Language requirements in Switzerland – German, French or Italian levels for permits and fide
Last updated 25 September 2026Rules checked every MondayOfficial sourcesSources & methodology →
Your German, French or Italian decides whether a family permit is renewed, whether you get a C permit early and whether you can become Swiss. Here are the language requirements in Switzerland level by level, how the fide test works and what it costs, and where newcomers learn for free or cheaply.
Language requirements in Switzerland are written into federal law, level by level. Language skills are one of four statutory integration criteria that cantonal migration offices apply to permits, alongside respect for public safety and order, respect for the values of the Federal Constitution, and participation in working life or education. For permits, the language that counts is the national language spoken where you live.
Recent changes are small but real. Since 1 June 2024, the rule for spouses of provisionally admitted persons (F permit) has read: spoken A1 or, failing that, registration for a course leading to A1. The canton of Zurich has had a new naturalisation law since July 2023, with its own German test (KDE). And cantons are paying for courses: Basel-Stadt gives newcomers entitled to a B permit a free German course worth CHF 1,300, while Geneva's free French courses for parents run from 28 September 2026.
Which language do you need in Switzerland?
Switzerland has four national languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh. The Confederation works in German, French and Italian, and each canton decides its own official language or languages. Four cantons are officially multilingual: Bern, Fribourg and Valais (French and German) and Graubünden (German, Romansh and Italian); the city of Biel/Bienne is bilingual.
German is the main language of more than 60 per cent of the population, but everyday speech is Swiss German, a collection of Alemannic dialects; in the canton of Zurich, standard German is used in writing. French is the main language in Romandie, Italian in Ticino and parts of Graubünden. According to the Federal Statistical Office, 12 per cent of residents have no national language as their main language.
What are the language requirements for a Swiss permit?
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) uses a phase model: the more permanent your status, the higher the level. Levels follow the European reference framework, and oral and written skills are assessed separately.
| Permit or step | Spoken | Written | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| B permit through family reunification (spouse of a B or C holder) | A1 | – | For the first permit, registering for a course leading to A1 is enough; spoken A1 is needed at renewal. Children under 18 are exempt |
| F permit family reunification | A1 | – | Or registration for a course leading to A1 (wording since 1 June 2024) |
| C permit, ordinary | A2 | A1 | Usually after ten years, the last five continuously with a B permit; five for nationals of countries with settlement agreements (part 15) |
| C permit for spouses of Swiss citizens and C holders | A2 | A1 | After five years of uninterrupted residence |
| Early C permit | B1 | A1 | After five years uninterrupted with a B permit |
| Naturalisation | B1 | A2 | Federal minimum; cantons may demand more |
Source: State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (AIG), Ordinance on Admission, Period of Stay and Employment (VZAE) and Citizenship Ordinance (BüV), read 23 September 2026.
Cantons may make an integration agreement a condition – for example, learning the local language – but for EU/EFTA nationals and for family members joining Swiss relatives, they can only issue recommendations. The C permit is different: the canton of Zurich asks everyone for proof of German at A2 spoken and A1 written, except nationals of Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein. It also states that German skills are a requirement for extending a residence permit.
Who is exempt from the language proof?
You do not need a new certificate if your skills are already documented. The rules differ slightly between permits and citizenship:
| Proof | For permits | For naturalisation |
|---|---|---|
| The language is your mother tongue (spoken and written) | Accepted | Accepted |
| Compulsory school in that language | At least three years | At least five years, in a national language |
| Upper-secondary or tertiary education in that language | Accepted | Accepted, if completed |
| Recognised language certificate | Accepted, including the fide test and fide-Dossier | Accepted at B1 spoken and A2 written |
| Certificate of course attendance | Not accepted | Not accepted, nor online placement tests |
Source: VZAE, Citizenship Ordinance (BüV), SEM and fide (on behalf of SEM), read 23 September 2026.
Recognised certificates and the fide Language Passport are in principle valid for life, though an authority can ask for new proof if a certificate is many years old.
How does the fide test work?
The fide test was developed on behalf of SEM. It assesses levels A1 to B1 through everyday Swiss situations, has an oral and a written part, and is open to anyone over 16. You do not need to take a course first. Register with an examination centre at the latest 15 days before the exam.
| Option | Fee | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Full fide test | CHF 250 | Oral part 40 minutes, written part 60 minutes |
| Oral part only | CHF 170 | Useful when only a spoken level is required |
| Written part only | CHF 120 | – |
| fide-Dossier | CHF 150 | For people already at B1 or above, aged 16 or over; includes a validation meeting and certifies B1 only |
Source: fide – Secretariat on behalf of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), read 23 September 2026.
