In 2021, Swiss permit quotas will remain unchanged & access to local labor market will be restricted further for foreign people

2021 quotas are unchanged; Specific number is issued for UK people.

If the work permit quotas have increased in 2019 to address employment shortages, the Swiss Federal Council has decided to apply the same quotas than in 2020 for upcoming 2021 year. Non-EU/EFTA will be subject to quotas of 4’500 long-term B-permits and 4’000 short-term L-permits. With respect to EU/EFTA nationals, quotas are still set at 500 B-permits and 3’000 L-permits.

As already assumed last year, now that Brexit will enter into force and the end of the transition period this year, UK people will be subject to quotas of 2’100 B-permits and 1-400 L permits.

People from EU/EFTA countries who are employed by means of a Swiss employment agreement are not subject to any quotas, as well as authorization for short term period (120 days), irrespectively of the nationality.

Access to the labour market will be restricted further in 2021 to cope unemployment increase.

As of January 1st, 2021, there is an extended job notification requirement in additional sectors which trigger level of 5% unemployment rate.

To promote local workforce and reduce the increase of unemployment rate coming from COVID-situation, employers are legally required to register vacancies in occupations where the Swiss national unemployment rate is at least 5% with the regional employment center (RAV). Applying publication ban, job vacancy must be exclusively published for 5 working days on an online job portal that can only be accessed by jobseekers registered with the RAV before it can be advertised.

Immediate consequence is that hiring non-CH nationals might take more time. Swiss companies must check if vacancy is subject to the job registration requirement by means of the official “2023 Check-Up” tool.