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08.04.2021, 14:12
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Lucerne
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| | Heading back to U.K.
Apologies in advance if I could’ve found answers through a search. I’m just in an absolute mess mentally. I was let go this morning, from a position I came (BACK) to Switzerland for at the start of this year. Now that this has happened, it’s time to permanently say goodbye to CH and be jobless in a country I can afford to be.
My question, with the whole corona thing, is if I’m even able to get back to the U.K. and how. Also wondering what to close and do and whatnot.
Profile:
-I’ve been here since August 2018.
-Live in Luzern.
-Have been employed at three places throughout.
-Have B-Permit.
-Have GA
-Paying Health Insurance on a 3 year contract to lower the costs
-Bank with UBS (normal debit account and credit card)
What are my steps to sort out these things? Will I also be able to head back to the U.K. and isolate at home? I’d like to be back home within the month and kick my wounds at home. I have british residency but EU passport.
Many thanks in advance. It was a wild ride.
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08.04.2021, 14:16
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Wallis
Posts: 6,489
Groaned at 114 Times in 79 Posts
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K.
Yes you can enter the U.K. it just involves home quarantine and 3 tests.
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08.04.2021, 14:43
| Senior Member | | Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Lausanne
Posts: 343
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K.
Sorry to hear about your situation.
Just do not forget to breath! It just happened this morning, give yourself some time to decide about next steps, no rush. How long will you be paid for?
Are you renting an apartment? If yes, that's one of the first things you need to sort out.
Best of luck to you.
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08.04.2021, 15:08
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Basle
Posts: 2,907
Groaned at 76 Times in 60 Posts
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K.
Do you not qualify for unemployment insurance? As for everything else google can help you. Sorry if that sounds insensitive.
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08.04.2021, 15:18
| Senior Member | | Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Lausanne
Posts: 343
Groaned at 21 Times in 12 Posts
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K. | Quote: | |  | | | Do you not qualify for unemployment insurance? As for everything else google can help you. Sorry if that sounds insensitive. | | | | | I was wondering about that.
OP mentions he's been here since 2018 but just came back at the beginning of 2021, so unclear.
| 
08.04.2021, 15:24
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Lucerne
Posts: 16
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K. | Quote: | |  | | | Yes you can enter the U.K. it just involves home quarantine and 3 tests. | | | | | Thank you! I’ll book those ASAP at private places.
| 
08.04.2021, 15:27
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Lucerne
Posts: 16
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K. | Quote: | |  | | | Sorry to hear about your situation.
Just do not forget to breath! It just happened this morning, give yourself some time to decide about next steps, no rush. How long will you be paid for?
Are you renting an apartment? If yes, that's one of the first things you need to sort out.
Best of luck to you. | | | | | Thank you for your wishes and nothing to be sorry for! Because it was my probation period, I’m being paid for two weeks (as last month was already paid) on 25th April.
I’m renting a room in a WG and was actually looking to move out so already gave my notice for that. So it shouldn’t be an issue.
| 
08.04.2021, 15:29
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Lucerne
Posts: 16
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K. | Quote: | |  | | | Do you not qualify for unemployment insurance? As for everything else google can help you. Sorry if that sounds insensitive. | | | | | I’m not sure if I do. I’ll Google around once I’ve calmed down. I actually don't have any interest in staying in Switzerland anymore. Nothing good comes easy but I admit defeat this time around.
| 
08.04.2021, 15:31
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Lucerne
Posts: 16
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K. | Quote: | |  | | | I was wondering about that.
OP mentions he's been here since 2018 but just came back at the beginning of 2021, so unclear. | | | | | Sorry I wasn’t clear about this. I went back to the U.K. December 2020 and was actually thinking of just permanently moving back during that time. I then got this job opportunity in January 2021 and came back to CH because of the new job. Hope this is clearer now.
| 
08.04.2021, 15:37
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Basle
Posts: 2,907
Groaned at 76 Times in 60 Posts
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K.
All the best.
