Switzerland to continue to curb immigration from Croatia
Since January 2022, Croatians have the same rights to live and work in Switzerland as all other EU citizens but the government can temporarily limit their numbers.
Keystone
The Swiss government will continue to limit the number of Croatian nationals wanting to work in Switzerland in 2024, it said on Wednesday.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA
Access to the Swiss labour market will again be restricted for Croatian nationals in 2024. On Wednesday, the Federal Council extended the safeguard clause provided for in the European Union’s Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons. Switzerland is not a member of the EU but signed the agreement in 1999.
Croatians have enjoyed complete freedom of movement for persons since January 1, 2022. But the safeguard clause in the EU agreement allows Switzerland to unilaterally reintroduce permit quotas for a limited period when immigration from Croatia exceeds a certain threshold.
This threshold is reached when the number of permits issued in 2022 is more than 10% higher than the average for the previous three years (2019 to 2021).
At the end of October 2023, the entire quota of B permits (valid for five years), i.e., 1,204 permits, had been used up and 76% of the 1,053 L permits (short-term permits, renewable for more than one year) had already been issued.
In view of the big demand, the Swiss government has decided to extend the safeguard clause for another year. In 2024, the number of permits issued to workers from Croatia will be capped.
This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles. You can find them here.
If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.
External Content
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Almost finished… We need to confirm your email address. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you.
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
Heard the one about the Swiss company installing laugh detectors?
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
Precious archaeological vases and coins returned to Italian museum
This content was published on
The Italian authorities have recovered over 2,500 precious ancient coins, vases and small sculptures that had been illegally dug up and sold in Switzerland, Eurojust announced on Monday.
PrimeEnergy Cleantech declared bankrupt by Swiss authorities
This content was published on
PrimeEnergy Cleantech has been officially declared bankrupt, the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (SOGC) reported on Monday.
This content was published on
The consumption of antibiotics has risen in Switzerland since the Covid-19 pandemic. However, compared to other European countries the Alpine country has one of the lowest levels of antibiotic usage.
Swiss financial watchdog foresees greater uncertainty due to geopolitics
This content was published on
The Swiss financial sector will face greater uncertainty due to the numerous geopolitical conflicts around the world, warns the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA).
Swiss museums to mark centenary of death of painter Félix Vallotton
This content was published on
Swiss museums will celebrate the centenary of the death of the artist Félix Vallotton (1865-1925) next year. A major retrospective is planned in Lausanne, his birthplace, in autumn.
Russian mission installs more ‘spy’ antennas in Geneva, Swiss TV report claims
This content was published on
Russian spies are strengthening their presence in Geneva, according to a report by Swiss public television, RTS. Russian officials have placed new satellite dishes on their diplomatic buildings without authorisation.
This content was published on
Switzerland should join NATO, as in the future it cannot rely on its long-standing tradition of neutrality for its defence, John Bolton, Donald Trump's former national security adviser, declared in an interview on Sunday.
This content was published on
A demonstration was held in Geneva on Sunday calling for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine. Around 50 Russians took part in the gathering outside the UN building.
Swiss government decides to draw up negotiating mandate with EU
This content was published on
The Swiss government wants to draw up a negotiating mandate with the EU. In its view, the exploratory talks with Brussels have been concluded.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.