One of the most anticipated immigration reforms of the year formally takes effect today, 1 December 2025: holders of protection status S—around 65 000 people, the majority of them Ukrainian war refugees—no longer need a cantonal work authorisation before starting a job. Instead, employers now submit a simple online notification via the federal EasyGov portal or directly to the cantonal labour market authority when an S-permit holder is hired, changes employer or finishes an assignment.
Bern hopes the change, adopted by the Federal Council on 22 October, will slash bureaucracy, accelerate labour-market access and reduce welfare dependency. Critics had long complained that the two-step procedure (residence plus work permit) created months-long bottlenecks just as Switzerland faces acute shortages in health-care, IT and construction. Under the new model the residence card continues to prove lawful stay, while labour inspectors will police wages and working conditions retrospectively.
![Switzerland Switches S-Permit Refugees to Simple Notification System as New Rules Enter into Force]()
Practically, HR teams should update onboarding check-lists: notifications must be filed before the employee’s first working day and include personal data, salary and job description. Cantons may compel beneficiaries of social assistance to attend integration or re-integration programmes; non-compliance can trigger benefit reductions. The EasyGov interface went live for test submissions on 23 October and mirrors the familiar 90-day posted-worker tool, easing adoption.
The reform arrives alongside a bundle of December rule changes—summarised by Swiss media this morning—that range from lower prescription-drug prices to SBB’s largest rail timetable overhaul in a decade. For global-mobility managers, however, the S-permit measure steals the spotlight: it removes a major administrative hurdle and opens a fresh pool of talent precisely when many Swiss employers are struggling to fill vacancies.
Bern hopes the change, adopted by the Federal Council on 22 October, will slash bureaucracy, accelerate labour-market access and reduce welfare dependency. Critics had long complained that the two-step procedure (residence plus work permit) created months-long bottlenecks just as Switzerland faces acute shortages in health-care, IT and construction. Under the new model the residence card continues to prove lawful stay, while labour inspectors will police wages and working conditions retrospectively.
Practically, HR teams should update onboarding check-lists: notifications must be filed before the employee’s first working day and include personal data, salary and job description. Cantons may compel beneficiaries of social assistance to attend integration or re-integration programmes; non-compliance can trigger benefit reductions. The EasyGov interface went live for test submissions on 23 October and mirrors the familiar 90-day posted-worker tool, easing adoption.
The reform arrives alongside a bundle of December rule changes—summarised by Swiss media this morning—that range from lower prescription-drug prices to SBB’s largest rail timetable overhaul in a decade. For global-mobility managers, however, the S-permit measure steals the spotlight: it removes a major administrative hurdle and opens a fresh pool of talent precisely when many Swiss employers are struggling to fill vacancies.
