All non-nationals with a permit to work in Switzerland on an independent basis (freelance) with a permit type B or C are legally considered equal to Swiss nationals. Type B permits may be renewed each year, issued to EU citizens for work, or to foreigners married to Swiss nationals – h in this case the permit is valid for five years. Asylum seekers are not allowed to work.

Foreigners from outside Europe may work as cabaret dancers (who are not considered sex workers) with a special short-term type L permit. This permit is very restrictive, allowing the holder to stay three to eight months a year and prohibits the holder to work in any other sector. Only cabaret dancers are permitted to enter into an employment contract as employees, as they are not considered sex workers. Citizens of 17 European countries (EU-15, Cyprus and Malta) are permitted to work for 90 days without a residence permit; during this period they are only required to register with the department of economy.

Several cantons have stopped or are considering a halt on issuing ‘L permits’ to dancers from outside of the European Union. This holding back on issuing L permits means that migrants from outside of Europe now work without a permit (illegally), and therefore lack any form of protection and rendering them more vulnerable.

However, regulations are applied differently in each jurisdiction, which leads to great confusion and difficulties. Even within one single town there can be many contradictions in the way the regulations are interpreted. Although bilateral agreements have been worked out with other European countries, the agreements frequently change.