Why submit your visa application via IAESTE?

• Simplified process: as an exchange organization, IAESTE is mandated by the SEM to submit simplified visa requests on behalf of Swiss employers hiring interns from Third countries (ref. State Secretariat for Migration instructions, chapter 4, point 4.7.5 – in German, French or Italian).
• Know-how: navigating administrative bureaucracy can sometimes be difficult, we have been working closely with authorities for many years and will provide guidance to you and your intern to ensure a smooth process.
• Time saving: we take care of assembling, checking and submitting all documentation.
• Intern integration: interns are admitted to the IAESTE network, this means they are invited to participate in the activities we organize, giving them the opportunity to meet other students/interns from all over the world.
• Support our mission: every internship in Switzerland handled by our organization supports our exchange program and helps us send Swiss STEM students on internships abroad.

Conditions & requirements

In order to request a visa for your student, the following conditions must be met according to Swiss authorities:

• The internship must be a compulsory part of the study course and this must be confirmed by an official letter from the university
• The student must remain enrolled throughout the period of the placement (graduates are not eligible)
• Only one mandatory internship shall be granted per study level (bachelor’s/master’s degree)
• The internship can last a maximum of 12 months
• It is not possible to extend the original duration of the internship
• The internship must be paid, usually minimum 2000 CHF/ month, but this can vary by canton, study field and study level. We recommend a minimum wage of CHF 2,300 per month in order to cover the sharp increase in living costs

Required documents from the Employer and from the Student

To ensure a timely start, the visa application should be submitted to us at least eight weeks before the start of the internship. Please keep in mind that the student often has to pick up a visa abroad which takes additional time.

Visa service fees

(updated fees applicable as of 01.09.2024)

The following IAESTE visa service fees will be charged to the employer:

• Internships up to 4 months                      1200 CHF (excl. VAT)
• Internships longer than 4 months           1500 CHF (excl. VAT)
• Last-minute request surcharge*                 500 CHF (excl. VAT)

Processing fees from the authorities are in addition and vary according to canton and internship duration, amounting to approx. CHF 350-650. Corresponding invoices are sent by authorities directly to the employer, these are usually sent with the permit/visa decision.

The IAESTE service fee applies even in the event of refusal by the authorities or cancellation by the student or employer after the request has been submitted. However, our thorough documentation checks, extensive immigration experience and close contact with authorities means that this is very rarely the case.

*We kindly advise to submit all required documents for your visa request as soon as possible. Please note that should your complete visa documents be received less than four weeks before the planned internship start, an additional fee of CHF 500 will be incurred due to the tight deadline and ensuing work load. This will however not affect authorities’ standard processing time of up to 8 weeks.

Payment conditions

The invoice is sent by post after the application is completed. The payment period is 30 days. In the event of late payment, a first reminder is sent at no additional cost (invoice reminder with a new deadline of seven days). If a second reminder is sent, this incurs an additional charge of CHF 100.

Additional work related to invoicing, such as entering the invoice on supplier portals, carries an additional charge of CHF 250.

Please note that there is no legal entitlement to be issued a residence and work permit.

IAESTE cannot be held liable for the refusal or any delayed issuing of a permit.