GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Sep 9, 2026
Work permit
A work permit is the official authorisation allowing a person who is not a national of the host country to take up gainful employment there.
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Source: https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/de/home/themen/arbeit.html
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Logistics Concept
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Definition & Explanation
A work permit is the official authorisation allowing a person who is not a national of the host country to take up gainful employment there. It is distinct from a residence permit but in practice the two are often issued together: under Directive 2011/98/EU many EU Member States combine them into a single permit. In Switzerland the cantons issue the permit, for third-country nationals subject to approval by the State Secretariat for Migration and within annual quotas; the common categories are the short-stay permit L, the residence permit B and the cross-border commuter permit G. In road transport the work permit is a frequent bottleneck when hiring third-country drivers: it must be in place alongside recognition of the driving licence and proof of professional qualification, otherwise the driver cannot be deployed.
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