I have tried to dig into the website for the same question but no luck.
I am about to start studying master in Computer Science in one of the very famous university in Switzerland. I know I will get a work permit while I am student and I can work up to 15 hours and full time between semesters.
but what will happen after I finish my study. Am I have to go out of Switzerland, or do I have a shot to get a job there and applied for a work permit and permanent resident?

Cheers,
Mido

yes to all questions

So I have to leave the country after I finish master? :-(

If you do some job hunting DURING the last phase of your studies and get a job, you can apply for a permit conversion.

You can also look for a full-time internship during your studies, and if they like you, you may have a foot in the door for a full-time job (and permit) after you graduate.

I believe following a Msc degree, you can apply for a 6-month permit to search for a job, given that you can proof that you poses enough funds to fund your stay. A friend of mine just did so.

RedEagle - When did your friend apply for this extension and what was the process? I am going to graduate from my Master's in December and am looking for an extension. I am American and my visa expires in early January. I currently intern at a large firm locally and have been offered an extension through next summer but when they found out my visa expires they said I couldn't do it. I heard about this extension for a job seeker for 6 months but then was told I could only work 15 hours per week which is not enough for the job. Because the position is not permanent, the company said the canton told them they couldn't approve it. Now if I "find" a contract for 6 months (which I already have been offered) would I be able to work full-time for the 6 months?

Thanks!

To be honest, I am not sure how many hours he's allowed to work on that job-seeker oermit. But I believe, it serves as a legal way to stay here until you find a job, when then you should apply for another residence permit.

I think he had to provide a proof of funds (he didn't know the amount required for 6 months, yet he presented 9k CHF), probably health insurance. Probably a letter from uni that he is expected to acquire his degree by a certain date.. I'll have to ask him and get back to u anyway

An internship is not a job. It is viewed differently by the authorrities. If you are looking for a clever way to extend your internship please forget it.

As a graduate of a Swiss university you are, since 2011, entitled to take up employment under certain circunstances. An internship is not one of them.

The 6 months applies to a period where you may look for a job without leaving Switzerland. If you find a job you're not a job seeker anymore. Simples.

However, if the contract is only 6 months then you will be gettiing an L permit and once the permit expires or the job ends you are back at square one.

Erm, if working then a job seeker permit wouldn't be appropriate would it?

Correct.

If the company calls it a contract position instead of an internship, would that work? The work is really more of contract work than an internship anyways.

Does the employment I seek have to be a permanent position or can it be a contract position like the one I have been offered?

I understand that once my contract is up I am back to square one but it gives me time to either secure a permanent position with the company or find something else.

Sometimes I feel you are complicate things, the guy looking for a legal way!

You cannot have a contract directly with the company - that would be disguised employment . You would need to go through a third party or start your own company to handle the contract.

Maybe that's because it's complicated?

when I said its contract I mean that the position is fixed-term and not a permanent position. If they call the title of the offer something other than intern, would it work?

Assuming they will pay you the going rate for the job and not that for an internship then I can't see a reason why not.

Okay...thank you!

I will talk to HR and see what happens and let you all know if that worked!

As a graduate of ETH Computer Science, you probably have VERY good chance to get a job in CH The demand for Informatiker in the market is quite high... thumbs up!

Thanks a lot for that encouraging reply, I am supposed to submit my paper next month, I hope they will accepted me!