Flytel is a mobile operator. We do not give legal, tax or social security advice. This page reports what the official texts and bodies say, with their sources and the date on which we checked them. It replaces neither these bodies nor advice on your own situation. If in doubt, the competent body is named in each section: it is the reference.
What it is, and who it concerns
The G permit (permis G) is the Swiss cross-border permit. It lets you work in Switzerland while living on the other side of the border. This page describes the rules for nationals of an EU or EFTA state who live in one of these states: the rules for most cross-border workers from France. Other nationalities come under different rules, with quotas and border zones to respect. If that is your case, contact the migration office of the canton.
For Europeans, the old border zones no longer exist. The SEM, the Secrétariat d’État aux migrations or State Secretariat for Migration (in French), writes that “the border zones have been abolished” and that the cross-border worker has “the right to occupational and geographical mobility throughout Switzerland” (our translation). There is therefore no longer a maximum distance from home. The zones disappeared on 1 June 2007, according to the report of the Observatory on the free movement of persons, published by SECO, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, in 2017 (in French). What remains is the obligation to return home, described below.
Who applies
The application is handled in the canton where you work, with no federal office, and each canton has its own procedure. In Geneva, the worker applies, online, to the cantonal population and migration office, the OCPM (in French), with an identity document, a photo and the contract or a certificate from the employer. The permit is then sent directly to the employer, within an announced average of twelve weeks. You can start work as soon as you have sent the complete file, without waiting for the permit.
In the canton of Vaud, the employer applies, online, since 1 January 2022, according to the canton (in French). The paper forms G1 (first application) and G2 (renewal or change) still exist. There, the permit is a card the size of a bank card. It requires biometric data to be taken at the Centre de biométrie (biometrics centre) in Lausanne, and the appointment letter is sent to the employer. Check the exact procedure with your employer’s canton.
As for cost, the scales published in early 2026 give an idea. In Geneva, the permit costs CHF 65, for a first application as for an extension. In the canton of Vaud, it costs CHF 70, that is CHF 65 plus CHF 5 for registered post; the employer and the worker are jointly liable for it. A change of employer there costs CHF 55.
How long it is valid
The federal rule distinguishes three cases, depending on the employment contract:
- A contract of one year or more, or an open-ended contract: the permit is valid for five years, and the employer’s name appears on the document.
- A contract of three months to one year: the permit is valid for the length of the contract, and is extended if the employment is renewed.
- Less than three months in the calendar year: a simple online notification is enough, with no permit.
A self-employed person gets a five-year permit if they prove actual business activity in Switzerland, according to the same federal factsheet.
For renewal in Geneva, the employer normally receives an expiry notice one month before the permit runs out. A change of employer must be reported to the OCPM within fourteen days, but the OCPM’s pages differ: before starting the new job according to one, after according to its FAQ. The safest course is to report it before.
The obligation to return home
“They must in principle return to their home abroad every day or at least once a week.”
Secrétariat d’État aux migrations, “Frontaliers” (cross-border workers) factsheet (in French), checked on 11 September 2026; our translation.
So in principle you go home every day, and at least once a week. The canton of Vaud covers the case of staying in Switzerland during the week: you may sleep in Switzerland from Monday to Friday, provided you register with the Swiss municipality where you stay. This choice does, however, have tax consequences, which are outside the scope of the permit. The cross-border worker’s tax status rests on returning home every day.
When the job ends
The G permit is tied to the job, and ends with it. To the question “is my G permit still valid if I no longer work for my employer?”, the Geneva FAQ (in French) answers no. The employer must report the end of the employment within fourteen days. Nor is there a permit for looking for work. For benefits, the European rule applies: when unemployed, a cross-border worker is entitled to benefits in their country of residence, so in France. The unemployment and pension page explains the procedure.
Remote working: three thresholds, none from the permit
Remote working is often confusing, because three different rules look alike:
- For the permit, no threshold. The law governing your work permit sets no threshold for remote working.
- For tax, the threshold is 40%. Up to 40% remote working a year, the way you are taxed does not change. The details are on the tax page.
- For social security, two thresholds: 25% and 50%. Below 25% remote working from France, you remain covered by the Swiss system. From 25% to under 50%, you can remain covered by it if your employer asks for it, with your agreement. The health insurance page sets out the rule.
Has a page told you about “remote working allowed by the G permit”? It is mixing up these three rules. If in doubt about your situation, the answer lies with your employer and the canton.
The limits of this page
We found no official source for two points, so we have not included them.
- A processing time for the canton of Vaud, which the canton does not announce anywhere.
- The costs and processing times of the other border cantons: Valais, Neuchâtel, Jura, Basel and Bern.
The procedure varies from one canton to another. This page cites Geneva and Vaud because their pages are public and dated.
