Reason Behind Low Participation of British Workers in Swiss Work Permits
After Brexit, the UK lost unrestricted access to the Swiss labor market, but the Swiss government reserved 3,500 permits out of the 12,000 allotted for third countries specifically for Brits. These include 2,100 B and 1,400 L permits. Despite this, fewer than 18 percent of these permits have been claimed,according to SEM.
This is significantly lower than the utilization rate for other non-EU/EFTA nationals. For example, in 2024, third-country quotas, excluding those set aside for the UK, were used at a rate of up to 79 percent for B permits and 69 percent for L permits.
So, why aren't more permits from the UK quota being used?
The Local reached out to Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) to shed light on this issue. Nicolas Cerclé, the federal office in charge of setting the entry criteria and allocating quotas, explained that a detailed study of Swiss companies that might explain the low employment of Brits on these permits doesn't exist.
However, he provided several potential reasons. The demands of the Swiss labor market could be one factor, as Switzerland prioritizes admitting highly qualified workers in in-demand sectors like IT, engineering, and the pharmaceutical industry. The UK labor market offers fewer workers in these sectors, and relatively few Britons may have experience in multilingual work environments, which is often required in Switzerland.
Additionally, Brexit may have caused Swiss companies to focus more on the EU labor market, as recruitment expenses are generally lower there. Many companies may have now deemed Irish or Scandinavian workers more suitable because of their English language skills, which are essential for jobs in Switzerland.
On a positive note, for short-term assignments (up to 90 days), UK service providers don't fall under the quota system due to the Switzerland-UK agreement on 'Mobility for Service Providers.' These employees simply need to notify Swiss authorities via the online notification procedure, making the process straightforward.
However, it's essential to note that not every UK national who applies for a work permit is granted one. Between 2021 and 2024, the canton of Geneva dealt with 609 requests from Britons, only 544 of which were granted, with 65 being rejected. This accounts for around 10 percent rejection rate.
Some applicants may be denied due to a lack of qualifications or experience, while others may not contribute enough to Switzerland's economic interests or fail to comply with the principles of priority for the Swiss and EU/EFTA labor markets.
Lastly, the quotas set aside especially for Britons since 2021 will eventually be eliminated and absorbed into the general third-country 'pot.' The date for this change hasn't been officially announced yet.
- The utilization rate of the UK quota for work permits in Switzerland remains low compared to other non-EU/EFTA nations, with fewer than 18% of the permits claimed, according to SEM.
- In contrast, the utilization rate for third-country quotas, excluding those set aside for the UK, reached up to 79% for B permits and 69% for L permits in 2024.
- A detailed study of Swiss companies hiring Brits on these permits doesn't exist, but potential reasons could be the demands of the Swiss labor market prioritizing highly qualified workers in in-demand sectors, fewer UK workers with experience in multilingual work environments, and a focus on the EU labor market due to Brexit.
- While not every UK national who applies for a work permit is granted one, the rejection rate in Geneva between 2021 and 2024 was approximately 10%, with reasons including a lack of qualifications or experience, not contributing enough to Switzerland's economic interests, or failing to comply with the principles of priority for the Swiss and EU/EFTA labor markets.
