Zurich, Geneva and Basel advocate for increasing work quotas for foreigners
As noted in its publication by the portal Swissinfo.ch, quotas for foreign workers in Switzerland have long been a topic of heated political and public debate. At one point, in 2014, this led to a referendum on limiting the pace of immigration. A year later, the government reduced the number of temporary residence permits of types "B" and "L" for migrants from non-EU countries from 8,500 to 6,500 people.
Protests from a number of cantons, especially loud from Zurich, Geneva and Basel-Stadt, forced the government to partially soften its stance: this year, quotas were increased to 7,500 people. And at the end of August, the three cantons again joined forces to demand a return to at least the 2014 level (up to 8,500 people).
In all three cantons, in the first three months of this year, the initial permits for hiring foreign workers were already "used up" and the secondary batch of reserves was almost exhausted. They argue that the current limit on issuing work permits is suffocating multinational companies, innovative startups, universities and research institutes, depriving them of highly qualified specialists from India, the USA, China and other countries. This threatens Switzerland's economic well-being, damaging its reputation as a global hub for business and research, the cantons said in a joint statement.
Particularly affected are the IT, clean technology, medical technology, pharmaceuticals, finance and natural sciences sectors. If access to foreign labor remains limited, companies will be forced to move their research projects and jobs outside Switzerland, the cantons' representatives warn.
"We are now in a tense situation that creates uncertainty and damages our economy," Pierre Maudet, head of the finance department of the canton of Geneva, told Swissinfo.ch. Christoph Brutschin from the canton of Basel-Stadt emphasized that the reputation of his region, long known as a global leader in the natural sciences, is under threat.
His colleague from Zurich, Carmen Walker Späh, warned that the canton's efforts to become a global center for digital technology will come to nothing if the situation does not improve. "If the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) wants to remain the highest-ranked university in Europe, it needs to attract the most talented scientists from around the world," she added at a press conference.
These three cantons account for a third of Switzerland's economic growth, giving them considerable weight as lobbyists. But since the debate on labor immigration is still a very "hot" topic, they risk hitting a wall of political opposition.
The government's attempt to find a compromise between the demands of the 2014 initiative to limit migration and Switzerland's obligations under the agreement on the free movement of citizens with the EU was strongly condemned by the country's leading right-wing conservative Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC). It threatens a new initiative with even stronger demands to reduce immigration to force the government to listen to its interests.
In the meantime, Swiss companies wishing to fill vacancies with employees from abroad will have to prove that no suitable candidates were found within the country.
Since 2002, a bilateral agreement between Switzerland and the European Union has been in effect on opening borders for labor migrants from EU countries or the European Free Trade Association (abbreviated EFTA, which includes Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). In a 2014 referendum, the Swiss voted to limit labor migration from the EU and introduce quotas. So far, the Swiss government has refused quotas, as this would violate the 2002 treaty with the European Union.
Citizens of non-EU/EFTA countries wishing to come to Switzerland for work must first obtain a guaranteed employment contract from an employer, as well as an appropriate work visa before entering the country. Moreover, a job offer alone is not enough: the employer company must prove that it could not find a candidate for the vacancy locally, and the foreigner must obtain an entry permit from the authorities.
However, once he receives a residence permit with a work permit, his family members can come to Switzerland with him, regardless of their citizenship. These include spouses, children under 21 or dependents under guardianship or care, regardless of age.
This year, 7,500 work visas of categories "L" and "B" were issued. The first is valid for short-term projects, usually from three to twelve months, and the second is valid for one year and can be extended further.