Things are going to change from 1 Jan 2021 for UK Nationals coming to Switzerland. They will be treated the same as all other nationals outside the UE/EFTA.
From this date any UK National coming to live and/or work in Switzerland must go through the hurdles experienced by any other “3rd country” national. For example if coming to work here the employer must demonstrate they have sought to find a Swiss, EU or EFTA worker who is able and willing to take the job and not found any. This is to be achieved by advertising the position for a minimum period on the Swiss Unemployment (RAV) website, and on other advertising channels. It implies that the worker needs to be a highly qualified specialist, being paid a wage appropriate in Switzerland for the type and level of work.
Additionally there are annual quotas for such permits which run out fairly quickly. This means it will be much more difficult for UK nationals to come and work in Switzerland. 90 day online permits will no longer be available for UK nationals on short term assignments.
However, thanks to a bilateral deal between UK and Switzerland, UK Nationals who already have permission to stay and/or work in Switzerland will continue to enjoy the same rights as they do now.
This means that those already here by 31 December 2020 (and with permission to stay) will be able to renew their permits as they do today and will be treated as if they were still EU citizens. They will also be able to be joined by UK members of their family for a limited period.
So if you are a UK national wanting to come and live (and work) in Switzerland, act now before it is too late!
The Swiss government has a very clear FAQ on the subject of Brexit and UK nationals here. If you have further questions or are still uncertain you are welcome to contact us.
Accurity is a leading Swiss employment services provider and was founded over 20 years ago. We specialise in employment services for contractors including labour leasing. Since our launch we have worked with many hundreds of client companies and agencies, and many thousands of contractors. Our team of experts is available to answer all your questions. Contact us now: “We make Switzerland easy for you”
