Work regulation support & FAQs

I was just offered an internship in Geneva during my studies. What am I supposed to do now?

First, if the internship is paying you less than minimum wage (24.32 CHF/hour) – and nearly all internships in Geneva pay less than minimum wage – or if the activity rate is more than 15 hours per week during the semester, then you must request that your internship be validated for academic credits. Do this immediately when you receive the internship offer (you don't need a signed contract). The process can take up to 2 weeks.

Simultaneously, you must request work authorisation from the OCPM. This is mandatory if you are not a Swiss citizen. Do this immediately when you receive the internship offer (you don't need a signed contract to do it).  If you are an EU/EFTA national, you can start working immediately when you send in your request for work authorisation, meaning literally the same day that you put your application in the post box. If you are a third-country national (non-EU/EFTA), you must wait to start working until you receive the work authorisation confirmation. The process can take up to 3 weeks.

Finally, if your employer requires it (and many do), then you will need to request a tripartite internship agreement. You can only start this process after your internship has been approved for credits.

When I get a job or internship offer, how soon can I start working?

Many employers in Geneva may ask you to start work almost immediately — sometimes within a week or even a few days — after offering you a position.

However, before you can start any job, internship, or volunteering opportunity in Geneva, you must request a work authorisation from the OCPM. The delay before you can start working will vary depending on your nationality:

• Swiss citizens do not need work authorisation and can start work immediately.
• EU citizens can start working as soon as they submit their work authorisation application (the same day that you put it in the post box).
• Non-EU citizens can start working only after they receive a response from the OCPM. This can take 3 weeks or more after the date you submit.

It is mandatory according to Swiss law to follow the work authorisation procedures.

Can I work as a consultant on my Student B Permit?

No. You cannot register as an independent contractor or consultant while on your student B Permit. What we suggest instead, is to see with your employer if the role can be reconfigured as an internship that is part of your curriculum, for which you will need to get credits.

There is an exception to this rule: if your employer is an International Organisation and offers you a CDL for the consultancy then you can do it.

What are the work regulations for PhD students?

Like Master's students, PhD students can work with any employer in Switzerland for up to 15 hours per week.

However, there are some differences. PhD students can work up to a maximum of 20 hours per week only if the work is directly related to their thesis, and if the position is at the Graduate Institute (teaching assistants and research assistants). If these conditions are not met, students are only allowed to work up to 15 hours per week.

Under no circumstances can a PhD student work more than 20 hours per week in Switzerland. PhD students cannot get credits for a job/internship.

How do I request work authorisation?

If you need any assistance for your work authorisation request, please reach out to the Career Services via email (career@graduateinstitute.ch) by providing us with the following information:

• Employer's name
• Start and end date of the job/internship
• Number of working hours per week
• Whether you will validate this internship as ECTS
• Will this job/internship be paid or unpaid
• If paid, will you be paid at least minimum wage (24.32CHF.-/hour)
• Your nationality and arrival date in Switzerland
• Has your employer discussed with you the offer of a CDL? 
• Do you have a scholarship from the Institute? Or are you currently receiving a United States federal loan for your studies here at the Institute?

A work authorisation is mandatory to start an activity, whether paid or not. Once you have found an employer, you must gather and complete the following documents:

• E form
  • Click here for our simple visual guide on how to fill out the E form for work authorisation requests.
  • Select "activité accessoire" for jobs up to 15h per week (not for internships)
  • Select "stage dans le cadre des études" for internships validated as ECTS (important: make sure you include the ECTS validation attestation in your OCPM request)
  • Ask your employer to sign the form
• Copy of your passport
• Copy of your current B permit
• An OCPM attestation from the Career Services confirming the internship/employment is compatible with your studies (please contact us at career@graduateinstitute.ch providing the information requested above)

An invoice of 65CHF.- (for European citizens) or 95CHF.- (for non-European citizens) will be sent to you or the employer.

Send your request before the start of the work activity to the OCPM per post or in person.

You can send or drop your work authorisation application at:

Office cantonal de la population et des migrations (OCPM)
Service des étrangers
Route de Chancy 88
Case Postale 2652
1211 Genève 2

Do I need to get work authorisation for internships abroad or for remote jobs?

For internships that take place physically outside of Switzerland, you do not need to request a work authorisation from the OCPM. (Don't forget that if you get an internship abroad, you can apply for the Movetia SEMP scholarship grant to support you during your time interning outside the country.)

