So I recently got a job offer from an employer and they are taking care of the work permit. They have engaged a lawyer who could do this.

I used to work in London and I hold a Singapore passport. Singapore is one of the affected areas for the conorovirus. And obviously the cases in Switzerland is rising at a high rate. The proposed start date in my contract is in June.

I'm super worried about the current status of the virus and that even though I'm not from China, I'm ethnically Chinese. Even though the situation in Singapore is pretty ok, I worry that my application will be rejected at a time of crisis like this.

Should I be very worried about my application being prejudiced and ask my employer to submit the application a little later?

Your application for a work permit will be assessed on the same basis as any other:
1. Swiss
2. EU
3. non-EU.

Non-EU people are given work permits once the Swiss employer can demonstratate that he/she could not find anyone who is Swiss, EU, or non-EU and already living in Switzerland, to do the the job. This is more likely, the more "niche" your skills are, for example brilliance in your field, or an unusual combination of abilities and knowledge combined, say, with languages.

For the time while they application is processed - and no need to delay anything - it'll be important, as far as the Swiss government is concerned, that you are somewhere legally. Become illegal somewhere, and the Swiss government is likely to distrust you and turn you down. If you find yourself, now, in a country for which you do not have papers (for example if your UK visa/permit is about to expire) but you can't reasonably return to Asia (because of Corona), then apply for a special dispensation to stay where you are, legally.

Singapore is listed as an "affected" area by Switzerland for coronavirus. At present there are no travel restrictions imposed by Switzerland for any area. So coming as a tourist or a permit holder would not have any impact, although persons are asked to avoid large gatherings (which have since been banned). But this is rapidly developing, so things may change in future. Consult this site for travel related cononavirus developments.

https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...-reisende.html

As far as I know, policy regarding granting work permit to non-EU hasn't changed even slightly due to the virus. But some countries have stopped issuing new visas which has caused delays, not denials. Switzerland isn't one of such countries, yet.

Where are you currently located? That will be the only factor impacting your case due to virus; not your nationality, not ethnicity. The impact of the virus on granting permits will identical to that on an American, Canadian, Russian, Nigerian (i.e. any non-EU) living in Singapore, regardless of ethnicity, nationality (non-EU), gender, sexual orientation, religion, weight, height etc.

Embassy being understaffed may cause delays, but again the effect will be on all visa applicants. Visa free travel is allowed for tourism purposes but when you arrive to take up work, you need a visa from CH embassy in Singapore, unless you're already residing (not visiting) in the EU.

Thanks guys for your two cents worth.

I know there are currently no policy changes, I just worry that they might prejudice my application in light of the current crisis, but state something else as the official reason for the rejecting.

I'm currently in Singapore.

Thanks doropfiz. Now the situation swings the other way. Given that Switzerland is in status of emergency due to the virus, I presume my work permit thing will undergo severe delays. Of course everything sounds super serious on the news, but I'm wondering if gov offices/migration offices are still business as usual?

The second qn is given the uncertainty, is it more likely that the authorities will just reject the application outright, or delay it for a few weeks before making a decision?

The company HR hasn't submitted the application yet, as they had to advertise the role to prove no suitable EU candidates. Is it a good idea to speak with the company to possibly delay submitting the permit for a more favorable decision in the future? Or I am just overthinking.

Yes, I think you're overthinking, or overassuming.

As far as I know, there are no policy changes with regard to the rules about obtaining permits.

Therefore, it remains so, just the same as ever, that your potential employer will have to prove that they have found no suitable Swiss, no-one suitable who already lives in Switzerland, and no suitable EU candidate. The formal requirements on them, to demonstrate how, exactly, they can prove that their search failed to yield a candidate, will stay exactly the same.

The only things that might change are

• the Swiss government's perspective on someone being in the wrong country, illegally. Being illegal, anywhere, can be counted against an applicant. If you're in Singapore legally, then there's no problem at all. If you are there illegally, but cannot travel out because of Corona, then be diligent in collecting the formal statements of each government involved, about travel restrictions, so that you can, if need be, prove that your becoming illegal (overstaying a visa or permit) was not through any fault of yours.
  
  
• travel restrictions which prevent you from entering Switzerland. If, after the scrutiny process, your application is granted, it will not fall away because of Corona. It may, however, then come with an enforced delay during which you might not be allowed to enter Switzerland. In other words, if you are granted a visa and permit, but are not allowed to travel out of where you are, and into Switzerland, because of Corona, you'd very likely be able to extend the dates of your entry visa.

