Hello

I'm new to the forum, and hoping to find some answers. If you can help, advise or warn, please do so.

I'm an EU citizen living with my non-EU citizen spouse and our son in South Africa. We're seriously trying to emigrate to provide a safer environment for our son (and us!). Only having been to England, France and Germany, we're not sure where we would should settle. We're researching Switzerland and Belgium at the moment, but have no idea how the two compare (in terms of education, friendly environment to raise a child, etc). Anyone have an opinion on this?

Then, regarding work permits...I have phoned the Swiss consulate in Johannesburg to ask whether my husband is legally entitled to work in Switzerland. They basically said that he can't get a job there unless he has a work permit, and can't get a work permit unless he has a job there. I would have to go first and then apply for a family reunion permit. Is this really the case?

which passport do you have?

I know, for example, your spouse can take a UK passport after 3 years living in the UK with you - other countries differ (for example, I could apparently become Italian without residency).

I have a Portuguese passport. We've explored that possibility, to no avail. The consulate says that my husband would have to learn Portuguese (I don't speak either), emerse himself in the Portuguese community here and basically prove that he really wants to be Portuguese. The only thing he can qualify is an ancestral visa for the UK, which doesn't help much.

In theoretical terms yes, in practical terms no. Your husband will receive a B permit, which will entitle him to live but not work. I would guess that all your husband has to do is tell a prospective employer that he has a B permit, and the employer then needs to notify the authorities and his permit will be upgraded to one that can work. This is a mere formality. It's disappointing that the woman at the embassy sold it to you like it to was an insurmountable obstacle..

You would also be advised to get your husband a passport with the same EU country with which you have citizenship (you didn't say which one). I presume you've also looked into the other immigration countries which have been popular with South Africans (Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand) - some of these are a bit more child friendly than Switzerland. Not sure if you've also considered the language issue - again many threads here where you can learn of people's experiences there...

P.S. Please limit one major topic per thread - threads with multple topics become confusing and difficult for others to search later. You'll find plenty of threads on the subject of children etc, I'd suggest browsing for this info, possibly joining an existing thread or starting a new one with specific questions if you can't find an existing thread.

it's worth exhausting those avenues IMO.

what I am not sure about is whether the Swiss will accept the "better" of two passports with EU passports carrying so much "weight" as opposed to others.

Possibly the simplest solution is to get the job on your side and utilise yourself and your EU passport. Is that an option?

Also use the contact formula for Zurich here and ask the question of them....
http://www.arbeitsbewilligungen.zh.c...n/contact.html

Thank you both for your advice.

Mark, we haven't considered the "popular" countries really. We just thought having an EU passport would make it easier to get a job, etc. And, noted: only one topic per thread.

Lob, thank you. I will contact them. I have recently made a career shift (from IT to journalism/writing), but perhaps for the purpose of getting over there, I should consider going back to IT. Much of our job hunt has been focussed on getting a job for my husband as my CV is much less impressive.

Correct me if I am wrong but is it not so that with an ancestral visa and 12 months living in the UK you can apply for a UK passport. I had a friend from Melbourne who did just this three years ago...

Worth looking into IMHO

Really? I will certainly look it to that. Thank you

If I were you and you have the choice.. the EU.

JC

I think Switzerland is one of the hardest countries for getting a job in. Especially if they hear any strange accent someone might have (read: anything other than their own Swiss German).

That is most important, do you guys speak German or French already?

JC, the EU and not Switzerland? Why so? And where would you recommend?

Muze7, I understand German, but my speaking is a bit rusty. My husband doesn't speak either. We're looking at classes with either the Alliance Francais or the Goethe Institute, but I'm not sure whether this will suffice for a work environment.

Hmm, that might make it more difficult. If I were you, I would read the thread that starts with a poll about German somewhere in this forum. It has a lot of relevant discussion. I remember there are also other threads that talk about the level of German you need to successfully apply for jobs. So maybe do a search. Then again, in the thread on racism some people noticed that even with fluent German you might have a tough time competing against locals who speak Swiss German too.

I do not want to dishearten you, but it would be easier for your husband if he does not end up in the classical 'partner of an expat in Switzerland' situation, by which I mean a partner who wants to work but has severe trouble finding something due to the language problem (which lies more with HR recruiters than anything else but ok).

Almost all other countries in Europe would not pose this problem, as English is fine.

Market incomparably bigger: 500+ million people. Depends on what you do / profession.

Good luck.

JC

My experience is to get a permit in Switzerland you or your partner needs a job. The employer applies for the permit which is valid for that specific job only. If you have an EU passport this is almost a formality, if not there are still quotas that may prove a difficulty. The spouse can travel as an accompanying spouse, but once you are in it is a formality to switch this to a working permit, certainly for EU but others too. So really it boils down to whether you can find a job...

Hi there, I like you am South African and we immigrated to the UK three years ago for the exact same reasons as you. My husband has a British Passport and i a SA one. I will be naturalising this month as we have been here three years and i will then get a british passport as well. We are scheduled to move to Switzerland in two months time.

A friend of mine who is South african is married to a man with a portuguese passport and they have been living in the UK for a while now. She will also naturalise soon and then the sky is the limit as to were you would like to live in Europe. We basically have been in the UK as a spring board as it was easier for me to get into the UK than anywhere else.

I am sorry i did not read the entire post so if you have any specific questions at all please ask me.