Work permits for family members

Applicable à
General

The legitimation documents issued to members of the families of members of personnel allow them to reside in the Host States, but not to work there. To engage in gainful employment, they may need a work permit.

Procédure

1. Family members desiring to work in Switzerland

1.1 If residing in Switzerland

The Ci permit is a work permit that Switzerland issues to spouses/partners or children (applies only to unmarried children who entered Switzerland before reaching 21 years) of members of CERN personnel. They must reside in Switzerland with the member of personnel and hold a type B, C, D, E or P carte de légitimation issued by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. For more information, contact CERN’s Cards Service or Users Office. See additional information about Employment in Switzerland for spouses and children of CERN officials (Relations with the Host States Service). See also the procedure for obtaining a Ci permit: Swiss cards.

1.2 If residing in France

The family member will need a permis frontalier. The application has to be filed by the employer. Available for EU and EFTA citizens only (https://www.ge.ch/demander-permis-travail​) and by the family members of a EU/EFTA citizen residing in the border zone, subject to obtaining a French resident permit considered as durable by the Swiss authorities. 

2. Family members desiring to work in France (regardless of country of residence)

  • Citizens of countries in the European Economic Area (EU + EFTA) and Swiss citizens are authorised to be gainfully employed in France without completing any special formalities.
  • Non-EU citizens who are the spouses/partners of EEA/Swiss citizens (1), holder of a “carte de séjour de membre de la famille d'un citoyen de l’Union”, are authorised to be gainfully employed in France
  • Irrespective of whether the member of the personnel is an EEA/Swiss citizen (1) or not, non-EEA/non-Swiss spouses/partners who arrive in France with a D visa bearing the words “carte PRO-MAE” and who hold a special residence permit (“titre de séjour spécial”) must submit a specific application for a work permit to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs via CERN’s Relations with the Host States service (see Conditions and means of access to the French labour market for spouses and children of members of the personnel).

Spouses/partners holder of a “titre de séjour spécial” can keep it if they are authorised to be in gainful employment in France. In such case, they will not be entitled to any immunities or to claim customs or tax privileges in matters relating to their employment.

(1) Citizens of member states of the European Economic Area (European Union + EFTA) or of Switzerland.

Révisions
No revision Changes Approved on
1 The transition period for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals ended on January 1st, 2014. The Republic of Croatia, Member State of the European Union since July 1st, 2013 will be subject to a transition period until June 30th, 2015. 15.04.2014
2 Spouses/partners who are authorised to be in gainful employment in France may, subject to certain conditions, keep their “titre de séjour spécial”. 19.04.2016
3 Additional link on "Conditions and means of access to the French labour market for spouses and children of members of the personnel".  25.06.2018

General

The legitimation documents issued to members of the families of members of personnel allow them to reside in the Host States, but not to work there. To engage in gainful employment, they may need a work permit.

Procedure

1. Family members desiring to work in Switzerland

1.1 If residing in Switzerland

The Ci permit is a work permit that Switzerland issues to spouses/partners or children (applies only to unmarried children who entered Switzerland before reaching 21 years) of members of CERN personnel. They must reside in Switzerland with the member of personnel and hold a type B, C, D, E or P carte de légitimation issued by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. For more information, contact CERN’s Cards Service or Users Office. See additional information about Employment in Switzerland for spouses and children of CERN officials (Relations with the Host States Service). See also the procedure for obtaining a Ci permit: Swiss cards.

1.2 If residing in France

The family member will need a permis frontalier. The application has to be filed by the employer. Available for EU and EFTA citizens only (https://www.ge.ch/demander-permis-travail​) and by the family members of a EU/EFTA citizen residing in the border zone, subject to obtaining a French resident permit considered as durable by the Swiss authorities. 

2. Family members desiring to work in France (regardless of country of residence)

  • Citizens of countries in the European Economic Area (EU + EFTA) and Swiss citizens are authorised to be gainfully employed in France without completing any special formalities.
  • Non-EU citizens who are the spouses/partners of EEA/Swiss citizens (1), holder of a “carte de séjour de membre de la famille d'un citoyen de l’Union”, are authorised to be gainfully employed in France
  • Irrespective of whether the member of the personnel is an EEA/Swiss citizen (1) or not, non-EEA/non-Swiss spouses/partners who arrive in France with a D visa bearing the words “carte PRO-MAE” and who hold a special residence permit (“titre de séjour spécial”) must submit a specific application for a work permit to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs via CERN’s Relations with the Host States service (see Conditions and means of access to the French labour market for spouses and children of members of the personnel).

Spouses/partners holder of a “titre de séjour spécial” can keep it if they are authorised to be in gainful employment in France. In such case, they will not be entitled to any immunities or to claim customs or tax privileges in matters relating to their employment.

(1) Citizens of member states of the European Economic Area (European Union + EFTA) or of Switzerland.

Revisions

No revision Changes Approved on
1 The transition period for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals ended on January 1st, 2014. The Republic of Croatia, Member State of the European Union since July 1st, 2013 will be subject to a transition period until June 30th, 2015. 15.04.2014
2 Spouses/partners who are authorised to be in gainful employment in France may, subject to certain conditions, keep their “titre de séjour spécial”. 19.04.2016
3 Additional link on "Conditions and means of access to the French labour market for spouses and children of members of the personnel".  25.06.2018