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09.04.2021, 12:02
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Suisse Romande
Posts: 1,398
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K. | Quote: | |  | | | I went back to the U.K. December 2020 and was actually thinking of just permanently moving back during that time. I then got this job opportunity in January 2021 and came back to CH because of the new job. | | | | | If you worked and paid into the Swiss system for 12 months in the past 2 years, you should be eligible to claim for unemployment benefits.
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10.04.2021, 08:27
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Lucerne
Posts: 16
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K. | Quote: | |  | | | If you worked and paid into the Swiss system for 12 months in the past 2 years, you should be eligible to claim for unemployment benefits. | | | | | Yeah, I did without a break, even though I changed work inbetween. I’ve made up my mind to leave the country the following week. Gonna do my Abmeldung and whatnot on Monday. I don’t think my place is here and I’ve come to terms with it.
Thank you for your reply though and I hope it helps someone in the future.
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07.06.2021, 18:18
| Senior Member | | Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: Basel-Stadt
Posts: 336
Groaned at 146 Times in 73 Posts
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K.
How did things go? I'd love to know how complicated or not it all was, and if you're now settled and happier. So sorry this happened.
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17.06.2021, 09:58
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: Central
Posts: 18
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K. | Quote: | |  | | | My question, with the whole corona thing, is if I’m even able to get back to the U.K. and how. Also wondering what to close and do and whatnot.
What are my steps to sort out these things? Will I also be able to head back to the U.K. and isolate at home? I’d like to be back home within the month and kick my wounds at home. I have british residency but EU passport.
. | | | | | I feel and share your pain. How did it go, any tips for someone just now in the same situation?
| 
30.06.2021, 21:40
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Lucerne
Posts: 16
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K. | Quote: | |  | | | I feel and share your pain. How did it go, any tips for someone just now in the same situation? | | | | | Hiya! Sorry for my late reply. I’ve been busy with job interviews and dating  I’m so sorry that you’re in a similar situation as I was. It REALLY sucks.
What really helped me where my close friends who helped me pack all of my stuff, shipping things via UPS and leaving some things in storage with friends. Everything else was sold or given away for free.
Do make sure to keep your important Swiss documents in a folder you will always remember where it is. If you have any specific questions, please ask me! I’ll keep an eye on the thread | This user would like to thank ZimtCake for this useful post: | | 
30.06.2021, 22:00
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Lucerne
Posts: 16
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K. | Quote: | |  | | | How did things go? I'd love to know how complicated or not it all was, and if you're now settled and happier. So sorry this happened. | | | | | Hiya! Thank you for reaching out and checking up on me
Things went very straightforward for me, but also because I do speak fluent high German. So there wasn’t any room for misunderstandings.
The forum also really helped me to get things sorted. I was sacked on a Thursday and was back in the U.K. the following Thursday. I was lucky that I had savings so I didn’t have any issues booking tickets, etc.
I’ll list the things I did:
- Deregistration: Kanton first. Krankenkasse. Cancellation of new flat signing (finding a new tenant- it was easy as it was an uncompleted new build), Bank (I contacted after I had left CH).
- I booked a business class flight because I wanted a guaranteed free seat because of corona. I also wanted to add additional luggage which worked out cheaper for a bigger allowance with business class.
- I have AMAZING friends who are my sisters basically. Helped out with my packing, cleaning, dismantling, taking all my suitcases to the airport, storing my things and even helping me sell some after I had left.
- The emotional support I got was out of this world. I was not sad to leave Switzerland (I realised that I started to resent how homogenous and close minded the culture was (sorry if anyone loves CH. I just really struggled to feel part of the culture, being a person of colour, who’s German too). I was sad to leave my new family behind. We are staying in touch and will be meeting up soon.
- Getting into the country was not an issue. I have British residency, EU passport and had all paperwork printed and on my laptop which I always carry as hand luggage.
- My family picked me up with my luggage from the airport and I then went home to my old bedroom, which had been tidied by one of my brothers. And then isolated for 10 days (not touching my family as well). My mother is a nurse so she provided me with additional lateral flow tests. Took my PCR test on day 2 and day 8. All good, no corona!
