Federal Council sets third-country work permit quotas for 2023

• Switzerland

01-12-2022

The Federal Council leaves the quotas for workers from third countries as well as from the United Kingdom and for service providers from the EU/EFTA unaltered.

Quotas for workers from third countries
Next year, up to 8,500 qualified professionals from third countries can be recruited: 4,500 with a regular B permit and 4,000 with a short-term L permit.

Quotas for service providers from the EU/EFTA
The maximum number for service providers from EU/EFTA countries with an assignment duration of more than 90 or 120 days per year will also remain unchanged. In 2023, 3,000 quotas will be available for short-term residents (L) and 500 quotas for long-term residents (B). As previously, these quotas will be released to the cantons on a quarterly basis.

Quotas for UK nationals in gainful employment
As of January 1, 2021, the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) between Switzerland and the United Kingdom no longer applies. Since then, UK nationals have been considered as third-country nationals. However, separate quotas apply to them as a transitional solution. According to the decision of the Federal Council, up to 3,500 workers from the UK will again be recruited in the coming year: 2,100 with residence permits (B) and 1,400 with short-term residence permits (L).

In recent years, the quotas have not been fully utilized, especially in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. As of the end of October 2022, the actual utilization rate of the quotas is as follows:

• Renate Bigler-Heiniger
• Legal Director
• +41 58 255 56 50
• +41 58 255 56 50

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