The Swiss government has set work permit quotas for 2025, leaving them unchanged for EU/European Free Trade Association (EFTA), non-EU/EFTA and U.K. nationals.

Quotas for 2025 are as follows:

Permit type EU/EFTA nationals Non-EU/EFTA (excluding U.K.) nationals U.K. nationals
B permits 500 4,500 2,100
L permits 3,000 4,000 1,400

Additional Information: Foreign nationals may apply for L permits if they are staying in Switzerland temporarily for a specific purpose, generally for less than one year, and who may or may not be gainfully employed. B permits are issued to foreign nationals who are staying in Switzerland permanently for a specific purpose and who may or may not be gainfully employed. More information regarding these permits is available here.

Due to the withdrawal of the U.K. from the EU, the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons between Switzerland and the U.K. has been in effect since Jan. 1, 2021. To enable companies in Switzerland to recruit skilled workers from the U.K., the Swiss Federal Council decided to keep separate quotas for employed U.K. nationals again in 2025.

Finally, the Federal Council adopted an amendment to the Ordinance on the Free Movement of Persons to grant Croatian nationals full access to the Swiss labor market effective Jan. 1, 2025.

BAL Analysis: After increasing quotas in 2019 to address labor shortages and respond to business demands for greater access to skilled workers, Swiss officials have decided to keep the same quotas for the sixth year in a row despite less than full utilization of the quotas in recent years.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

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