---
title: "Working in Switzerland as a Foreigner"
url: https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/international-student-switzerland-jobs-permits
lang: en
date_modified: 2026-09-30
---

# Working in Switzerland as a Foreigner

Rules for working as a foreign student: B Permit, waiting periods (EU vs Non-EU), and Swiss salaries.

This section brings together the guides on working in Switzerland as a foreign student: the internship during your studies, the contract to sign, then the switch to a work permit once you have graduated. The rules depend first on nationality: an EU or EFTA national and a third-country national do not follow the same procedure.

Before the internship, [the paid internship guide](https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/student-jobs-internships-switzerland) explains that an EU or EFTA national can do up to three months of internship per calendar year without a permit, on a simple online notification by the employer, whereas a third-country national needs a permit in every case. There is no federal minimum wage for interns.

When signing, [the internship contract and agreement guide](https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/internship-contract-agreement-switzerland) points out that a paid internship is an employment contract within the meaning of Articles 319 et seq. of the Code of Obligations, distinct from the tripartite agreement signed with the school.

After graduation, [the guide to converting a student B permit](https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/convert-student-b-permit-to-work-permit) describes the two routes: an EU or EFTA graduate who presents an employment contract of one year or more obtains a B permit valid for 5 years (an L permit if the contract lasts less than a year), while a third-country graduate can apply for a permit of up to 6 months, non-renewable, to look for a job.

## Guides on this topic

[![Internship Contract and Agreement in Switzerland 2026: the guide](https://www.ibani.com/images/ibani-salaire-suisse-thumbnail-large.jpg)](https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/internship-contract-agreement-switzerland)

### [Internship Contract and Agreement in Switzerland 2026: the guide](https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/internship-contract-agreement-switzerland)

Internship agreement or employment contract in Switzerland? Code of Obligations framework, mandatory clauses, tripartite agreement, probation.

[Read article](https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/internship-contract-agreement-switzerland)

Updated on: 30 September 2026

[![Paid Internship in Switzerland 2026: Permit, Salary, Tax | ibani](https://www.ibani.com/images/ibani-salaire-suisse-thumbnail-large.jpg)](https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/student-jobs-internships-switzerland)

### [Paid Internship in Switzerland 2026: Permit, Salary, Tax | ibani](https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/student-jobs-internships-switzerland)

Paid internship in Switzerland: work permit (L or notification), 2026 intern salary, LAMal, source tax and how to repatriate your CHF salary.

[Read article](https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/student-jobs-internships-switzerland)

Updated on: 30 September 2026

[![Convert Student B Permit to Work Permit CH | ibani](https://www.ibani.com/images/ibani-conversion-permis-etudiant-travail.jpg)](https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/convert-student-b-permit-to-work-permit)

### [Convert Student B Permit to Work Permit CH | ibani](https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/convert-student-b-permit-to-work-permit)

Expert guide for foreign graduates in Switzerland. Procedures, legal conditions (FNIA), and deadlines for converting a student B permit to a work permit.

[Read article](https://www.ibani.com/en/guides/convert-student-b-permit-to-work-permit)

Updated on: 30 September 2026

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