Is working as an escort legal?
While prostitution is not prohibited in Switzerland, there are some very important rules. You can only work for yourself as an escort.
If you are under 16 it is illegal to work as an escort (age of consent).
It is illegal to work as an escort if:
- you are employed by an escort service or a club
- you have an L-permit (foreign models and dancers in a nightclub)
- you have a tourist visa
- you are in the process of applying for a residence permit
- you are an asylum seeker
If you are working as an escort without a valid residence permit or as a refugee, then police could arrest you. They can require you to leave the country or they can expel you instantly. Ask police officers for a lawyer and seek advice from one of the advice centres.
