L permit characteristics
- Duration: 3-12 months
- Renewable once (up to 24 months total)
- Tied to specific contract and employer
- EU/EFTA: simplified procedure
- Third countries: stricter quotas than B permit
When to use L permit
- 3-12 month temp missions
- Long internships
- Seasonal contracts alpine hospitality, agriculture
- International consulting missions
- Ad-hoc projects R&D, IT
- Test a job before long-term commitment
Procedure
Same as B permit:
- Signed contract + housing + photo + docs
- Application by employer or employee by canton
- Timeline 2-4 weeks (EU), 2-3 months (third countries)
- Cost CHF 100-200
Conversion to B permit
At end of L permit:
- If permanent or ≥ 12-month contract → possible conversion to B
- Employer files application
- No mandatory return to home country
- Often automatic for EU/EFTA
Limited rights
- No family reunification (except special cases)
- Housing: difficulty signing long lease
- Banking: account sometimes harder to open
- Credit / mortgage: quasi-systematic refusal
Tips
- L permit is a springboard, not an end
- Aim for B conversion as soon as possible
- 3-5 L missions = instability signal, avoid
- For seasonal: possible winter + summer accumulation for renewed L permit
