On November 29, 2023, Switzerland’s Federal Council decided to leave unchanged the work permit quotas for non-EU/EFTA nationals and for service providers in 2024. The separate quota for UK nationals will also remain unchanged for now, but will be incorporated into the regular quota for third country nationals in the medium term.
By the Numbers
- Up to 8500 skilled workers can be recruited from third countries in 2024:
- 4500 with a category B residence permit;
- 4000 with a short-term category L permit.
- Up to 3500 permits are available to service providers from the EU/EFTA with stays exceeding 90 or 120 days per year:
- 3000 short-term category L permits;
- 500 category B permits.
Since January 1, 2021, the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) between Switzerland and the UK no longer applies. UK nationals are therefore now considered third-country nationals. Separate quotas apply to them as a transitional arrangement.
- According to the Federal Council’s decision, 3,500 permits will be available to this category once again in the coming year:
- 2100 category B residence permits;
- 1400 short-term category L permits.
In recent years the quotas have not been fully used. At the end of October 2023, 68% of category B residence permits and 65% of short-term category L permits had been reached for third-country workers. Of the quotas for service providers from the EU/EFTA for a duration of more than 90 and 120 days per year, 36% (B permits) and 45% (L permits) had been reached respectively. In the case of the separate quotas for UK nationals, only 23% of category B permits and 18% of category L permits had been utilised; a comparatively low rate.
Erickson Insights
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.