Internship in Switzerland for foreign nationals

CURRICULAR INTERNSHIP

With a B Student Permit issued in Ticino, it is possible for students with non-Swiss nationality to do a curricular internship in the Canton Ticino or in another Swiss Canton, requesting at least 15 days before starting the internship a modification of their residence permit through the following procedure:

1. Contract:
   it is required 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 salary are specified.
2. USI Career Service declaration letter:
   Once the student registers the curricular internship on Mobility Online, it is possible to download the Career Service declaration letter, in which it is stated that the internship represents a mandatory experience to complement the students’ academic curricula. The letter is available only after the Academic Tutor approval.
3. Online application for a change of permit:
   With Career Service declaration letter it is then possible to initiate the application procedure for a change of permit at the Immigration Office website of the Canton in which you intend to live (Notifica inizio impiego studenti permesso B o L).
4. Sending required documentation:
   After completing the online procedure, you must send the required documents by post to the Migration Office of the Canton in which you intend to live during the internship.

Here you can find the adresses of the Cantonal immigration and employment market authorities to which you have to refer when modyfing your permit.

• Students insured through Swisscare, in the event of a change of Canton, are required to verify with the competent authority in the Canton of destination whether they still have the right to be exempted. If so, they will have to change the Swisscare policy, moving it from the collective to an individual contract for the entire duration of the stay. For more information please contact: [email protected]
• It is responsibility of the student to inquire the Istituto delle assicurazioni sociali about health insurance exemption during the internship (curricular and extra-curricular) and the documents (if necessary) to be submitted to the aforementioned office (please refer to Obbligo assicurativo delle delle cure medico-sanitarie especially Article 11 & Federal Office of Public Health).

CURRICULAR INTERNSHIP FOR STUDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE A RESIDENCE PERMIT IN TICINO

Students who return home daily and thus do not hold a B permit for study (frontalieri) must notify to the Immigration Office the start of any sort of employment (curricular or extra-curricular internship).
The request must be submitted at least 15 days before the start of the activity and must include: copy of the ID, copy of the contract and Career Service declaration letter.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR INTERNSHIP

Regarding extracurricular internships: since they are not an integral part of the educational program, there is no guarantee of approval for modifying the permit from the migration office of the canton where one intends to work. However, the University still supports students by providing all the necessary documentation, as it does for curricular internships.

Please note that students who have obtained an exemption from the mandatory health insurance obligation under Swiss law through the 'Swisscare' policy can maintain it only in the case of undertaking curricular internships. If they engage in any remunerative activity (work or internship) that is not essential for obtaining their degree (extra curricular), they are subject to mandatory health insurance in Switzerland for the entire duration of their employment. For further information, please contact: [email protected]

Please remember that:

• It is illegal to start the internship before you have received permission modification and approval by the Migration Office (the application must be submitted at least 15 days beforehand).
• It is illegal to start the internship before receiving the approval from the Migration Office about the modification of the permit.
• If, during the internship, the annual income exceeds CHF 2,300 per calendar year and per employer, the employer is required to request the AVS (Swiss social security system) number for the student.
• Non-EU/EFTA foreign students can take on a part-time job at the earliest six months after obtaining their B/L permit (see the Canton Ticino page).
• It is responsibility of the student to inquire the Istituto delle assicurazioni sociali about health insurance exemption during the internship (curricular and extra-curricular) and the documents (if necessary) to be submitted to the aforementioned office (please refer to Obbligo assicurativo delle delle cure medico-sanitarie especially Article 11 & Federal Office of Public Health).
• Procedures for requesting permission changes may be subject to change by the Migration Office for which the Careers Service is not responsible.