Apply for a cross-border work permit
2. EU/EFTA cross-border work permit as an employed person
For whom
You are an EU/EFTA national and wish to pursue gainful employement in Geneva as a cross-border worker.
Any activity - including unpaid interships - requires a work permit.
Young workers under the age of 13 are not allowed to work. Between 13 and 15 years of age, their appointment is subject to prior authorisation by the OCIRT according to the following information.
When
Your application for work authorisation must be submitted before starting your activity.
If you have been granted a residence permit in Switzerland (including the canton of Geneva), you must announce your departure for the foreign country before you can apply for a cross-border work permit.
What
With a cross-border work permit (G permit), you benefit from professional and geographical mobility throughout Switzerland. The application for a cross-border work permit must be filed in the canton where the activity is carried out.
As this permit is tied to a specific employer, you must announce any change in your activity (new employer or termination of employment relationships) within 14 days.
Furthermore, since the cross-border work permit is linked to an employer, it is not possible to obtain a permit to facilitate job search.
Terms
You must fulfill the following three conditions:
- be domiciled in an EU/EFTA Member State
- be employed by a company domiciled in Switzerland
- return at least one day per week to your home abroad
Attachments
- 1 colour copy of a valid ID
- 1 certificate from your employer or a copy of your employment contract
For employment agencies, add:
- 1 copy of the assignment and/or service rental contracts
For apprentices, add:
- 1 copy of the apprenticeship contract
- proof of financial means
Price
Payment is made online or by invoice for companies with a customer account with the OCPM.
Businesses with an e-démarches account have the possibility to create a customer account allowing them to benefit from the advantages of a monthly invoice payment. They therefore do not need to pay for each service by means of a credit card. They also have access to a summary of their requests made online.
Processing times
You can start your activity as soon as you send your complete file to the population office.
The cross-border work permit is sent directly to the employer, with an average delay of 12 weeks.
Your request is made online. Those who have difficulties with the online process can obtain an application form to be returned by postal mail by going directly to the OCPM offices.