What is the change?

The Swiss government has set work-permit quotas for EU and non-EU nationals, including U.K. nationals, in case of a no-deal Brexit.

What does the change mean?

The 2020 quotas will remain the same as in 2019: Non-EU/EFTA nationals will be subject to quotas of 4,500 long-term B permits and 4,000 shorter-term L permits. Quotas on work permits for EU/EFTA nationals will also remain at 500 B permits and 3,000 L permits. In the case of a no-deal Brexit, U.K. citizens will be subject to quotas of 2,100 B permits and 1,400 L permits.

• Implementation time frame: Jan. 1, 2020.
• Visas/permits affected: B and L permits. Permits for 120 days or up to four consecutive months and for locally hired EU/EFTA nationals are exempt from quotas.
• Business impact: Employees should anticipate that the same total number of B and L permits will be available as in 2019.

Deloitte’s View

After increasing the quotas in 2019 to address labor shortages and respond to business demands for greater access to skilled workers, the Federal Council has decided to retain the same quotas for 2020. Companies should plan their recruitment and talent strategies accordingly.

If you would like to discuss more on this topic, please do reach out to our key contacts below.

Register now to our upcoming immigration academy workshop in March at Zurich and Geneva.  See all upcoming tax and GES events across Switzerland to stay up to date with the latest global mobility and tax issues and developments that may affect you and your business.

David Wigersma - Partner, Global Employer Services

David has 17 years of experience in the area of international corporate and individual taxation planning. He specialises in addressing the complex compliance needs of a cross-border workforce with varied elements of compensation.

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Key contacts

Timo Heck - Senior Manager, Immigration

Timo is an Immigration Senior Manager at Deloitte in Switzerland. He advises both domestic and international, listed and private companies on all aspects of Swiss immigration and has deep experience in implementing client-tailored complex immigration processes as well as advising on best-practices to accommodate the specific needs of his clients.

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Julia Stutzer - Senior Manager, Immigration

Julia is an Immigration Senior Manager at Deloitte in Switzerland. She has been supporting both global companies as well as medium and small sized enterprises with their immigration needs for more than 7 years. Julia puts her focus on immigration advisory services, advising clients on best practice and coordinating complex interdisciplinary requests with the tax and social security teams.

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