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UNEMPLOYMENT

Thousands of Italian cross-border workers set to lose their jobs in Switzerland

According to a trade union in the Swiss canton of Ticino, at least 4,000 cross-border commuters will lose their employment this year, as the coronavirus shut down some industries.

Published: 23 November 2020 14:35 CET
Thousands of Italian cross-border workers set to lose their jobs in Switzerland
Thousands of cross-border commuters from Italy will lose their jobs in Ticino by the end of the year. Photo by AFP

Ticino’s Ocst union (Organizzazione Cristiano Sociale ticinese) has said that 3,000 cross-border workers have already lost their jobs in 2020. The number should reach 4,000 by the end of December.

The figures are based on the forms filled out by out-of-job workers to apply for unemployment benefits in a EU state — in this case, Italy.

The most affected industry is the catering sector, due to the prolonged closure of bars and restaurants in the canton during the first wave in the spring.

The metals and machinery industry have been impacted by the pandemic as well.

However, healthcare and construction sectors, which also employ a high number of workers from Italy, have been relatively unaffected.

READ MORE: UPDATE: Swiss canton Ticino tightens coronavirus restrictions

Over 7,700 construction workers and 4,000 healthcare providers live over the border in Italy. About 120 doctors and 500 nurses employed in the canton's health sector are daily commuters from the nearby Italian regions. 

In all, about 70,000 Italians work in Ticino. 

No numbers are currently available for the unemployment rate among frontier workers from France, Germany, and Austria.

But regardless of where they live, cross-border workers get their unemployment benefits in their country of residence if they are unemployed on full-time basis, and in Switzerland if the unemployment is partial.

What you should do if you are a G-permit holder and lose your job in Switzerland.

Contributions for unemployment benefits are automatically deducted from your salary.

If you lose your Swiss job because your employer discontinued your contract, you would have to claim benefits from the unemployment office in your country of residence. In such a case, request a PD U1 form from the Swiss unemployment office, as well an international employment certificate from your former Swiss employer. 

In case of ‘partial unemployment’, that is, if your work hours are reduced, or if the company you work for temporarily or definitely ceases its activities, then you are entitled to Swiss benefits. 

 

 

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BUSINESS

Unemployment in France falls slightly despite the lockdown

Unemployment in France has fallen slightly, despite the ongoing ravages of the health crisis and consequent lockdown, latest statistics show.

Published: 27 April 2021 16:46 CEST
Unemployment in France falls slightly despite the lockdown
Photo: Stephane du Sakatin/AFP

The number of unemployed job seekers in mainland France fell by 0.4 percent in the first three months of 2021, according to figures published by the French Ministry of Labour on Tuesday.

There were 3,560,600 unemployed registered at the Pôle Emploi (unemployment office), 12,200 fewer than during the last three months of 2020.

This follows a 2.7 percent fall in the final three months of 2020 – but the rate is still up 6.8 percent compared with the first three months of 2020, before Europe began to feel the economic impact of the Covid pandemic.

Currently all ‘non essential’ shops in France have been closed since April 3rd, while bars, restaurants, cafés, gyms, cinemas, theatres, museums and tourist sites have been closed since October 2020.

Despite the fall the total number of job seekers, the number of people who were in work but with reduced hours was up by 0.8 percent at the start of 2021, to 2,156,300.

That means that in total 5,716,900 people in mainland France were registered with Pôle emploi during this period, an increase of 4.9 percent compared with a year ago.

“Over the course of 2020, in one year, unemployment rose by 8 percent. This is obviously a lot, but we must remember that during the crisis of 2008-2009, unemployment leapt by 25 percent, so we can see that the government assistance is working,” Minister of Labour Élisabeth Borne told BFMTV on Tuesday.

The French government has put together a huge package of economic aid to try and mitigate the effects of the repeated lockdowns, from chômage partiel (furlough) schemes for employees to aid packages for business owners and the self-employed. But many small retailers have been hit hard by the three periods of closure for non-essential shops, while the tourist, leisure and hospitality sectors have also had a devastating year.

The economic downturn linked to the pandemic has disproportionately affected young people in France.  Across all categories of job seekers (unemployed and with reduced hours), the latest figures show a rise of 7.1 percent in a year for those under 25, compared to 4.5 percent for the 25-29 age range, and 4.8 percent for those aged 50 and over.

Men are also more likely to have signed up to Pôle emploi, with a 6.1 percent increase on last year, compared to a 3.8 percent increase among women.

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