Hi all,

Forgive me for being ignorant. I am a newbee here.

I am non-EU citizen and also not US or Canada. I will be moving to Zurich next month for a job in ETH. I was just granted a B permit.

Some of the threads here are rather disturbing to me. Especially the fact that some people got their annual renewal of B permit rejected. I just want to ask how exactly this quota system is run? Who decides whom to kick out and what are the criteria?

Well I will be working on a highly unpredictable research project in ETH, and possibly need more than 3 years to complete it. it will be really bad if it gets cut short at any time by the immigration office. It'll be a major set-back for my career.

I have a PhD from Germany and speak fluent German. Don't know whether these will help at all.

Your input is deeply appreciated.

JR

No need to worry about the B permit quota. Once you have a B permit you do not have to draw from the quota again.

Does that mean I am allowed to stay as long as I am employed?

And Thanks a lot!

I went to the swiss consulate this morning and apparently my worry is not unfounded. The woman mentioned specifically that my B permit is cancelled every year and subjected to new examination.

I found this regulation outrageous and laughable. I am now reconsidering my plan to move to Switzerland.

It is possible that ETH is getting you to Switzerland on the basis of a students B permit, which is intended to allow employment for training purposes.

AFAIK, this permit is given for upto six years. It maybe canton dependent, and ETH might have to provide justification for the renewal at some point, but renewal will totally depend on what ETH provides to the authorities. Usually the yearly contract renewal suffices.
Unless your employer gets you a non-student B permit at some point, you will have to eventually leave Switzerland.

I know that it might sound strange since you have a PhD, but universities often do that since it is much easier to get that type of B permit, as compared to the quota limited B permit that is a pathway to permanent residency.

The authorities are more than happy to go along, since the country gets the benefit of highly skilled scientific labour, while not having to give any rights to stay on for a non-EU person in return.

Then either:

you cannot be coming for a job but only for a studentship

or

the consulate is talking absolute bollocks .

Hey swissbob, thanks,

After a panic attack, I talked to my empolyer in ETH. Bollocks it was! A "classical swiss exaggeration" he named it. Well, I've had rude immigrant officers, but this is the first time ever that one is lying into face. One learns something new every day. That is one unique way of welcoming foreign talent into one's own country, i must say.

So guess I will be fine then.

JR

Welcome to Switzerland

Dear jumpingrat,

not sure if it helps but B permit for non EU is annual extension depends of various circumstances

Recently I was told by kantonal authorities that my B permit cannot be extended beyond second year.

So far I have read everywhere that B permit renewal is hassle free and generally gets extended unless there are some criminal offences.

But that is not the case I was told that it was agreed with my employer about maximum 2 renewal.

Hope this helps

IG

Hi IG,

Who is your employer? I've heard that this sort of things are very precarious and depend a lot on the terms between immigration authority and the employer.

Anyhow this is highly unpleasant.

JR

No it doesn't. An normal annual renewable B permit only requires that you be still employed and even when unemployed the next renewal is normally ok.

This is because you do not have an annual renewable B permit. You have a project based B permit with a limited validity of 2 years. These are easier to obtain than standard B permits. Presumably your employment contract also reflects this limit.

It is the case; but individuals should make sure they know what permit they hold so as to avoid confusion.

Dear SwissBob,

Apologies for delayed response on this as I was away for sometime.

I can understand what you pointed out here about the project specific B permit is true if this is the case do you know if there are chances of extension in such cases.

Does any one here have any idea about this type of permit and possibility to get another extension in such case.

Thanks in advance

IG