Where am I at now:
- I’m going through some mental hardship but I am feeling much better with my support network I KNOW I can rely on.
- I’m job hunting and have had interviews and some offers. Not sure how the Swiss job market is doing but for me it’s been night and day.
- Things are not necessarily cheaper for me as my family is fairly upper middle class but I do appreciate the MUCH wider variety of things I can get here.
- Overall, I’m in a very good place and have been incredibly lucky. I didn’t realise how privileged I was until I had to move and sort things out.
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30.06.2021, 23:10
|  | Member | | Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Basel
Posts: 243
Groaned at 4 Times in 2 Posts
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K. | Quote: | |  | | | Hiya! Thank you for reaching out and checking up on me
Things went very straightforward for me, but also because I do speak fluent high German. So there wasn’t any room for misunderstandings.
The forum also really helped me to get things sorted. I was sacked on a Thursday and was back in the U.K. the following Thursday. I was lucky that I had savings so I didn’t have any issues booking tickets, etc.
I’ll list the things I did:
- Deregistration: Kanton first. Krankenkasse. Cancellation of new flat signing (finding a new tenant- it was easy as it was an uncompleted new build), Bank (I contacted after I had left CH).
- I booked a business class flight because I wanted a guaranteed free seat because of corona. I also wanted to add additional luggage which worked out cheaper for a bigger allowance with business class.
- I have AMAZING friends who are my sisters basically. Helped out with my packing, cleaning, dismantling, taking all my suitcases to the airport, storing my things and even helping me sell some after I had left.
- The emotional support I got was out of this world. I was not sad to leave Switzerland (I realised that I started to resent how homogenous and close minded the culture was (sorry if anyone loves CH. I just really struggled to feel part of the culture, being a person of colour, who’s German too). I was sad to leave my new family behind. We are staying in touch and will be meeting up soon.
- Getting into the country was not an issue. I have British residency, EU passport and had all paperwork printed and on my laptop which I always carry as hand luggage.
- My family picked me up with my luggage from the airport and I then went home to my old bedroom, which had been tidied by one of my brothers. And then isolated for 10 days (not touching my family as well). My mother is a nurse so she provided me with additional lateral flow tests. Took my PCR test on day 2 and day 8. All good, no corona!
Where am I at now:
- I’m going through some mental hardship but I am feeling much better with my support network I KNOW I can rely on.
- I’m job hunting and have had interviews and some offers. Not sure how the Swiss job market is doing but for me it’s been night and day.
- Things are not necessarily cheaper for me as my family is fairly upper middle class but I do appreciate the MUCH wider variety of things I can get here.
- Overall, I’m in a very good place and have been incredibly lucky. I didn’t realise how privileged I was until I had to move and sort things out. | | | | | Well done to you - you went through something really tough and stressful, and had to sort out a massive life change at short notice, and it sounds like you've managed it really well.
Great to hear that you've had a good support network around you too. Best of luck with the upcoming job search | 
01.07.2021, 12:47
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Zurich
Posts: 3,848
Groaned at 78 Times in 57 Posts
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K.
I can imagine, being of color doesn't make getting a job in Switzerland easier.
Unless it's cleaning, a take-away joint. Or a bouncer at a night-club...
| 
01.07.2021, 18:48
| Junior Member | | Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: zurich
Posts: 43
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K.
That's a shame.
Person of colour here and had no problems since I moved to Switzerland in 2019 BUT I am a very social person and I work in IT so job hunting hasnt been too bad for me.
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01.07.2021, 19:02
|  | Modulo 2 | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Baselland
Posts: 15,041
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| | Re: Heading back to U.K.
Being on unemployment benefit here is considerably easier than in the UK.
You could end up in mentally in a worse place. Make no decisions. There is no hurry. Maybe even see your doctor.
btw, I've a Swiss friend who is a Luzerner. He married a Chinese woman. They moved to Vevey... Seriously, consider moving to Zürich, Basel or the south. Do not base your Swiss experience on Luzern.
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