L permit: a short stay, not an automatic right to a B permit
Updated on October 24, 2026
The Foreign Nationals and Integration Act distinguishes the short-stay permit from residence and settlement permits. The L permit is for a limited stay, often tied to a fixed-term job or a short course. It does not turn itself into a B permit when it ends. The canton examines the application. The SEM publishes the conditions. They are not the same for nationals of the EU and EFTA and for other states. The statute is on Fedlex.
Where the rule is
The employer or the person files the file with the cantonal migration service. An employment contract does not replace the permit.