Before you arrive / take up your post

Confirmation of A1 language certificate

As of 1 January 2019, confirmation of the German A1 language certificate (speaking) or registration for a language school in Switzerland must be included with the spouse’s entry application. Children and the employed person are exempt from this regulation. The regulation applies to all stays longer than 365 days.

If the spouse has a degree in one of the three Swiss national languages (e.g. German, German school abroad, German studies), they are not required to provide the A1 language certificate.

If the stay is extended and then lasts more than 365 days, the language certificate must be provided at the time of the extension.

The following language certificates at the A1 level are accepted:

• Austrian German Language Diploma (OSD)
• TestDaF (German as a Foreign Language)
• Telc (The European Language Certificates)
• KDE (cantonal German test for the naturalisation procedure)
  

ETH does not provide recommendations for language schools.

EU27/EFTA citizens are exempt from the regulation.

Nationals of an EU-27 or EFTA country who want to work in Switzerland may move to Switzerland. To regularise their status, they should present a residence application together with their employment contract at the relevant Residents' Registration Office at their place of residence.*

EU-27 countries

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia*, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden

EFTA countries

Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland

*Exception: Croatia (valid since 1 January 2023)

Due to the high level of immigration, the Federal Council has decided to introduce permit quotas (maximum numbers per quarter) for newly arriving Croatian workers from 1 January 2023. The quotas apply to Croatian nationals who wish to take up employment in Switzerland for more than three months.
Doctoral students and post-doctoral students (doctoral degree not older than 2 years) are not affected.

The application for the work and residence permit is submitted by the responsible HR administration. If the application is approved, you will receive a written confirmation of the residence permit. This entitles you to enter Switzerland and to register personally at the Residents' Registration Office.

Foreign employees from the EU-27 and EFTA countries may work in Switzerland for up to 90 working days per calendar year without a work permit, but they must be officially registered. The registration is made by the employer (ETH Zurich).

Cross-border commuters from EU and EFTA countries are granted professional and geographical mobility within all of Switzerland's border zones. For citizens of the EU-27and EFTA countries, these border zones no longer apply. These persons may live anywhere in the EU/EFTA region and work in Switzerland, provided they return to their residence abroad once a week (usually at the weekend). The employer applies for the cross-border commuter's work permit.

Nationals from non-EU/EFTA countries require a visa* to enter Switzerland if the purpose of their visit is employment. The immigration authority checks the request for an employment and residence permit. Once approval has been granted, the immigration authority issues and transmits out a visa authorisation to the Swiss Embassy or Consulate in the country in question. This foreign diplomatic mission issues the visa, which must be picked up by the applicant.

* Exceptions

Citiziens from Andorra, Australia, Brunei, Great Britain, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, San Marino, Singapore and the Vatican City only require the residence permit to have been approved before they enter Switzerland.

Please note: You may not enter Switzerland until you have received your visa or been approved for a residence permit!

Immediate family members, i.e. your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 18, may move to Switzerland with you. However, they have to meet certain conditions set by the immigration authority. These are as follows:

• suitable accommodation must be available;
  
• the household income must be sufficient to support the family;
• family members must live together.

For members of non-EU/EFTA countries the following also applies

Accompanying family members must be listed on the immigration application form.

If family members want to move to Switzerland at a later date, the family members must apply in person to the external page Swiss diplomatic mission abroad for permission to join their family already living in Switzerland.

At the same time the employee has to apply directly at the Migration Office in Zurich submitting the following documents:

• Spouse: copy of marriage certificate and copy of spouse's passport
• Children: copy of birth certificate and copy of child's passport
• Copy of employment contract
• Copy of rental contract
• Any other documents specified by the immigration authorities