The Swiss Federal Council has confirmed that work-permit ceilings for non-EU/EFTA nationals, EU/EFTA service providers on assignments over 120 days, and post-Brexit UK citizens will remain at 2025 levels throughout 2026. The decision, published on 11 January 2026 and incorporated into the revised Ordinance on Admission, Residence and Gainful Activity (OASA), maintains the following annual quotas: 4 500 category B residence permits and 4 000 category L short-term permits for third-country specialists; 3 000 L-permits and 500 B-permits for EU/EFTA service providers; and 1 400 L-permits and 2 100 B-permits reserved for UK nationals.
For employers and individual specialists who need practical assistance compiling Swiss work-permit documents, VisaHQ offers streamlined visa and legalization services, clear checklists, and real-time status tracking. Their Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) connects users with experienced agents who can pre-screen applications and coordinate with cantonal authorities, helping to minimise delays and avoid quota-related rejections.
![Federal Council keeps 2026 work-permit quotas unchanged, preserving hiring certainty]()
By choosing stability, the government signals its intent to give employers predictable access to scarce talent while parliament debates broader labour-market reforms. The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) reported that 93 % of third-country quotas were utilised in 2025, with life-science hubs in Basel and the Lake Geneva region most dependent on the scheme. HR teams should nonetheless file applications early in the calendar year, as cantonal authorities allocate permits on a first-come, first-served basis.
Legal practitioners note that unspent 2025 quotas will not roll over, and intra-company transferees still need to meet salary and accommodation benchmarks. Companies are advised to audit salary grids against new 2026 cost-of-living indices to avoid refusals.
The Federal Council will review quotas again in autumn 2026, but officials hinted that any future adjustment would depend on macro-economic indicators and progress in exploratory talks with the EU on a new institutional framework.
For employers and individual specialists who need practical assistance compiling Swiss work-permit documents, VisaHQ offers streamlined visa and legalization services, clear checklists, and real-time status tracking. Their Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) connects users with experienced agents who can pre-screen applications and coordinate with cantonal authorities, helping to minimise delays and avoid quota-related rejections.
By choosing stability, the government signals its intent to give employers predictable access to scarce talent while parliament debates broader labour-market reforms. The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) reported that 93 % of third-country quotas were utilised in 2025, with life-science hubs in Basel and the Lake Geneva region most dependent on the scheme. HR teams should nonetheless file applications early in the calendar year, as cantonal authorities allocate permits on a first-come, first-served basis.
Legal practitioners note that unspent 2025 quotas will not roll over, and intra-company transferees still need to meet salary and accommodation benchmarks. Companies are advised to audit salary grids against new 2026 cost-of-living indices to avoid refusals.
The Federal Council will review quotas again in autumn 2026, but officials hinted that any future adjustment would depend on macro-economic indicators and progress in exploratory talks with the EU on a new institutional framework.
