Does having a resident permit as a student help at all in this case? And has anyone had successful experience getting an internship in Switzerland?
Thanks everyone!
I am doing an exchange in Switzerland in Spring 2017 and would like to do a summer internship while there. However, the companies I contacted told me that they cannot employ non-EU citizens for their internship programs because authorities are not issuing work permits in Zurich at a junior level.
You might wish to review whether you are eligible for the Young Professionals program in Switzerland. More details at:
Unfortunately I am not a citizen of those countries, so I cannot apply for the Young Professional Programs.
Hello Fandro,
I am from Turkey and i had my internship in bern. The important thing is that you need a kind of work permit. Firstly, I needed a letter from head of the university and it was written like, This guy study this program and it can be good for him if he do internship in a company in this field.
After i had this letter, i went to the foreign office and they confirmed me that i can do internship 15 hours per week. In summer and winter holiday I can work regulary (like 40 hours per week).
So if you can have that kind of letter from your professor, you can do internship. I was living in fribourg and i got permit like that. After i moved bern and on my new Id, it was written 15 hours/per week. My friend (from albania) also did the same thing and he was doing internship in zurich. (he was registered in fribourg also)
hope it helps you.
Thanks for your answer. But I am still very confused at this point. So you applied for the work permit yourself and did not have to find an employer in order to get your permit?
According to my school's website, "your employer will have to apply for your work permit." On the other hand, Canton of Zurich requires an employment contract before application (but it doesn't say your company has to apply for you).
link here: http://www.awa.zh.ch/internet/volksw...m_studium.html
No. He would still have to find an employer. Non-EU nationals cannot apply for permits themselves. It has to be done by the potential employer. Internships here are often only granted if it’s a required part of your study which is where the letter from your school/university may help.
This work permit is not a regular one. This is for foreign studentds who can work limited.
Your proces should be:
-find a company where you can intern.
-ask a letter from dean office/secretary
-go to foreign office with this letter (maybe you can show your internship contract and the police will confirm your contract.)
if everything is allright then you can start to work..
Yes they can. I hired hundreds of non-EU interns in my previous job.
This is the process:
For a non-EU to get a permit for an internship, that internship needs to be a mandatory, integral part of your education, i.e. without it, you can't graduate. The university needs to confirm that in writing .
The rest of the process is the same as for every non-EU permit application. The company needs to apply, including that letter, contract, proof of non EU/CH candidates (the authorities are usually generous on this part for internships) etc.
Your only option is to find a company willing to hire you. You will be unable to obtain a work permit yourself. What do you mean by having a "residence permit"? Are you referring to your B or L (since it's only an exchange) student permit?
The 15 hours you're allowed to work are meant for part-time student jobs to get a bit of pocket money. Working a few hours a week is NOT an internship, not even if you work more than that during the semester breaks!
An internship is a full-time employment, though fixed-term (should at least be 3 consecutive months, but normally last 6 months), with the purpose to get relevant experience for your studies and future profession. It is not intended to as a source of real income either, though they need to be reimbursed with a salary.
You cannot just show up at the authorities with some contract and have a work permit handed to you. The correct way is the one I outlined above.
Thanks to everyone's help!
yep I was referring to the B residence permit since I was wondering whether it's easier for someone who is already living in the country to get a work permit.
Do they recognize letters from schools in the US (requiring mandatory international internship experience)?
I think that not working like that..
you can find here more information
http://www.awa.zh.ch/internet/volksw...m_studium.html
Practical training for foreign students
Trainees from foreign universities and educational institutes
Applications for practical training which are an integral part of higher education, or university education, must be submitted by the university student exchange agency. The following agencies are responsible for internship exchange:
IAESTE - Sectors science and technology
AIESEC - Sectors management and organisation
SWIMSA - Health care sector
Applications for practical training within the framework of an EU educational programme, such as Comett, Leonardo, or Erasmus must as a rule be submitted by agencies which have been authorised by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
There is an agreement with some countries that will allow you to come to Switzerland (non-EU) for an internship. If you meet all the requirements in this document then you will be allowed a permit to come for an internship. You must have finished your degree program already and have a contract from a Swiss company for the internship in your field. It costs around CHF400 to apply. If you meet all the requirements it is mostly straightforward to get the permit.
https://www.sem.admin.ch/dam/data/se...ires-CHE-e.pdf
If you studied at a school in Switzerland then after 6 months you would be allowed to work a limited amount per week or permission to do a mandatory school internship. This doesn't extend to schools outside of Switzerland.