Switzerland: Work Permit Quotas for 2023 Unchanged
November 23, 2022
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At a Glance
- Swiss authorities have published the work permit quota numbers for foreign workers for 2023, with identical quota allocations as for 2022.
- As before, quotas do not apply to applications for L permits for stays under four months, status changes and renewals.
- As opposed to 2022, in 2023, quotas will be re-introduced for Croatian nationals.
The situation
Swiss authorities have published the work permit quota figures for 2023, with identical quota allocations as for 2022.
A closer look
The following quota numbers will become available as of January 1, 2023:
| Category | Short-term L permit - up to 24 months | Long-term B permit – over 24 months | Quota use |
|
Non-EU/European Economic Area (EEA) nationals (issued annually) |
4,000 | 4,500 | The quota is typically exhausted around end of the year |
|
EU/EEA nationals (including Bulgarian / Romanian nationals) (issued quarterly) |
3,000 | 500 | The quota is typically exhausted within six to seven weeks of each release |
|
Croatian nationals (issued quarterly) |
1,007 | 1,150 | The quota is typically exhausted within a few days |
|
UK nationals (issued quarterly) |
1,400 | 2,100 | Quota not yet applicable |
As before, quotas do not apply to applications for L permits for stays under four months, status changes and renewals.
Impact
Employers are advised to submit work permit applications early to avoid rejections due to the quotas being filled.
Since quotas have been re-introduced for Croatian nationals, their work permit process will be longer since labor market testing may apply.
Background
Switzerland restricts the number of work permits that can be issued to foreign workers, both for EU/European Economic Area, and other nationals. Quota spots are either released all at once in January; or divided and released in quarterly batches on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1. Once all quota spots are filled, no further permits can be granted until the next batch of quota numbers is released.
Looking ahead
In recent years, the quotas have not been fully exhausted, which was particularly due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The remaining quotas roll over to the next year.
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].
