Hi,

I have been reading the forum regarding how one can get the C permit. I understand from the bullets in Non-EU Permits - a few bullet points. that for a Non-EU it takes 10 years of continuous stay in Switzerland to be able to apply for a C permit.

I am currently a PhD student holding a Aufenthaltsbewilligung(B) (also mentioned is 'Anmerkungen': Ausbildung mit Erwerbstaetigkeit). Does the 4-year of stay here as a PhD student count towards the 10-year C permit requirement or will the number of years count only after I finish the PhD and resume work or as a Post-doc here?

Another question I had was if I am allowed to stay here for 6 months after I finish my PhD in order to find a job. Is that law applicable to non-EU nationals as well?

Thank you in advance.

You can apply for a job seeker visa that lets you stay for six months to look for a job after you finish your PhD. You need to show that you have housing and (can vary by location) 2100 chf/month in the bank.

As for the four years as a student counting towards the C permit, that can happen once you get a job, and reside in Switzerland on a regular B permit for another two years.

If you continue as a post-doc, the B permit will most likely continue to be a student B permit, and wont help towards a C.

Thank you for the information. I get that now

is there any difference between a PhD student at a university and at a research institute like PSI, EMPA? PSI and EMPA are like a company!

PSI and EMPA are both part of the ETH Domain, along with ETH and EPFL. So I don't think there will be any difference in status if you're studying at one of the research institutes or a university.

Check what your permit says. If it has the word "Ausbildung" on it then its a student B permit.

-I came to Switzerland, Vaud canton in 2002 and got B permit as phd student. I finished phd, postdoc in 2009.
-Then i moved to Zurich to work for a company. They gave me only L permit.
-In beginning of 2011 i got B permit.
-Next year it's 10 years i have lived in Switzerland, can i apply C permit? Thank you for the information.

The years spent on a student B permit (which you had as a Phd and probably also as a postdoc - check if the postdoc permit said "formation"/"ausbildung") will not count towards a C permit since this was before 2011.

But it does count towards the 12 years needed to apply for naturalization. Also, you could apply for a C permit showing evidence of integration (local language ability) after five years on the L (assuming you had a permanent contract from day one) and B.

hello there
can i get the chomage (unemployment benefit) if i am staying on a 6 month permit to look for a job?
i am non eu going to finish phd and would like to apply for the 6 month extension.
best

If you are non-EU, for C permit, you need:
1. to have stayed in Switzerland for 10 years, L or B, student or non-student, whichever permit.
and
2. to have stayed uninterruptedly with regular (non-student) B permit for the past 5 years.
For you you don't meet the second.

Do you know where I could read more about your second point (about the year count for students counting toward the C permit).

Cheers