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LIFE IN FRANCE

Reader question: Do I have to leave work early during France’s 6pm curfew?

In France it's not uncommon for offices and other workplaces to stay open until 7pm, but does the 6pm curfew mean people will have to leave early?

Published: 18 January 2021 11:26 CET
Reader question: Do I have to leave work early during France's 6pm curfew?
Police enforcing the curfew in Paris. Photo: AFP

Question: Now that the 6pm-6am curfew is in place does that mean I have to leave work early in order to be home by 6?

On Saturday, January 16th, France tightened its curfew rules and brought in a nationwide 6pm to 6am curfew. Between those hours everyone must stay home, with only a few reasons accepted for being outside during those times. 

So does this mean everyone has to leave work early in order to be home by 6pm?

Well, it depends on where you work.

Shops and other businesses open to the public, such as hairdressers, must close by 6pm under the new rules. Restaurants are still able to offer takeout services after 6pm, but these must be for delivery only.

However businesses that are not open to the public may stay open later and offices can continue to work until their traditional closing time of 7pm – although the recommendation to work from home if possible remains in place.

READ ALSO France revises its guidelines on remote working

 

One of the reasons for being out during curfew is 'working or travelling to or from work' – this covers people working night shifts, but also people who are heading home from a day's work.

Crèches and other childcare facilities can also remain open after 6pm to accommodate parents who are working late.

However – if you are working or travelling home from work after 6pm you will need an attestation permission form stating your reason for being out. You can find the attestation HERE or on the TousAntiCovid app.

Public transport will continue running after 6pm; but some services are likely to be scaled down in the weeks to come as passenger numbers fall.

And obviously, doing some shopping on the way home from work will not be possible, since the shops shut at 6pm.

For more on the curfew rules, click HERE.

Member comments

  1. Hello, I am a British Citizen but I have permanent residenxt in France as I am married to a french citizen. I am currently in the UK but wish to return home to my husband. The new announcements tonight about the travel ban and urgent travel only, am I permitted to return or not? Kind regards, debbie

  2. Yes with a PCR test done within 72hrs of boarding your transport to return. Bring document copies showing residence / marriage, ideally

  3. You are also requested to quarantine at home on your return for 7 days then have another PCR test. Links between articles on this site will lead you to latest explanations of these rules ongoing. Forgot to say you have to fill put a “derogation” for your international travel inwards – do it on your phone – I would guess you come into the urgent family reasons category.

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WORK PERMITS

Reader question: How long will it take to renew my Swiss permit?

The answer to this question, which is, naturally, of concern to foreign nationals living in Switzerland, depends on several factors.

Published: 21 June 2023 12:25 CEST
Reader question: How long will it take to renew my Swiss permit?

The first thing to consider is what kind of work/residency permit you have, as different rules apply.

Let’s look at the long-term B permits and permanent residency C permits that most foreign nationals living in Switzerland are likely to have.

Typically in both of these cases, you will receive a letter from local authorities approximately six weeks before the deadline reminding you to renew.

There will also be an application form that you will need to fill out, which must be submitted to your commune of residence no earlier than three months and no later than two weeks prior to the expiration date.

READ ALSO: When and how should you renew your Swiss residence permit?

Some cantons also impose additional rules for certain categories of foreigners. 

In Geneva, for instance, non-EU/EFTA spouses of B or C permit holders must include a French language certificate if it had not yet been done previously.

Further, for nationals of a non-EU/EFTA state who depend on social assistance for an amount equal to or greater than 50,000 francs for a single person or 80,000 francs for a household of several people, a letter indicating the reasons for the dependence on government aid and the steps taken to get out of it must be submitted.

In Vaud, “your situation and your degree of integration are examined, in particular your financial autonomy”.

Your canton may have other special rules in place as well, so it’s good to find them out beforehand, allowing you to submit all the necessary paperwork with your renewal application.

How long does the renewal process take?

The extension of your current permit may depend on various factors set by your canton which, in turn, may determine how long the renewal process will take.

In straightforward cases, you will receive the renewal within two to four weeks. However, this timeline is not set in stone.

It may happen that the new permit is not immediately issued, because the volumes of applications to be processed are very large, especially in cantons with a sizeable foreign population like Geneva, Zurich, Basel, and Vaud.

And the stricter the regulations (as mentioned above), the longer the process is likely to take.

Can authorities refuse to extend your permit?

Yes, that can happen under certain circumstances.

For instance, short-term L or B permits that are tied to a particular job, which ends within the specified time period (usually up to a year), will expire when the contract is over.

As non-EU / EFTA nationals are subject to a quota system, their work permits are not automatically renewed either.

Other reasons include lack of integration or dependence on welfare, as mentioned above. Also, if you’ve committed serious crimes or other infractions, you can kiss your permit goodbye.

And if you forgot to apply for renewal in the first place, then you forfeit your right to the permit.

The authorities could take special circumstances, such as serious illness, a debilitating accident, or another extreme situation into consideration and make an exception, but you shouldn’t count on that.

READ ALSO: Can Swiss authorities refuse to renew work permits — and for what reasons?

What if you applied on time and provided all the required documentation, but your permit expired before a new one was issued?

The good news is that, if you are a holder of either a long-term B or settlement C permit, your rights are protected while you wait for the renewal.

You can continue to work and live in Switzerland as before.

Under the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act, “when the person concerned has submitted an application to extend a permit, he or she is authorised to stay in Switzerland during the procedure, provided that no other decision has been taken”.

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