B permit: a renewable stay, not yet settlement
Updated on October 24, 2026
The residence permit, the B permit, allows a stay in Switzerland for a fixed period. The canton issues it under the FNIA and, for EU and EFTA citizens, under the free-movement agreements. Renewal is not automatic. The authority checks the purpose of the stay, the means of support and the absence of a ground for revocation. A B permit is not a C permit. A change of canton or job may have to be reported. The SEM publishes the precise conditions.
Where the rule is
Losing a job does not by itself revoke the permit the same day. It can decide the renewal if the person has no means of support. The change should be reported to the cantonal service.