News and current developments on work and residence permits
22 November 2022
⏱ 2 min
ETIAS - European Travel Information and Authorisation System
Currently, citizens of 61 countries that are not members of the EU are allowed to enter the Schengen area visa-free for business or tourism purposes for up to 90 days. In order to make travel within the Schengen borders safer, the EU Commission has proposed a fully electronic system called «ETIAS» as a solution. ETIAS allows entry into the Schengen area and at the same time it registers visitors from countries that are allowed to enter without a visa (comparable to the US-American ESTA system). The applicant will undergo a security check and the introduction of ETIAS is planned during 2023.
Citizens of countries that still require a Schengen visa to enter the country do not need to register with ETIAS. In principle, registration with ETIAS does not replace a visa for citizens requiring a visa, under any circumstances.
The introduction of ETIAS is due to security concerns related to terrorism and refugee crises, which require safer border management.
The Protection Status S is Extended
At the beginning of November 2022, due to the unstable situation in Ukraine, the Federal Council decided to extend the protection status S for Ukrainian citizens until March 2024. Support measures will be extended by one year until March 2024. The Swiss Confederation also contributes CHF 3,000 per person per year to these measures, which are paid out to the cantons in stages. The additional amount is intended to promote language learning so that refugees from Ukraine can take up employment.
The protective permit S was designed to be return-oriented. When the extreme and general danger no longer exists, the protective status will be lifted and a return to the country of origin is planned.
Quota for Croatian Nationals
Since 1 January 2022, Croatian citizens have enjoyed full freedom of movement. The Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons stipulates that Switzerland may unilaterally reintroduce permit quotas for a limited period of time if immigration from Croatia exceeds a certain threshold. This is exceeded as the number of permits issued in 2022 are more than 10 percent above the average of the previous three years.
Therefore, Switzerland will reintroduce quotas for B and L permits as of January 1, 2023. As of January 2023, 1150 new B permits and 1007 L permits will be available for Croatian citizens.
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