Once the employer has collected whatever they know to be required as formal proof, they should submit the application.

The Swiss systems may be reduced, or slowed down (due to, for example, the time it takes to set up home-office workspaces for staff, and due to absences because of illness) and the borders are more closed than before, but unless the immigration offices actually shut down, which is not the case now, I can see no reason whatsoever to delay the application.

Singapore passport holders do not need a visa for stays more than 90 days.

Which has nothing to do with it. If he's going to be employed here he'll need a Type D visa to be able to enter Switzerland for more than 90 days. And he shouldn't come here as a tourist until the permit's approved, it just slows the whole process down.

What will delay this the EU - including Switzerland - have just shut their borders for at least 30 days to non-EU nationals.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51927790

Whether a newly granted permit to live/work here would allow you entry is anyone's guess atm.

I would check whether the company is even going to go ahead with the application in the current situation. Many will be laying staff off, not recruiting.

Medea I'm pretty sure that Singaporeans are not required to have a National (D) Visa even for stays over 90 days.

OP is in Singapore.
The borders of Europe, including Switzerland, have now been closed, for at least 30 days.
Therefore, OP cannot enter Switzerland.

Once the borders are open again (the date of which none of us can yet predict), then OP can come to Switzerland, on holiday, for 90 days, and then leave Switzerland again.

However, OP does not want to come here on holiday, but to work.
Therefore, the potential employer has to apply for a permit for OP, as set out above.
Once that permit application has been approved, OP will definitely need a D visa to enter Switzerland for the purposes of taking up employment. The D visa has will specify that OP has a certain time period within which to come to Switzerland.

With the D visa, OP will be allowed to enter Switzerland.
Then, OP must go to the local municipal office and register.
There, they will issue OP with a permit to live and work here.

The Corona situation aside, and an entry visa and a permit being separate matters, refer to the following (for "normal" circumstances):

https://www.eda.admin.ch/countries/s...onal-visa.html

Thank you for putting things into perspective! I keep thinking from my point of view and from the news which is all panic. But I get your point now - I realise for a large part of the population is business as usual even though they might be working from home so I guess migration office shouldn't be declining permits when there's a business need.

At the moment, everything is odd, because of Corona. But Corona is highly unlikely to be a factor in your permit's being approved or denied.

The migration office declines permit applications if they deem that

• any part of the documentation is uncertain or untrue
• the person has a criminal record
• a Swiss or an EU person or someone already living in Switzerland with a valid permit could be found to do the job
• it seems likely that the applicant will end up needing to be supported by the Swiss social security.

They are very strict about those factors, and will examine everything precisely.

If they reject your application, you may even be informed of their reason, and you may have the opportunity of submitting extra documents they may require. It's best, however, to be very sure that you supply all that they need, as early as you can in your application process.

You're right, I'd forgotten that Singapore nationals are a special case and don't need a visa.

https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home...rigkeit/s.html

Singapore passport holders don't need a visa to enter. ever.


https://www.eda.admin.ch/countries/s...onal-visa.html


For singapore citizens to work in switzerland, they do not need a type D visa to enter.


It is a special case for Singapore citizens.


my process was really simple. Once I got my work contract, I got on the next flight to CH.



Then with 2 documents: my work contract and my rental contract, went down to the foreigners office, pay the 117CHF fee, and that's it. Then I start working the next day.



A few days later, the foreigners office send me a letter to take my bio-metrics for the Permit B residence card. Now I am waiting for the biometric card to arrive, which takes forever.



There is no visa process or anything, for Singapore citizens.

Yes, I already said I forgot.

Thanks wakame, I know I don't need visa but the process is still diff than for EUs (which I assume you are?) The work permit needs to get through the usual hoops (Cantonal, Federal) and I was worried about how they might reject it at this state of emergency.

I have a singapore passport.


Once you get your work contract, most likely you're already pre-approved (but ask your employer for confirmation). Get on the next possible flight to CH, then start finding your apartment. You don't need a visa to enter, you don't need to contact the swiss embassy (if you do, they'll tell you the same thing as I did).

Once you have your apartment (and your rental contract), you take these two items (work contract, rental agreement) to the foreigner's office with your ID (passport), and register yourself as a resident. You can start working as soon as you register at the foreigners office.

You'll receive a letter in the mail to do your biometric card (Permit B) a few days later (or weeks later, maybe). That's it.