He Promises 38 Jobs in Switzerland: Court Refuses Permit for Moroccan Entrepreneur
A Moroccan entrepreneur planned to create 38 jobs and generate 5.8 million francs in revenue in Switzerland. However, the Vaud courts upheld the refusal of his work permit, considering his forecasts too uncertain and his project insufficiently innovative.
The Moroccan national, born in 1986, arrived in Switzerland on December 13, 2025, with his wife and their three children. He settled in the canton of Vaud and applied for a residence permit accompanied by a work permit.
The applicant was initially supposed to work as a salaried director of a company specializing in the installation and maintenance of fiber-optic networks, photovoltaic panels and charging stations. He subsequently acquired the shares of the former managing partner and submitted a new application in order to work as a self-employed person.
His project set particularly ambitious goals. The financial plan projected revenue of 1.572 million francs and thirteen jobs in 2026. These targets were expected to reach 4.016 million francs and 26 employees in 2027, followed by 5.8 million francs and 38 jobs in 2028.
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However, the Directorate General for Employment and the Labor Market of the canton of Vaud refused the permit in April 2026. The entrepreneur then brought the case before the Administrative and Public Law Court, highlighting his professional experience in France, his contracts in Belgium and the future economic benefits of establishing his business in Switzerland.
Forecasts Deemed Too Optimistic
In its ruling of September 2, 2026, the Vaud Cantonal Court confirmed the administration’s doubts. The company had indeed received 121,126 francs in December 2025, followed by nearly 216,354 francs between January and April 2026. However, extrapolated over the full year, these revenues represented less than half of the announced turnover.
The judges also noted several inconsistencies in the financial plan. The amounts set aside for technicians’ salaries appeared insufficient to pay the promised workforce. The planned expenditure on equipment and tools also seemed very low in relation to the expected revenue and profits.
The company had produced contracts concluded with two Belgian companies, but no signed contract with a Swiss company. The Moroccan national claimed to have entered into discussions with Swisscom subcontractors, without providing any document confirming these efforts.
The court further considers that fiber optics, photovoltaic installations and charging stations are already offered by many operators in Switzerland. The project therefore demonstrated neither any particular innovation nor the existence of an insufficiently met economic need.
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The entrepreneur’s qualifications also worked against him. His main diploma concerned hotel reception rather than business management or the technical activities envisaged. His professional experience in the automotive and telecommunications sectors, including several years at the head of a French company, was not enough for him to be recognized as a highly qualified executive under Swiss law.
The appeal is ultimately dismissed, and the refusal to authorize him to carry out self-employed activity is upheld. The Moroccan entrepreneur must also pay 600 francs in legal costs. He retains the possibility of challenging the ruling before the Federal Supreme Court within thirty days of its notification.