For remote jobs where you are physically in Switzerland, but the employer is based in another country, you do not need to request work authorisation.

However, for remote jobs where the employer is also based in Switzerland , then you do need to request work authorisation (for example, the organisation is based in Geneva or Basel or Zurich, but your job is 100% remote).

Tripartite agreement (or internship agreement or convention de stage)

A tripartite agreement (or internship agreement or convention de stage) is a contract for an internship between 3 parties: the student, the employer, and the Institute. The agreement is not mandatory, but is often requested by the employer. It is emitted by Career Services at the Institute (that's us).

You can only be covered by a tripartite agreement during your studies and if you validate the internship for credits. LLM and PhD students are not eligible for tripartite agreements.

If you need a tripartite agreement for an internship, send your request to career@graduateinstitute.ch with the following information:

• Employer's name

• Start and end date of the internship

• Number of working hours per week

• Your arrival date in Switzerland

• Whether you will validate this internship as ECTS

• Will this job/internship be paid or unpaid

• If paid, will you be paid minimum wage (24.32CHF.-/hour)

Please specify in the email subject line "Your name - internship agreement request".

Important information: for legal reasons, we cannot provide an internship agreement for an internship that goes beyond your graduation date.

Earning credits for internships

Students in the Interdisciplinary or Disciplinary Masters Programmes can earn 3 ECTS credits if they intern during their studies. Please be so kind as to fill in this internship proposal form and send it to your master's programme team by email 15 days before the start of your internship:

Interdisciplinary Masters: mint@graduateinstitute.ch
Disciplinary Masters: madis@graduateinstitute.ch

According to cantonal law, all internships in Geneva canton must count for academic credits if they:

1. Pay less than minimum wage (24.32 CHF/hour), and/or
2. Require you to work more than 15 hours per week

Because nearly all internships pay less than minimum wage, this means that nearly all internships must count for credits. An exception to this rule is if the employer provides you with a CDL for the internship.

A few other important points regarding credits for internships:

• Students are legally allowed to work full-time when they earn credits for an internship.
• Students cannot ask for their internship to count as credits when they are on a leave of absence.
• If you are a US citizen receiving US federal loans for your studies at the Graduate Institute, you cannot receive credits for an internship.
• If you are an LLM or a PhD student, you cannot receive credits for internships.

If you're wondering if you can get more than one internship approved for credits, please click here.

Residence permit extension after graduation (Neirynck law L permit)
 

If you are a non-EU citizen, after graduation you can extend your student residence permit for a period of six months according to the Neirynck law, in order to find a job in line with your degree. This period is non-renewable and the work permit thereafter cannot be guaranteed. 

If you are an EU citizen, you do not need to request this L permit as you can remain in Switzerland for 90 days without requesting any kind of permit as long as you are not working. If you are offered employment during that time, you can request a B permit OR if beyond those 90 days, you did not yet secure a job, you can still remain in Switzerland and will also have to request a B permit. In that case, you will have to provide proof of sufficient financials means and health insurance coverage.

During this six-month period, you will receive a permit L however you can only work for a maximum of 15 hours per week. These six months should give you time to find a job in line with your degree, but do not replace a work permit. To work beyond the 15-hour limit, your potential employer will need to request a working B permit. Please keep in mind that this request may be denied by the Swiss authorities depending on a variety of factors.

To extend your student residence permit, you must provide the following documents ideally the week of your graduation:

• Form K
  • Select "renouvellement/prolongation"
• Copy of your passport
• Copy of your current permit B
• Copy of your official transcripts (to be sent later upon receipt)
• Your CV
• A letter from the Career Services confirming you graduated from the Institute and requesting your student permit extension (send an email to career@graduateinstitute.ch with "student permit extension letter" in the subject line)
• Proof of financial means (there is no minimum required, but you should have enough in your account to cover the period)
• Proof of residence (housing contract or letter from landlord)*

There is a processing fee (CHF 65 for European citizens and CHF 102 for non-European citizens). The canton will send you the bill in the post after you submit your L permit extension. You do not pay it in advance.

Important information: if you already have an employer for a job for maximum 15 hours a week, you will need a work authorisation. You should add the following documents to your student permit extension request:

• Ask your employer to sign Form K (you can use the same form for both permit extension and work authorisation request)
• Work contract
• Letter signed by yourself explaining that you are applying for a permit extension in line with the Neirynck Law and that you are requesting the "autorisation pour l'exercice d'une activité accessoire" of 15 hours per week during this period

The student permit extension request should be sent by post to the OCPM:
Office cantonal de la population et des migrations (OCPM)
Service des étrangers
Case Postale 2652
1211 Genève 2

What address should use for my L permit application?
 

