B Permit — Residence (third-country qualified worker) (Switzerland) – Requirements

The B permit is Switzerland's standard residence permit. For third-country nationals (Art. 18–21 FNIA), admission must be in Switzerland's overall economic interest; the employer must prove no suitable worker is available in Switzerland or EU/EFTA (labour-market precedence). The applicant must be a manager, specialist or other qualified worker — typically a university or applied-sciences degree plus several years' experience — and salary, social-security contributions and working conditions must match those customary for the region, profession and sector. Federal cap for 2026: 4,500 B permits for third-country gainfully employed (Art. 20 FNIA / ASEO).

Requirements & criteria

[Mandatory] Sponsoring employer in the country

[Mandatory] Concrete job offer / employment contract

[Mandatory] No criminal record

[Mandatory] Employment contract ≥ 12 months or open-ended

[Bonus] University / applied-sciences degree (manager/specialist standard)

[Bonus] Several years of relevant experience

[Bonus] Manager, specialist or qualified worker role