Heard a rumour today that the quotas for Non-EU work permits have been reduced dramatically for 2010 - can anyone confirm or debunk this rumour ?

We were kind of hoping to go from L to B with renewal - we are both working now, so I guess our chances are very good of one or the other getting a B permit on renewal...

I do hope the bias is in favour of people who have already established themselves here with permanent work contracts...

I didn't hear this rumor, but I got an invitation today to reapply for an L-extension...since I have already had an L for 2 years they sent me an application for a B. I hope its only a formality because I was just given a fixed contract and I dont want it to be denied because of some dumb luck. My HR department did say that those applying at the beginning of the new calendar year have the best chance because the Kanton has their allotment for 2010 and has all of them.

I wish the best for you.
But : http://www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/de/home/...09-12-041.html

Im Weiteren legte der Bundesrat heute die Kontingente der L- und B-Bewilligungen für Arbeitskräfte aus Staaten ausserhalb der EU und der EFTA (sog. Drittstaaten) fest. Es können demnach vorerst höchstens 2'000 B- und 3’500 L-Bewilligungen erteilt werden, halb soviele wie für das laufende Jahr.Im Juni 2010 wird der Bundesrat dann aufgrund der Entwicklung der Lage entscheiden, ob weitere Bewilligungen freigegeben werden oder nicht.

2000 NEW B-Permits and 3500 NEW L-Permits for Non-EU people for next year, which is equal to 50% of contingent of this year. But in June 2010, they will decide whether to increase the contingent or not depending on the economical situation.

darn...way to ruin my evening

I am non-EU already with a B-permit since April 2008. Is my situation at risk? or this quota is only for new B permit applicants?

hello,
can you please let me know if this rule is also applicable to the people who already possess an annual renewable b-permit or only for fresh cases
thanks

Just for new B permits.

My HR dept told me today not to go in for the extension. They are filing new paperwork based on me having a fixed contract. (original was only 2 years) I dont know if I should ignore the kreisbüro's invitation or what

Phew...I am safe then.

I wonder if the contingent applies to the L - to - B conversion or not, that would be interesting to know.

Thanks

Ehm, the translation is not completely correct, if I'm not mistaken the german text says that 2000/3500 permits can be distributed. No mention about 'new' in the german text....

I work for an India based company and we have been very specifically told that the quota of new L work permits for calendar 2010 has been exhausted.

However this does not apply to extensions of already existing L or conversion from L to B. The federal office in Bern and the concerned Kanton will decide each case of the above on a merit (hopefully) based approach.

Right. There is no word "new" in the original text. Hence, assume that it is the total contingent including renewals.

In case someone is curious:

Here (page 36 and 37 )are listed the current quotas per type (L and B - Kurzaufenthalts and Aufenhaltsbewilligun respectively) per kanton.

The press-note also states that in Spring 2010 the Swiss Federal Government will decide whether to restrict migration from EU and EFTA, too. The noises from the SVP might tempt the Government to call a time-out.

For the B permit, the text states "Die Höchstzahlen für erstmalige Aufenthaltsbewilligungen". This means quotas for first-time permits.

However the text for L permits does not have that key word. That would explain why the 2010 L quota is already exhausted, because it is only sufficient for renewals.

If this is the case,i assume that since they have mentioned first time permits for B Permits alone then they may approve that many new B permits and the already existing B Permits' Extension wont fall in the limitation.

Is this right?

Dont recall seeing this news on EF, just incase you missed it like me..

Switzerland halves non-EU work permits


From: EU Business | December 04, 2009

Switzerland announced Friday it would halve from next year its quotas of permits for workers from outside Europe, with unemployment and immigration at high levels.

http://www.eubusiness.com/europe/switzerland

Sounds feasible but if that were the case then only the first 706 renewals would have been approved for ZH which means the company I currently slave for would have had the bally lot and the airport would be flooded with L-permit holders leaving the country . It has to be new ones doesn't it? Or am I grossly overestimating the current number of non-eu L permit holders in ZH?

According to the following document (http://www.bfm.admin.ch/etc/medialib...-2009-08-d.pdf ), there are 18 706 people in Switzerland ( 3 619 in zurich ) with L permit and definitely all of them are Non-Eu; as in 2006 and 2007, there were almost 37000 people in Switzerland with L permit, which is before Personenfreizuegigkeit.