Becoming unemployed is a huge stress for anyone, but it could be even more of a challenge for foreign nationals.

First things first: as The Local recently reported, foreigners who had been working in Switzerland for at least 12 months in the last two years and have been living in the country full time during that period, have the right to collect unemployment benefits:

Which foreign workers are entitled to unemployment benefits in Switzerland?

But how long can you remain in the country after losing your job?

This depends on the kind of permit and passport you have.

If you are a foreigner (of any nationality) who lives in Switzerland with a valid C permit, you are subject to the same rules as Swiss citizens who are looking for employment — which means you can stay here indefinitely, as long as you don’t leave the country in the meantime for more than six months.
 
If you do leave for an extended period of time without ‘freezing’ your C permit first (see below), you will lose your residency rights and won’t be able to remain in the country indefinitely while looking for a new job.

READ ALSO: How long can I stay out of Switzerland and keep my residency rights? 

More restrictions apply to other permit holders.

If you have a B residency permit and are a national of an EU / EFTA state, you may stay in Switzerland for at least six months to seek new employment, according to State Secretariat for Migration.  

However, you will have to apply for a permit as a job-seeker with the cantonal migration authorities while you are looking for a new position. 

What about non-EU nationals?

Unless they have received a C permit and permanent residency status, foreigners from outside the EU / EFTA face stricter rules if they lose their Swiss jobs.

Third-country nationals face more restrictions because their work permits (B or L) are tied to their job, so becoming unemployed would automatically mean losing a permit as well.

Given that work permits for third-country nationals are subject to strict criteria and quota system, finding an employer willing to hire you at short notice would be very difficult  — unless you have some specific skills that are in high demand and that can’t be found among the Swiss or EU / EFTA workforce.

If that is your case, your only option is to return to your country of origin and start the job-seeking process from scratch.

READ ALSO: What are your chances of getting a job in Switzerland from abroad?

This also concerns UK citizens: while those who received their permits and started working in Switzerland before January 1st, 2021 fall under the same rules as their EU counterparts, any post-Brexit job-seekers from Britain must follow the same steps as third-country nationals.