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Those benefiting from the free movement of persons are entitled to a short-term stay in order to look for a job. This can be for a period of three months and does not require that you undertake any particular procedure. After three months, you must apply for a permit. It will be issued for three months with the possibility of renewal. During this period, however, you are not allowed to apply for ordinary Swiss social assistance if you fall into need.

Students sometimes look for jobs for over three months, without taking any action, thereby disappearing from the authorities’ radar for a time. This may pose problems later on if a student wants to provide evidence of a period of uninterrupted stay in Switzerland, for example in order to be granted a permanent residence permit or as part of an application for naturalisation.

Legal basis: Art. 29 FNIA