What is the L permit in Switzerland?

The L permit is the shortest-duration residence permit in Switzerland. Its official name is short-term residence permit, and it is typically issued for stays of 3–12 months.

As a Hungarian citizen, do I need a work visa for the L permit?

No work visa is required for entry. As a Hungarian citizen, the EU/EFTA procedure is simplified, and there is no annual quota for L permits.

How long can I stay in Switzerland with an L permit?

The L permit can be issued for up to 12 months. If the employment relationship or the expected length of stay is longer than that, a B permit is generally required.

What should I do after arriving in Switzerland?

You must register with the municipality of residence within 14 days of arriving in Switzerland. After that, the residents’ registration office forwards the data to the cantonal migration authority, or the application can be submitted directly.

Can I change employer with an L permit?

Yes, but a new permit application must be submitted. The L permit is tied to the employer and the position, so when the original employment ends, the old permit automatically loses its validity.

Do I need Swiss health insurance with an L permit?

Yes, the mandatory basic health insurance must be taken out no later than 3 months after arrival. The insurance is valid retroactively from the date of arrival.

What happens after 12 months?

If the total stay in Switzerland reaches 12 months and the employment continues, you generally need to switch to a B permit. This is not automatic; a separate application must be submitted.

L Permit in Switzerland: What Should Hungarian Citizens Know?

What is an L permit, and who can apply for it?

The L permit is the shortest-duration category in the Swiss residence permit system. Its official name is short-term residence permit (Kurzaufenthaltsbewilligung), and it typically authorises a stay of 3 to 12 months.

As a Hungarian citizen, you are treated as an EU citizen under Swiss law, since Hungary has been a member of the European Union since 2004, and Switzerland, under the FZA, treats citizens of EU member states in the same procedure as citizens of EFTA member states. In practice, this means that:

no work visa is required for entry,
the permit application process is simplified,
there is no annual quota limiting the number of L permits for EU citizens.

Typical applicants for an L permit:

Short-term workers whose employment contract runs for 3–12 months.
Seasonal workers (e.g. tourism, agriculture, construction).
Students who also work at the same time.
Persons arriving on probationary or fixed-term contracts who are not yet eligible for a B permit.

If the expected duration of employment or stay exceeds one year, then a B permit (Aufenthaltsbewilligung B) must be applied for — the L permit is not suitable in that case.

What types of L permits exist?

L permit (for EU/EFTA citizens)

This is the most common form for Hungarian applicants. It is issued under the FZA, and its validity follows the duration of the employment contract, but it is limited to a maximum of 12 months. If the contract is shorter than 3 months, in some cantons the permit can also be replaced by an administrative registration — this depends on the canton.

L-ES permit (Erwerbstätigkeit mit Kurzaufenthalt — short-term work permit)

In some cantons, the designation “L-ES” distinguishes short-term stays combined with gainful employment from short-term stays without gainful employment. The wording and administrative classification may vary from canton to canton.

L-EFTA permit

This category is intended for citizens of EFTA member states (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein). As a Hungarian citizen, this does not apply to you — you apply under the EU L permit framework.

Important distinction: the L permit is not the same as the 90-day visa-free stay. If you stay in Switzerland for less than 3 months and do not carry out gainful employment, a separate permit is generally not required. However, if you are engaged in gainful employment, the stay is permit-required from the first day.

What documents are required, and how does the application process work?

Required documents

The following are generally requested in every canton, but the exact list may vary from canton to canton:

Document	Note
Valid passport or identity card	Hungarian passport or EU identity card accepted
Employer’s contract or letter of recommendation	Includes the duration of the contract and the job role
Employment confirmation from the employer	Some cantons require a separate form
Residence in Switzerland	Lease agreement or employer accommodation confirmation
Passport-sized photo	Usually 2 copies, but digital upload is also possible
Completed application form	Available for download from the cantonal Migrationsamt website

The application submission process

Registration with the municipality of residence (Einwohnerkontrolle / Contrôle des habitants): Within 14 days of arriving in Switzerland, you must register with the local residents’ registration office. This is the first mandatory step.
Notification of the migration authority: the residents’ registration office automatically forwards the data to the cantonal migration authority (Migrationsamt), or you may submit the application directly.
Submission of documents: in person or by post; in some cantons, online as well.
Issuance of the permit: the L permit is issued in physical form (card, Ausländerausweis). Processing time varies by canton, typically between 2 and 6 weeks.