Results and the Language Passport (Sprachenpass / passeport des langues), an official document, arrive by post about four weeks after the test – up to six weeks for exams between mid-December and mid-January. In the canton of Zurich, accepted proofs for a C permit include fide and the cantonal German test used in naturalisation (KDE). Plan backwards: before a permit renewal or C permit application, allow 15 days to register and up to six weeks for results.
Where can you learn the local language for free or cheaply?
Cantons and cities subsidise courses and advise newcomers, but each does it differently:
| Where | What is on offer | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Basel-Stadt | Free German course voucher: 80 lessons worth CHF 1,300, valid 12 months, A1 to B2 at certified schools in the canton; not for online courses | Newcomers entitled to a B permit get it at the welcome interview at the Einwohneramt; Swiss citizens returning after at least a year abroad also qualify |
| Basel-Stadt | Reduced course prices for all residents | A further reduction with a health premium subsidy; many primary schools run low-cost courses for parents |
| City of Zurich | Courses co-financed by the city at named providers, including AOZ, ECAP and SAH | Advice at the Welcome Desk in the Stadthaus, Monday to Thursday 13:00–17:00, +41 44 412 37 37 |
| Canton of Zurich | Free German-course advice in 16 languages; cantonal course database | – |
| Geneva | French and literacy courses funded by the Bureau de l'intégration et de la citoyenneté (BIC) for migrants without access to regular courses; free courses in parks in July and August | A bon de formation pays for a first course for family-reunification newcomers and returning Swiss; BIC phone Monday to Friday 9:30–12:00, +41 22 546 74 99 |
| Geneva | Free French courses for parents of public school pupils, 28 September 2026 to 3 June 2027 | CHF 40 fee from level A2; registration closed on 4 September 2026 |
| City of Bern | Free counselling for newcomers from abroad on German courses, work and school, by appointment | Also in English; +41 31 321 72 00 |
Source: Canton of Basel-Stadt, City of Zurich, Canton of Zurich, État de Genève and City of Bern, read 23 September 2026.
What to do now
| Step | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Find out the national language spoken where you will live, and the level your permit needs (table above) | Before you move |
| 2 | Family reunification: register for a course leading to at least A1 | For the first B permit |
| 3 | Collect a course voucher or subsidised place – Einwohneramt in Basel-Stadt, Welcome Desk in Zurich, BIC in Geneva | In your first weeks |
| 4 | Book the fide test at least 15 days ahead and allow about four weeks for results | Well before a renewal or C permit application |
| 5 | Keep your Language Passport or certificate – in principle it is valid for life | After the test |
Source: State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), fide and VZAE, read 23 September 2026.
Official sources
The official pages this guide is based on, read 23 September 2026. Links open the authority’s own website.
- Federal Constitution Art. 4 (Fedlex) · fedlex.data.admin.ch
- FDFA / Presence Switzerland – aboutswitzerland: Multilingualism · aboutswitzerland.eda.admin.ch
- FDFA / Presence Switzerland – aboutswitzerland: Language · aboutswitzerland.eda.admin.ch
- Canton of Zurich – 'Welcome to the Canton of Zurich' brochure (April 2025) · zh.ch
- Kanton Basel-Stadt – Deutsch lernen ( · bs.ch
- Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (AIG) Art. 58a, Fedlex ( · fedlex.data.admin.ch
- State Secretariat for Migration SEM – Language requirements (phase model graphic) · sem.admin.ch
- AIG Art. 44 and VZAE Art. 73a, Fedlex · fedlex.data.admin.ch
- Citizenship Ordinance (BüV) Art. 6, Fedlex ( · fedlex.data.admin.ch
- Swiss Citizenship Act (BüG) Art. 9, Fedlex ( · fedlex.data.admin.ch
- SEM – Ordinary naturalisation · sem.admin.ch
- SEM – Legal requirements for the integration of foreigners; AIG Art. 58b Abs. 4 · sem.admin.ch
- fide – Secretariat on behalf of SEM – The fide test · fide-service.ch
- fide – Sprachenpass; fide FAQ · fide-service.ch
- fide – Das fide-Dossier · fide-service.ch
- Kanton Zürich, Migrationsamt – Niederlassungsbewilligung · zh.ch
- Kanton Zürich – Einbürgerung · zh.ch
- Kanton Basel-Stadt, Einwohneramt – Sprachgutscheine; Deutsch lernen ( · bs.ch
- Stadt Zürich – Deutsch lernen · stadt-zuerich.ch
- Kanton Zürich – Integrationsangebote · zh.ch
- État de Genève – Faciliter l'apprentissage du français (BIC) · ge.ch
- État de Genève – Cours de français pour parents non francophones ( · ge.ch
- Kanton Basel-Stadt, Volksschulen – Angebote für fremdsprachige Kinder und Eltern · bs.ch
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