To be eligible for a permit, most migrants must have lived in Switzerland for 10 years, with only short trips abroad. Time as a student does not count, while refugees enjoy shorter requirements. Cantonal authorities have the discretion to grant a permit after 5 years, but only if the migrant meets the strict integration conditions. Since the phrase "degree of integration" in the new Aliens Law has not yet been defined, each canton can decide the content and format of the integration test as it chooses. Applicants from the EU/EEA and North America do not have to pass the test since they automatically benefit from the permit after 5 years. Long-term residence and family reunion receive a nearly identical score on security of status. Long-term residence permit holders enjoy equal access as Swiss nationals to employment, benefits, health care and housing. They do not lose their right to reside in Switzerland once they retire.
