Part-time/Summer job for international students

Below you will find the main information needed to correctly start a part‑time or summer job for international students.

Work Activity Notification

• Any work activity carried out by third-country students holding a residence permit for study purposes must be notified in advance and is subject to prior authorisation from the first hour of work, regardless of the duration or number of hours involved.

• Students may begin the work activity only after receiving formal authorisation from the competent authority, a process that may take several weeks.

Permits

According to the Swiss Law, the Immigration Office in Bellinzona must be informed of the student’s part-time work activity through request the modification of your permit:

1. It is mandatory to produce a contract, duly signed and dated by the employer and the student, in which the information concerning the start and end date; percentage and place of work and pay is specified
2. Download from the portal reserved for students the certificate 15 working hours or the certificate for summer activity.
3. Request the modification of the residence permit on Immigration Office website (Notifica inizio impiego studenti permesso B o L).
4. After completing the online procedure, the student must send by post the requested documents to the Migration Office of the Canton where the internship will take place.

Insurance

• Students with a "B" or "L" permit can work up to 15 hours a week during the semester or full time during the summer.
  • ​Students residing in Italy, France, Germany, and Austria: they may request an exemption from the Swiss health insurance requirement by exercising the right of option, provided that they remain insured under the social security system of their country of residence and submit the request within 3 months from the start of their employment.
  • Students residing in all other EU/EFTA countries: they are subject to the Swiss health insurance requirement and must enroll in a basic insurance plan (LAMal) for the entire duration of their employment.
• Students coming from Non-EU/EFTA countries and benefiting from Swisscare can engage in part-time lucrative activity (max. 15 hours per week/full-time during the summer and after waiting a minimum of 6 months from the permit issuance), but will lose the right to Swisscare, becoming subject to mandatory insurance in Switzerland for the entire duration of employment. For further information, please contact: [email protected].

Please, note that it is the sole responsibility of the student to check with the Social Insurance Institute (IAS) and with the Migration Office regarding the applicable procedure and the required documentation, and to ensure that the relevant documents are duly submitted to the aforementioned offices.