I have recently moved to CH, to live with my long term partner. I am wondering if there is anyways to apply for the unemployment benefit, coming from another European Economic Area countries namely,England. I am willing to work as soon as possible, but i need to get my german up to standars which may take a while. I need to be able to be fluent to work as this seems to be the requirement for most jobs(unsurprisingly). I have been working for the past 11 years in the same field, education for children with profound learning difficulties.
Anyone know if it is at all possible to apply for an unemployment benefit when one has not lived or worked in this country it may sound a little shot in the dark but , if this is possible then it means i can get trainings to get my qualifications recognised in this country , have language lessons and etc. At the moment it is costing me an earth and my funds are already dissappearing faster then swiss glaciers. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
buli

Purely anecdotal, but I heard you had to be working at least a year and a half before you can claim benefit, no doubt someone will be along shortly to correct me.

Buli,
I beleive you need to have paid into the system for two years before you can claim any benefits.

we don't need to split differences but ....... you have no rights and no chance for unemployment benefits in Switzerland as you have not contributed in any minimum sense.

Why should you be supported in Switzerland ? You may find that the UK may fund your unemployment for a limited time. This is obviously not the level of help you would get here from the swiss insurance.

You will probably have more luck asking for Free Beer.

dave

nope your bang on, without 18 months contributions, you are due diddly squat.

I'm getting mixed messages here. 18-months ? I always thought , when I last thought about it a few years ago, that it was a year's contributions 100% working for ALV entitlement. Has this changed ?

dave

I thought so, too! I got mine after working for a total 12months for 2years pay out...

Guys hang on a minute,

There is no need for a rude hostile , unhelpful comments. I was just testing the water. Those who already have worried about me coming and raking in benefits need not worry. I am an honest person who have been earning my living in honest way, with hard work at that, like most poeple. I am sooooooooooo up for working yet i need time for the language and possible top up on my qualifications. I was JUST wondering. I have read in some website or the other about this issue and for those who come over from the European Economic Aeras may be able apply for unemployment benefit providinng that they have worked at least one year of the past two year. I will manage one way or another but if i have a right, why shouldnt i make use of it for the purposes that will allow me to find decent job. After all it was a life changing decision for me to live here so i am ready for the consequences. Please please if you are going to be unpleasant than no need to reply to this link. Hostility is not what i am looking for!!!!!!!!!!!! helpful advices WELCOME.

Look at it from the point of view of others whose sole source of information about your predicament is your post, and you may understand why you get the responses you have. Some people may even view it as an attempt to be a benefits tourist...

dave

Dave, just been through this for a whole months worth of RAV ... 18 months before you qualify.

Eventhen tho, it is still up to anyone to judge. I am not coming there because this and that, i am there solely to be with my partner and will stay as long asd he does. I am not having a go at you of course. I will comply with the rules anyone else would so if i have a right to something when in need i will make use of it, when not it is good to know it is there. Not blaming you to think that way of course. Anyways this was not meant to cause contraversy , thanks for replying anyhow. I dont know why i feel i should explainn myself before i start gettign hate mails

Unfortunately, as others have stated, unemployment benefit is not an option until you have worked here for a minimum period.

When I first came over to Switzerland 8 years ago to be with my partner, we had to survive on his first-job-fresh-out-of-uni salary which wasn't easy.

We just had to cut costs and live cheaply until I found a job. Look at it as an incentive to find a job as quickly as possible .

Look on the bright side - at least coming from the UK these days you won't have as many difficulties as I had all those years ago. Paperwork-wise, you can walk into a job relatively easily now whereas when I was looking for a job, you had to go through the whole rigmarole of finding an employer willing to go to the trouble of getting you a work permit which was a royal pain in the bum.

Anyway back to the point.
You can go to your local Office Regional de Placement ORP. You need an AVS number (so apply for one if you dont have this) and all your details.

They are really helpful. If you show you are not working and the course is relevant to future employment etc etc. they pay for your course, transport there and lunch (not bad).

Then if you are in need of financial support you can go to your regional social office I think it is csp or something ... the ORP office will guide you to them then they will help with a low allowance per month depending on your situation. This is the only option you have without the unemployment benefits in switzerland but you will need to have a work permit and residency in switzerland. Good luck.

Err... where did the point get lost??


I'm not sure a foreigner landing fresh in Switzerland would qualify for this type of funding even if it is for relevant training for a relevant job. I could be wrong but if what you say is true - stand back for a swarm of foreigners landing in Switzerland for free courses, transport and lunch...

I meant back to the point about the banter above.... however in the meantime your reply came in and the timing was wrong sorry.

I think for the courses would work as long as you have AVS. I didnt have an AVS and had to apply for it.

I was in a situation where I hadnt contributed to unemployment (tax free job = also means no unemployment benefit unless you opt to pay) and when I became unemployed I followed that route... went to the ORP and they came up with suitable courses. As long as you are willing to find a job the ORP are willing to find the right course for you. I thought it was brill. Worth a try???

The thing is: in Switzerland there are no unemployment "benefits" like in the US, where some states pay that out of the tax payers' money. There's a state run unemployment insurance here (which is mandatory if your work here) - but it's an INSURANCE, not benefits. There's a waiting period before you can make any claims. That waiting period is 18 months - before that they won't pay.

In other words: you have to work any pay into the unemployment insurance before you can get anything out of it.

peter

In vaud, you must work 12 months in the last two years:
http://www.vd.ch/fr/themes/economie/...es-indemnites/

You need to enquire at the Job Centre here in England. You can claim certain benefits in another EU country for anything up to 3 months. Not sure how Switzerland fits in there though.

When I moved to the UK following voluntary redundancy from my job in Germany I was able to draw German Arbeitslosengeld (unemployment benefit) here in the UK for 3 months.

Have a look at this link. It refers to EU member states so you will need to delve further to find the rules regarding claiming UK benefits whilst job seeking in the Schweiz.

http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/nav/e..._en.html#206_3

Hope this helps.

Carol

Beyond the requirement of working a minimum time period, I believe there might be other conditions. For instance, I wonder whether the employees are entitled to the unemployment benefit ONLY when a non permanent contract expires or you're quicked off by the employer, but employees voluntarily deciding to terminate their contracts would NOT be entitled for that benefit.