For your L permit application, you must indicate an address in the Canton of Geneva.

If your housing situation in Geneva is not stable or not continuous after graduation (for example, your student housing contract is ending and you are looking for new accommodation), one common solution is to sublet or to live at the home of a friend of family member in Geneva. This is allowed by the Canton of Geneva. If you choose this option, you need to include the following 2 documents in your L permit application:

• Copy of the housing contract of your friend or family member
• The friend or landlord should fill in this attestation AL

Don't forget to physically put your name on your friend's letterbox so that you can actually receive letters from the Canton. Typically this can be done with piece of paper and tape.

If you change your address within the Geneva Canton, you must submit a changement d'adresse form, by mail or online, within 14 days of moving prior to requesting your L permit.

If you only have a very short-term rental contract near your graduation date (for example, maybe you rented an apartment for a few weeks in September, but you are still looking for a long-term lease to cover the entire 6 months), then you should put your current short-term place of residence on the L permit application form. After all, it is the only address that you have at this stage. Then, when you find your new accommodation, submit , a changement d'adresse form.

The OCPM has also confirmed that it is possible to rent an Airbnb for the 6-month duration of your L permit extension.

Proof of financial means for L permit
 

On the Form K, it states that you must have "Proof of financial means or sponsorship certificate (Form O)" for the L permit application.

This can be either bank statements in your name, which show that you have sufficient funds for the entire six months. Or, if you can proof that, for the last 3 months, you have been receiving sufficient monthly funds to cover you for each month. For example, your salary from your job, or monthly transfers from your family. A work contract which verifies that you will be earning a salary during your L permit period could also be considered by the OCPM in evaluating your financial means.

The OCPM does not have a specific amount of money that you should have for each month. It varies slightly case by case. But it should be reasonable and realistic for you.

If you are being supported by a guarantor (usually a family member who is supporting you financially), there are 2 scenarios:

1. If they are outside Switzerland, they need to wire you the money each month (for the previous 3 months as proof), or as a large lump sum to your bank account which covers the entire 6 month period of the L permit.
2. If they are inside Switzerland, the guarantor must fill out Form O.

Can I benefit from the 6-month extension (L permit) if I was on a CDL during graduation?

Yes, you can.  You are entitled to a 6-month extension stay after your graduation regardless of whether you hold a resident B permit or a CDL at the time of your graduation.

Your graduation date will determine the start date and end date of the 6-month extension. In other words, if your graduation date is 13 September, your 6-month extension will end on 13 March. Having a CDL during this period will not affect the dates.

If you wish to apply for the L permit while you are on a CDL, you should apply for the L permit approximately one month before your CDL expires.,

As a citizen of an EU/EFTA country, should I apply for the Neirynk Law L permit extension?

No. According to the instructions from the OCPM, citizens of EU/EFTA countries should not apply for Neirynk Law L permit extension.

If you wish to stay in Switzerland after graduation, it is a relatively easy process. According to Swiss law, you may stay in the country for 90 days after graduation without taking any action (see info on the federal website here). If you wish to stay for more than 90 days, you need to apply for a residency permit in Switzerland. You can do this by filling out Form M (Demande d'autorisation de séjour avec ou sans activité).

Can I still be covered by my student insurance once I graduate?

As you will have graduated, you will no longer be considered as a student in Switzerland, and therefore you will not be able to keep your student insurance.

If you will remain in Switzerland after graduation, you will automatically be affiliated to LaMAL (which costs around 400CHF.-/month). Depending on your situation (if you earned less than 15'000CHF.-/year, your age, etc.), you can ask for a subsidy.

What is a carte de légitimation (CDL) and which organisations in Geneva offer it?

A carte de légitimation (CDL) is a special type of residence and work permit offered by certain organisations in Switzerland, mainly UN agencies, diplomatic missions, international and intergovernmental organisations. The CDL differs from the traditional Swiss residence and work permits (for example, your student B permit, or a working C permit) in a few ways.

Your CDL is directly linked to your employment contract. When your contract ends — whether it is for an internship, a consultancy, or a staff role — you must give  up your CDL immediately. If you are still a student, you should request back your student B Permit.