Deadline: the registration obligation within 14 days of arriving in Switzerland. Failure to comply may result in a fine.

Work and employment conditions with an L permit

An EU citizen holding an L permit — including Hungarian employees — may work only for the employer and in the position stated on the permit. This is the key restriction: the L permit is tied to a specific employer and job role.

Changing employer

If you hold an L permit and wish to change employer, you must submit a new permit application. The old permit automatically becomes invalid when the original employment relationship ends.

Changing canton

The L permit is linked to the canton that issued it. If you move to another canton, you must apply for a new permit in the new canton.

Self-employment

With an L permit, self-employed activity (Selbständigerwerbende) is generally not permitted. A separate permit category is required for self-employment.

Working time and remuneration

The L permit does not prescribe a minimum working time, but Swiss labour law (Arbeitsgesetz, ArG) and sectoral collective labour agreements (Gesamtarbeitsvertrag, GAV) also apply to employees holding an L permit. Swiss minimum wage is regulated at cantonal level — in some cantons (e.g. Genève, Neuchâtel, Ticino, Basel-Stadt) a statutory minimum wage applies, while elsewhere there is no mandatory federal minimum.

Social insurance, taxation and financial obligations

Mandatory insurance

A person residing and working in Switzerland with an L permit is automatically covered by the following insurance systems:

AHV/AVS (Alters- und Hinterlassenenversicherung): old-age and survivors’ insurance — deducted automatically from wages, with the employer also contributing.
IV/AI (Invalidenversicherung): disability insurance — also deducted automatically.
ALV/AC (Arbeitslosenversicherung): unemployment insurance — deducted automatically, but for employees with an L permit, the conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefits may differ.
SUVA / UVG (Unfallversicherung): accident insurance — arranged by the employer.

Health insurance (Krankenkasse / KVG)

Youmust take out compulsory basic health insurance (Grundversicherung) with a Swiss insurer no later than 3 months after arriving in Switzerland. The insurance applies retroactively from the day of arrival. The monthly premium (Prämie) varies significantly by canton and insurer — according to 2025 data, premiums for adults range from CHF 300 to CHF 600 per month, but this amount changes every year, and low-income persons may apply for premium reductions (Prämienverbilligung / réduction de primes).

From a Hungarian perspective: if you take out health insurance in Switzerland, your entitlement to care under the Hungarian TAJ card will cease or change. When visiting home, emergency care can be accessed with the EHIC card (European Health Insurance Card), but this does not replace full Hungarian social insurance coverage. It is worth checking the exact rules with OEP (now NEAK).

Taxation: withholding tax (Quellensteuer)

Employees holding an L permit — unless they have a C permit or a Swiss spouse — are subject to withholding tax (Quellensteuer). This means that the employer deducts income tax directly from the salary and pays it to the tax authorities. The tax rate depends on the canton, income, marital status, and number of children.

Withholding tax is not the same as an annual tax return: L permit holders are generally not required to file an annual tax return unless their income exceeds a cantonal threshold or they have other sources of income.

Hungarian-Swiss double taxation agreement: There is a double taxation agreement in force between Hungary and Switzerland (1981, as amended). This prevents the same income from being taxed in both countries. Income earned in Switzerland and taxed at source is generally not taxed again in Hungary, but the exact application of the agreement depends on the individual situation.

