hi,

I am currently working in Zurich on L-permit from 9 months. Basically, I work as a third party contractor for a bank. At the moment I am totally fed up with the agency (for whom I work originally) because they dont get me good rates.

I have found a new agency who is willing to give me a good deal.
and my client doesnt mind me changing as long as I work for them.

Now, if I do that I have a work permit situtaion and I would like to ask you guys for advice:
1) if I change my employer then do I need a new workpermit? the current wp has the name of my employer
2) if new workpermit is required then can I file for wp while staying here in zurich? Meanwhile, I would like to continue working.
3) is it possible that if I can get B-permit this time?

Thanks in advance.

regards
bob

"It depends"

Are you EU or non-EU?

If EU, then you have full job and canton mobility and your permit is yours (you apply, you renew etc). So you can tell the old agency to stick it where the sun doesn't shine...

If not-EU, your permit is "sponsored" for want of a better word - and your employer (the agency) must apply for it. I'm EU, sorry, so I don't know the finer details of this.

Anyway:
1. Sounds like you are non-EU. So yes.
2. Yes. They can be slow sometimes, longest I've heard is a colleague (from US) without permit for 2 months while bureacracy ground away
3. EU, no, not until next June 'coz they have no "B"s left to give out. Non-EU, you'll get a "B" after 18 months (or 24 or 30 - don't know exactly)

Hope this helps...

Cheers

Hi Bob,

Your permit may be the least of your problems - you'll have to negotiate an exit with your old agency - and they may not be very keen to let you out...

Hey woooooo, irrespective of where you are from with an L permit you are going to need a new one. This has nothing to do with the employer but the function of the permit which is limited to 18 months and requires by all changes a review. Don't forget this is the permit that EU citizens automatically (without any job or employer or prospect or anything) get after 3 months in CH...

You have no problem to change agencies you just need to apply as long as you are working for the same end company. I have looked a bit into this and I am assuming that your agencies ie before and after have a permit to rent you out. Part of the condition of this permit is the ability to transfer employees between the companies - this enables the end customer not to be open to commercial damage by the failing of one of the agencies. Now how this works out when it is the wish of the employee I have no idea I just no it is possible and minimal paperwork - any agencies out there who are open to explain how this works...

Agency swap:

There are several contractors who have swapped agencies at *big bank* where I am. Straightforward.

What I understand from my husband's situation for a non-EU is:-

1. get a letter from your current employer to state that the company is willing to release you and allow the transfer of your current 'L' to your new employer

2. your new employer will need to renew your 'L' to convert it to your new employment status. Once you get the official letter for your new permit, just get permit renewed at your kreis buro.

It took about a month for my husband's new employer to sort this out for him once he got the letter from his ex-company.

At least that's how it works for our case.

Good luck.

[Moderator note: Thread merged at this point]

Hello All,

First of all, great to see all this information available here in english ...

Had some doubts regarding work permits, and though went through the other threads on this forum, could not find a completely satisfactory answer .. so posting this again ...

I am a Non-EU national, with an L permit currently working on contract for a small consulting company based in geneva (the client is in Vevey) and would like to channge my job. What exactly are the rules for changing jobs ?

1) If i find an employer, who is willing to apply for my work permit, is it important that my previous employer has to give a "no objections" thing for my new permit to go through ?

2) Is it easier to change jobs if you have a B permit, as compared to an L permit ? or the same rules hold ?

3) Does anyone know of some law firms etc, who specialize in these things and where we can get a more clearer idea about these things ..

Thanks & Best Regards,
Ned

The answer to question 1 which is the key question is it depends...

Firstly how long have you had your L permit? You cannot renew them indefinitely.
How long is your contract? You cannot change till it is finished.
No Objections? Well actually they are meant to but if the new employer is Nestle then this is waived
Changing your job as a non-EU national on an L permit is not actually foreseen so you (will) might have difficulties depending on who the new employer is - they will need to sponsor you as if new and depending on how the dept for aliens wants to see it allocations etc. What I can say is if you can wait until February as then you will have many more B's available and have a higher chance. To be totally honest without actually knowing I would be surprised to find you getting a B permit as a non-EU national in Nov or Dec which is what you are asking!

With a B permit it is easier depending on the type of B you have - not all are equal. The same rules do apply though - you need to get no objections from your previous employer and you need to have a clean bill of health as far as taxes and the like are concerned but you are not up against the time pressure you normally are with an L permit.

There is no real law firms that I know of that deal with these things. The law is quite clear as to the process but not as to the decision criteria which is where your problems might lie...

But in short as a non-EU national you are:

1. Not able to quit your contract and transfer until it has ended.
2. Disadvantaged compared to EU nationals.
3. Going to need to show why you can do the job the Swiss and EU nats cannot.
4. Not LIKELY to get a B permit in 2006.

Hi Richard,

Thanks for all the information .. quite usefull ...

Also you mentioned Nestle .. Does Nestle get some kind of a special treatment in these cases ? ..

Best Regards,
Ned

Nestekjos, since your question was about the possibilties of changing an employer on an L-permit I thought it best to merge your posts into the thread called "possible to change employer on L-permit" which was located in the permits section.

I note also that Richard asked you a series of questions - giving him the information he asked you for about your situation might be of some assistance.

is it somehow possible to skip the "no objection" letter from the previous employer and still get a new permit.

I hope people will understand that it is difficult to get companies to write such letters and moreover why would they issue one when somebody is leaving them and joining their client.

does kreisi look at things on case by case basis or this is end of the road. are they flexible

regards
bob

Bob, do you want to be nintendo or Bob? It's quite confusing.

And you never stated if you're EU or not. So I can't comment.

I am non-EU

sorry for the name confusion. forgot my older details

regards
bob

Non-EU might be harder to do. Richard might help you here

And with regards to your "lost" details - vBulletin has a good function to get back your password as long as you can remember your email address....

Do you want to be Bob or nintendo? We can merge the accounts so that they don't confuse....