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.

Yes you can enter the U.K. it just involves home quarantine and 3 tests.

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.

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.

Thank you! I’ll book those ASAP at private places.

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.

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.

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.

All the best.

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.

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.

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

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

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...

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.

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.