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WORKING IN SWITZERLAND

What to know about Switzerland and the UK’s agreement on recognising qualifications

The UK is no longer part of the EU after Brexit, which means British citizens lost many of the privileges they used to enjoy in Switzerland — and vice-versa. But a new treaty is set to eliminate some of the hassles on the job front.

Published: 15 June 2023 11:02 CEST
What to know about Switzerland and the UK's agreement on recognising qualifications
UK nationals will have their professional credentials recognised in Switzerland. Image by Stefan Schweihofer from Pixabay

On Wednesday, Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin and the British Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Kemi Badenoch, signed an agreement on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications.

This pact officially validates UK-obtained credentials in Switzerland, and vice-versa.

Up until the United Kingdom left the European Union, its citizens benefited from the EU’s system of mutual recognition of professional qualifications, which is applied in Switzerland as well.

As a non-EU/EFTA nation, however, recognition of professional credentials requires a stricter administrative process. 

The agreement reached between Bern and London on Wednesday “enables citizens of both countries to take up employment in regulated professional activities”, the Federal Council said in a statement.

The UK hopes the move will “allow British companies to compete for more contracts in Switzerland in the long run, boosting UK services exports, growing the UK economy and encouraging Swiss investment into the UK”, according to Great Britain’s Department for Business and Trade. 

The Swiss Federal Council also pointed out that “mutual recognition agreements are needed to cover qualifications awarded in countries whose education system is comparable to Switzerland’s”.

The Council added: “The UK is an ideal partner for Switzerland as both countries have an outstanding education system.”

What happens now?

Unfortunately, the deal doesn’t come into force immediately. 

The Swiss Parliament still needs to ratify the agreement, which is expected to occur sometime in 2024, so no changes will be implemented until then.

What will it mean for Brits coming to Switzerland?

Thanks to high wages and a good quality of life, Switzerland is a popular destination country for work for people in many industries, whether its IT, banking and finance or pharmaceuticals. 

Foreigners coming from a non-EU/EFTA nation who didn’t study at a Swiss university or complete an apprenticeship in Switzerland often have to get their foreign qualifications recognised in order to work in Switzerland. 

For that they need a copy of the qualifications (possibly translated), while in some cases there’s a fee to pay. 

READ ALSO: How can I have my foreign qualifications recognised in Switzerland?

However, in future under the new deal Brits won’t need to do this. 

Do UK citizens benefit from other rights in Switzerland?

After Brexit, Brits are no longer part of the Free Movement of Persons Agreement that allowed them the same almost unlimited access to the Swiss labour market granted to EU/ EFTA nationals.

Their employment is now regulated by the quota system — the limited number of work permits accorded to non-EU citizens.

However, within that group, the British benefit from a separate quota that is not a part of the general pool: 3,500 permits are set aside for workers from the UK — 2,100 under a B permit and 1,400 under an L permit. 

Also, neither the qualifications recognition rule nor the permit quota system applies to British nationals who had moved to Switzerland before the end of the Brexit transition period (December 31st, 2020) — they will retain all their existing rights for residence and employment as EU / EFTA citizens.

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For members

WORKING IN SWITZERLAND

Why Swiss employers are eager to hire US professionals

Personnel shortages are pushing big Swiss companies to recruit executives from abroad, specifically from the United States.

Published: 23 May 2024 10:43 CEST
Why Swiss employers are eager to hire US professionals

Some Swiss employers, including pharmaceutical giants Roche and Novartis, pull out all the stops to attract foreigners — especially from the United States — for top management positions. 

Companies even go so far as to cover the rent, private school tuition fees, and sometimes even taxes and health insurance, of the senior US executives.

Why are these employers offering perks to the professionals from the US?

“Depending on the size of the company, the number of [locally-based] candidates is very limited for certain positions. Hiring foreign executives is therefore inevitable,” according to recruiter Erik Wirz. “And in the United States, there are very qualified employees in the pharmaceutical or technological fields.” 

The demand also extends to top researchers or those who are recognised specialists in their field, Wirz added.

The high cost involved in relocating sought-after US personnel, as well as all the perks they receive once in Switzerland — typically a package ranging from five to six-figures — are worth every franc, according to a Roche spokesperson.

 “What matters to us is the aptitude and performance of our employees. We want to attract the best talent, regardless of their origin.”

But wait…aren’t Americans third-country nationals and therefore have restricted access to Switzerland’s labour market?

Yes, and as such, they are subject to stricter employment rules than their counterparts from the European Union and EFTA states (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein).

However, according to rules set out by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), “admission of third-country nationals to the Swiss labour market is only granted if it is in the interests of Switzerland and the Swiss economy as a whole.”

Furthermore, “you must be a highly qualified specialist or skilled professional in your field. This means that you should have a degree from a university or an institution of higher education, as well as a number of years of professional work experience.

And in Switzerland’s employment hierarchy, you can be hired only if the employer can prove to the authorities that no suitable Swiss or EU / EFTA candidate could be found to fill the vacant position.

Clearly, the top US executives recruited by Swiss companies meet all these requirements, which is why they are allowed to come and work in Switzerland.

What’s in it for the American employees?

The financial benefits are obviously generous, as these execs earn more, and get additional benefits, while working in Switzerland they would back home.

“It is impossible to attract top managers if they get the same salary,” Wirz said.

There is, however, one negative aspect of working in Switzerland — or anywhere else outside of the United States.

And that is the burden of dealing with both the Swiss and US tax system, as Uncle Sam operates citizenship based taxation, even on people who live overseas.

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