announcement.
Work permit quotas apply to first-time applicants and those converting an L-Permit into a B-Permit only. Applicants renewing their work permits are not subject to quotas.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
Employers should start planning for foreign nationals' assignments for the third quarter to avoid rejections due to quota exhaustion. Employers assigning EU nationals to Switzerland should check with the canton where they will file their work permit application to determine whether it accepts applications before the next quota numbers are released.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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