ETH Zurich

Work during study

A foreign national living in Switzerland to study at a university or university of applied sciences may take up a supplementary paid activity only with the approval of the competent cantonal authorities, under Article 38 of the Ordinance on Admission, Period of Stay and Employment (ASEO/VZAE), and only once their course has already been under way for at least 6 months: beginning no sooner than six months after the start of their course, a foreign student may work up to 15 hours a week outside of holiday periods. The university itself must confirm that the work is compatible with the student's studies and will not delay completion, and the employer must separately apply for permission and comply with normal pay and working-condition rules for the canton.

Post-study work visa

Six-month post-graduation job-search period (no separately named visa; a statutory right under the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act) . Up to 6 months
A third-country national (non-EU/EFTA) who graduates from a recognised or accredited Swiss higher education institution has a 6-month period, running from the end of their course or training, in which to remain in Switzerland and look for a job that matches their qualifications. Unlike the ordinary rule giving hiring preference to Swiss and EU/EFTA candidates, a graduate found during this window may be admitted to the labour market in derogation of that preference if their work represents an 'overriding scientific or economic interest.' The State Secretariat for Migration's FAQ does not state a separate minimum salary or occupation list for this specific window — once a qualifying job is found, the graduate then needs the ordinary work permit and residence-permit process like any other foreign employee.

Route to permanent residence

Switzerland's permanent settlement permit (C permit) is granted, per the State Secretariat for Migration's own definition, to a 'settled foreign national' after 5 or 10 years' residence in Switzerland, after which 'the right to settle in Switzerland is not subject to any time restrictions or conditions' — SEM itself sets the earliest date from which the competent authority may grant it. Which of the two figures applies, and on what conditions, depends on the person's nationality and (for non-EU/EFTA nationals in particular) integration criteria set under the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act, and can vary by canton — EU/EFTA nationals may qualify after 5 years under bilateral settlement treaties, while other third-country nationals more commonly need 10. Time spent in Switzerland while holding a B residence permit — the permit type a foreign student ordinarily holds — is explicitly one of the categories SEM's own naturalisation guidance counts toward Swiss residence requirements generally, though the C permit's own specific qualifying conditions should be confirmed with the relevant cantonal immigration authority, since cantons administer the actual grant.

Route to citizenship

Ordinary naturalisation as a Swiss citizen is a three-level process — commune, canton, and the federal State Secretariat for Migration — governed by the Federal Act on Swiss Citizenship. A foreign national qualifies once they have lived in Switzerland for 10 years and hold a settlement permit (C permit); years spent in Switzerland between the ages of 8 and 18 count double (though at least 6 years of actual residence is still required), and residence held under a B or C permit, an FDFA legitimation card, or a Ci permit counts in full, while time under an F permit (provisional admission) counts at only half its value, and time on an N permit (asylum-seeker) or L permit (short stay) does not count at all. Cantonal law then adds its own minimum residence period in the specific commune and canton (typically 2 to 5 years), and cantonal authorities separately assess integration and familiarity with the Swiss way of life before forwarding a naturalisation report to SEM for the federal naturalisation licence. On dual nationality, Switzerland's position is unambiguous and has been since 1 January 1992: 'the right to dual nationality has been recognised without restriction in Switzerland' — becoming a Swiss citizen 'no longer' requires giving up a previous nationality, though SEM notes the applicant's country of origin may still require renunciation under its own law, a question Swiss authorities cannot answer on that country's behalf.