SWITZERLAND: Modification to Issuance of C Permits

October 4, 2022

Further to a recent judgment from the Swiss Federal Court, the Swiss authorities have modified their practice regarding issuance of permanent residence permits (C permits).

Foreigners who benefit from settlement agreements such as Germany or France, for example, need to show they fulfill integration conditions to apply for C permanent residence permits. This implies, amongst other things, they now must attest their language proficiency for the language spoken at the place of residence.

Until now, citizens of 11 European countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Liechtenstein) were not subject to language requirements to apply for C permanent residence permits.

The federal directives confirming this new practice entered into force on 1 October 2022.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact or submit an inquiry here should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.

This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for any case- or company-specific assessments.