A trip to Switzerland is largely not related to a temporary job. If a person decides to work in this country, it will be an employment for a longer period of time. That is why there are a lot of questions related to staying in Switzerland. Get acquainted with our article, in which we answer one of the key questions: How to get Swiss citizenship?
Staying in Switzerland – what is worth remembering?
First of all, we must remember that Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, but belongs to the Schengen area. This means that entry into this country is not subjected to additional formalities. A stay of up to 3 months is possible on the basis of a passport or ID card.
However, if the purpose of going to Switzerland is to take up a job for more than 90 days, we must obtain the appropriate permit. The employer submits the application to the Cantonal office for a permit. Only after obtaining the consent of the office, the employee may apply for a work visa.
Apart from that, a residence permit may be obtained by people who have:
- a statement on the posting of an employee
- a document confirming running a business in Switzerland
Work / entry visa
After receiving the above-mentioned permission, you must apply for a work visa. Such requests are processed at the Swiss Embassies.
The application should be accompanied by:
- work permit in Switzerland
- original and a copy of a valid passport
- photos
- visa fee (CHF 57)
Citizens of the European Union shouldn’t have a problem with obtaining a similar work permit (and later a visa), it is only a formality.
In addition, immediately after arrival (up to 14 days) it is necessary to find an apartment and make a registration.
How to write a CV for work abroad?
Jobs in Switzerland – conditions, popular industries
Before we move on to the question related to Swiss citizenship, it is worth finding out what it is like to work in this country.
There is no fixed national minimum wage in Switzerland. Everything is regulated individually with the employer. The amount of salary depends on, among others: experience, position, full-time job, place of work (canton) or knowledge of the language. As for the last one, there are 4 official languages in the country:
- German
- French
- Italian
- Romansh
The vast majority of the inhabitants – approx. 70% – speak German. Therefore, knowledge of German will greatly facilitate the search for a job and increase the chance of receiving better earnings. Possession of language certificates will additionally increase credibility in the eyes of the Swiss employer.
People who do not speak any of the above-mentioned languages should not count on a high salary and a better job. In this regard, Switzerland is quite restrictive.
Costs of living in Switzerland – Is it worth emigrating?
Apart from that, Switzerland is considered as a country not very friendly to foreigners. The fight for the position, despite appropriate qualifications and professional experience, will be won by a Swiss rather than a foreigner. But it is not worth giving up, on the contrary, start looking for a job in the most industries with the greatest demand for employees (then the competition is at a much lower level, which in turn increases the chance of employment). We recommend checking the offers on the following positions:
- caretaker of an elderly person
- cleaning
- seasonal jobs (gardening / harvesting)
- electrician
- welder
- work in a hotel / restaurant
- construction worker
Earnings in Switzerland – how much is earned on average in Switzerland?
As mentioned above, earnings in Switzerland depend on many factors.
Below you will find heavily averaged amounts, it is not worth suggesting only on them.
The average hourly rate in Switzerland ranges from CHF 30-40 gross (EUR 31-41). Monthly salary starts from CHF 3700 gross (EUR 3749).
Below you can see examples of monthly earnings in individual industries:
| Industry | Sample Gross Earnings |
|---|---|
| Construction | CHF 5900 (EUR 5978) |
| Production | CHF 4500 (EUR 4560) |
| Agriculture | CHF 3700 (EUR 3749) |
| Hotel / Gastronomy | CHF 4900 (EUR 4965) |
| Welding | CHF 6100 (EUR 6181) |
Interestingly! The salary of foreigners, despite this lack of acceptance, is equal to the salary of the Swiss. The state regularly conducts audits on this matter. Furthermore, Switzerland has been qualified to the TOP 20 countries with the lowest gender pay gap.
Find out more about Gender Pay Gap in different European countries
How to get Swiss citizenship?
Due to the fact that Switzerland does not belong to the EU countries, obtaining citizenship is quite a complicated matter, but above all it takes a long time. After obtaining a work visa, a person who plans to settle in Switzerland should first submit an appropriate application for a residence permit.
There are several types of residence permits in Switzerland:
| Residence permit – types | Brief description |
| L | valid for 1 year, extension is not possible |
| B | valid for 1 year, can be renewed |
C | permanent residence permit, only available after 5 years of continuous residence in Switzerland |
Ci | for relatives of employees of intergovernmental organizations and foreign embassies |
| N | Asylum permit |
S | temporary conditional permit for other people in need of protection |
G | permit for cross-border workers, issued for 1 year, without the right to stay |
Important! An application for renewal of the current permit should be submitted not later than 2 weeks before the expiry of the document.
So how to get Swiss citizenship?
First, we need to obtain a B-type permit (which can be renewed). After 5 years of residence on this permit, then a C-type permit can be applied for. And after 10 years of residence on the C permit, we can then apply for Swiss citizenship.
This period can be reduced to 5 years in the case of marriage to a Swiss citizen (but only on possessing a C-type permit).
Become a citizen of Switzerland!