However, most importantly for non-EU students, if an organisation is able to offer their employees a CDL, it means that they are able to hire non-Swiss and non-EU candidates without restriction. There are over 70 employers in and around Geneva that offer CDLs to their employees. See the full list of organisations here.

If I get a job while I am a student in Switzerland, do I need to pay taxes?

All students, regardless of employment status (meaning whether you worked or not), must file a tax return according to instructions that you receive by post.

Each year, around December or January, you should expect to receive a letter in the post about your taxes. This is standard for every resident of Geneva canton. However, the vast majority of students do not earn enough income to need to pay taxes. Therefore, nearly all students are only required to pay the 25 CHF administrative fee.

Follow the instructions in the paperwork that you receive from the cantonal tax authorities. If you have any questions about your taxes, you can email studentreception@graduateinstitute.ch.

Ordering Business Cards from the Graduate Institute

PhD and master students, as well as exchange students and students enrolled in Executive Education programmes, can order business cards at the price of CHF 50 per 100 cards.  Please use the following procedure:

• Complete the order form electronically. Ensure that your information is filled out correctly.

• Pay the CHF 50 fee to the cashier at our accounting department (P1 - 421) and get the stamp on your order form.

• Send the completed form and the proof of payment by email to: career@graduateinstitute.ch.

Only titles pertaining to the Graduate Institute and validated by Career Services will be accepted. Academic enrollment years can be cited on the card. Please keep in mind that your order may take some time to process (several weeks, sometimes months if you order close to the summer) as orders go out once Reception receives 10 business card orders.

I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM OCAS, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?

During your studies, you might receive a letter from OCAS (Cantonal Social Insurance Office) asking you to pay their contribution towards de AVS, AI and APG insurances.

OCAS is an autonomous institution governed by public law which coordinates the activities of the Geneva Compensation Fund and those of the Invalidity Insurance Office. Their mission is to ensure that everyone is insured against the economic consequences of age, disability, illness, unemployment, maternity, orphanhood and widowhood. This results in the collection (contributions) and payment (benefits) of 1st pillar social insurance in order to cover the vital needs of the insured.

Contributing to the Old Age and Survivor Insurance (AVS), Disability Insurance (AI) and Loss of Income Insurance (APG) is compulsory for anyone having a civil domicile or working in Switzerland.

Civil domicile is the place where the person lives with the intention to stay permanently. Students who come to Switzerland with the only intention of pursuing studies are not considered to have their civil domicile in Switzerland.

Students may therefore be exempt from paying fees:

• Should they prove with a certificate from their employer or a compensation fund that they have already made contributions of at least CHF 503 out of their income or on their Loss of Income Allowances;
• Should they be staying in Switzerland only for study purposes;
• Should their spouse be affiliated with the Swiss AVS/AI/APG and have paid at least twice the minimum required contribution (CHF 1’006).

Other than the above mentioned cases, from the age of 20, Swiss and foreign students domiciled in Switzerland are required to pay an annual fee of CHF 503.00 (minimum contribution) to the AVS/AI/APG. Administrative costs are added to this amount.

Students who are working start paying fees as of January 1st of the year following their 17th birthday.

Students working who have paid fees of less than CHF 503 (minimum contribution) per year out of their income must only pay the balance.

Students concerned must provide OCAS with a copy of their salary certificate so that OCAS can correct the amount of contributions and send them a new invoice.

Information as to the amount of contributions to be paid is sent directly to students from the Compensation Fund of the Social Insurance Office (OCAS).

If you receive the letter from OCAS with the request for payment your contribution towards the AVS/AI/APG, and you do not have your civil domicile in Switzerland and have not worked in Switzerland, it will suffice to write back to OCAS stating that you are a student in Switzerland who came only for the purpose of conducting studies at The Graduate Institute, enclose the enrolment attestation you have available on Campus and a copy of your Student B permit issued by OCPM. Students with a legitimation card (carte de légitimation) issued by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs may be exempted from paying membership fees by sending OCAS a copy of the card.

In order to contact OCAS, please send an email to etudiants@ocas.ch indicating (as provided on the letter you will receive) your "n° affilié" and "n° AVS(NSS)".

More information on OCAS and its implications for students can be found (in French) here: https://www.ocas.ch/avs/cotisations/etudiants/

Office cantonal des assurances sociales
Rue des Gares 12
Case postale 2696
1211 Genève 2
+41 22 327 27 27

Please contact studentreception@graduateinstitute.ch if you need further assistance.