Unlike citizens of the EU and EFTA (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein) who have an unlimited access to Switzerland’s labour market, people from so-called third countries are subject to special quotas, the number of which are determined by the government each year.
As in previous years, a maximum of 8,500 skilled and specialist workers from third countries may be recruited in 2026, the Federal Council announced.
For these individuals, 4,500 B permits and 4,000 L permits will be available.
The quotas for service providers from the EU or EFTA, whose assignment in Switzerland exceeds 120 days per year, will also remain unchanged: up to 3,500 permits may be issued, comprising 3,000 L permits and 500 B permits.
In addition, 3,500 permits are set aside especially for workers from the United Kingdom (2,100 B permits and 1,400 L permits).
READ ALSO: How UK citizens can obtain a Swiss work permit set aside for Brits
Not fully used
The Federal Council has pointed out that “in recent years, the various available quotas have not been fully utilised.”
Until December 31st, 2024, Swiss companies had only used 74 percent of the available permits for third-country nationals.
Only 50 percent of permits for service providers from EU/EFTA had been granted.
And as for the separate quotas for UK nationals, introduced provisionally after the country’s withdrawal from the European Union, they had been used at 21 percent.
READ ALSO: Why are so few Brits taking up work permits in Switzerland?
By the end of September 2025, the cantons had used approximately 52 percent of the quotas allocated to workers from third countries, and 38 percent of those reserved for service providers from the EU or EFTA.
As in the past, quotas for workers from the United Kingdom were only minimally utilised – 17 percent were granted.
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Why aren’t all available quotas handed out?
According to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), one reason is that “the admission of third-country nationals depends on the needs of the economy and employers.”
Therefore, “the system for admitting third-country nationals to the Swiss labour market is demand-driven… The majority of Switzerland’s labour and skilled worker requirements are covered by domestic workers and those from EU/EFTA states.”
Additionally, a number of applicants don’t meet the eligibility criteria for the permit — ranging from the candidates’ inadequate professional qualifications to insufficient contribution they would make to Switzerland’s “overall economic interest.”
“If one or more of these requirements are not met, the permit will not be granted, even if there are still quotas available within the annual maximum numbers,” SEM said .
READ ALSO: What do third-country nationals need to do to move to Switzerland?
