Settlement permit

The Swiss settlement permit, usually the C permit, grants a foreign national residence for an indefinite duration and a stronger legal position than temporary residence permits. It generally allows free choice of employment and canton subject to ordinary registration rules. Eligibility depends on nationality, length and quality of residence, integration, language requirements, and absence of serious grounds against admission. The permit can still be revoked or downgraded in cases such as serious criminality, long dependence on social assistance, or extended stay abroad. It is central to long-term integration but is not Swiss citizenship.