Switzerland & EU: Immigration News

At one glance…
Though at the beginning of 2014, the Swiss people voted for a change in immigration policy to prevent a continuing vast influx of foreign EU workers to Switzerland, a range of quotas to work permits recently became ineffective. Due to EU citizens rights, the Agreement of the Free Movement of persons (ALCP) between Switzerland and the EU lately prohibited further extensions of the Swiss “Safeguard Close” that seeks to shut off the Swiss labor market. As a consequence, EU-8 and EU-17 workers regain full access for long term work permits in Switzerland. Yet, for EU-2 nationals restrictions will still apply under a transitional regime until 2016 and special provisions are soon expected to come into force for Croatia.

What’s New…

  • EU citizens rights under ALCP remain, yet Swiss immigration policy is likely to be tightened again by the end of 2014
  • Special provisions for nationals from Croatia, expected from 1 July 2014
  • Transitional regime for EU-2 workers from Romania and Bulgaria
  • EU-17: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom
  • EU-8: Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic and Slovenia
  • EU-8 and EU-17 nationals regained full access to Swiss labor market
  • Quotas to EU B long term work permits for EU-8 and EU-17 member states are no longer valid!

Immigration changes in detail

  • Quotas for EU-8 and EU-17 member states to EU B long term work permits that had been introduced within the Safeguard Clause in 2012 recently became ineffective, again.
  • From 30 April 2014, EU-8 member states regain are full access to the Swiss labor market: Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic and Slovenia.
  • And from 31 May 2014, the same applies for EU-17 member states: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
  • For both kind of EU member states: provided workers are engaged on a local employment agreement in Switzerland.
  • Until 31 May 2016, a transitional regime (quotas, control of wages, etc.) for EU-2 workers from Romania and Bulgaria remains to complicate full access to the Swiss labor market.
  • Special provisions are made for nationals from Croatia and are expected to get valid from 1 July 2014:  50 quotas for B long term working permits and 450 for L short term permits.
  • For now, EU citizens rights under ALCP remain. Yet, Swiss immigration policy is likely to be tightened again, probably already by the end of 2014 as The Federal Department of Justice and Police together with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Economic Affairs, Education and Research are actively working on new drafts.
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Even if immigration rules are becoming more complex and complicated, the ICUnet.AG will accompany you by every step of your international processes.
Please feel free to contact our expert Kathrin Leverenz, if you have any questions:
E-mail: kathrin.leverenz@ icunet.agPhone: +49 (0) 851 988666-0