Second pillar (berufliche Vorsorge / BVG)

If you earn more than CHF 22 050 per year (2025 threshold — check the current amount), your employer is required to enroll you in the mandatory occupational pension scheme (Pensionskasse). When the L permit expires, the amount paid in — under certain conditions — may be reclaimed, but for EU citizens this is limited: the retirement savings (Altersguthaben) can only be withdrawn in cash if you permanently leave the EU/EFTA area. If you return to Hungary, the mandatory portion cannot be withdrawn as a lump sum — an important financial consideration when planning your return home.

Family members and dependants

Who can come with you?

With an L permit, an EU citizen worker has the right, under certain conditions, to bring family members with them. Under the FZA, the following persons may apply for a residence permit:

Spouse (whether EU or non-EU citizen).
Children under 21.
Dependent parents and grandparents (under certain conditions).

Non-EU citizen spouse

If you are a Hungarian citizen but your spouse is not an EU citizen (e.g. Serbian, Ukrainian, or Russian citizen), applying for the spouse’s residence permit is a more complex procedure. The spouse may receive a permit linked to your L permit, but this requires proof of a genuine marital relationship, and the cantonal migration authority has discretionary powers.

Education of children

In Switzerland, education is free and compulsory for children of school age, and children of parents with an L permit can also be enrolled in public schools. In some cities (Zürich, Bern, Geneva, Basel), weekend Hungarian schools also operate, helping children maintain their Hungarian language skills.

Renewal of the L permit and conversion to a B permit

Renewal

The L permit can be issued for a maximum of 12 months. If the employment relationship continues and the total period of stay in Switzerland reaches 12 months, it is generally necessary to switch to a B permit. The application for renewal must be submitted before the permit expires — the exact deadline is set by the cantonal migration authority, typically 2–4 weeks before expiry.

Conversion to a B permit

If you spend a total of 12 months in Switzerland and the employment relationship continues, you must switch to a B permit (Aufenthaltsbewilligung B). For EU citizens, the B permit is initially issued for 5 years and can be renewed. The conversion is not automatic — an application must be submitted.

Interruption and restarting

If you leave Switzerland and later return with a new job, the L permit can be applied for again. In certain cases, the length of your previous stay in Switzerland may count toward eligibility for a B permit — this is assessed by the cantonal authorities.

Common mistakes and advice for Hungarian applicants

Missing the 14-day registration deadline

This is the most common mistake. Many people assume that under EU freedom of movement there is no need to register. In Switzerland, registration is mandatory, and failure to do so may result in a fine.

Taking out health insurance too late

You have 3 months to arrange Krankenkasse, but the insurance is valid retroactively from the day of arrival. If a medical event occurs during this period, the insurer will also pay retroactively — but only if the contract is concluded on time.

Changing employer without permission

With an L permit, changing employers requires a new permit application. Changing employers without permission is a violation and may lead to the permit being revoked.

Ignoring cantonal differences

In Switzerland, the permit procedure, required documents, and processing times vary from canton to canton. What applies in Zürich does not necessarily apply in Genève or Ticino. Always follow the current guidance of the cantonal migration authority in your place of residence.

Confusing the TAJ card with the EHIC

The EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) entitles you to emergency care in EU member states, but it does not replace Swiss Krankenkasse and does not provide comprehensive coverage in Switzerland. Switzerland is not an EU member, so the EHIC has limited validity there.

Sources

ch.ch — Official information portal of Switzerland: https://www.ch.ch/en/
ch.ch — Entry and stay of foreign nationals in Switzerland: https://www.ch.ch/en/foreign-nationals-in-switzerland/entry-and-stay-in-switzerland/
SEM (State Secretariat for Migration) — EU/EFTA and free movement of persons: https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/themen/fza_schweiz-eu-efta.html
Swiss Federal Council — text of the Freizügigkeitsabkommen (FZA): admin.ch (the exact URL requires editorial verification)
NEAK (National Health Insurance Fund Administration) — information for insured persons abroad: neak.gov.hu