Hello all. You've been very helpful with my other question, and now I have another:

My company is registered in the US as an LLC. I am an American citizen, and will be hired by a Swiss NGO for pro-bono work. I will be in Switzerland for a few months, working on-premises with the Swiss NGO.

Do I need a work permit? I personally am NOT being hired by the Swiss NGO - I am simply working in my capacity as an employee of my US-based company.

What visa, if any, do I need? I am already in Switzerland.

Thank you!

Your US company needs a presence in Switzerland in order to employ you here. That presence would need to arrange your residence / work permit.

Sorry for asking such obvious questions - I'd be happy to read a good website if I could find it, but what would constitute a "presence"?

Does this simply mean that no Swiss NGO can contract work from any other organization in the world unless they have a Swiss "presence"?!

An example of a presence would be a branch or subsidiary.

Not at all - the rules are quite different for EU based companies.

Any Swiss firm can contract such work from any other organisation in the world, provided said work is not carried out in Switzerland.

and i imagine the process of establishing a "presence" is long and complicated and expensive, yes?

thanks for the help everybody.