As we are all aware, the United Kingdom left the European Union on January 31st 2020. This is my personal account on how Brexit has affected me as a Brit living abroad and the challenges that I have faced, so far.
At first, I didn't notice any immediate changes after the UK's withdrawal from the EU. Everything and everyone seemed to be, naturally, more focussed towards the current pandemic. For instance, in March 2020, the resort town where I live went in to a lock-down and most foreigners on the "L" permit (a short-term resident permit visa) made the decision to return to their home country. However, as I rent my apartment annually, I made the decision to stay in Switzerland for the lock-down. During this time, the local commune advised that those on the "L" permit who had stayed in country, such as myself, had to visit the commune to extend the end date. This was because the commune needed to confirm how many foreigners were still living in town, identify who they were and how long they were planning to stay.
I was able to extend my short term permit on the very simple grounds of "COVID-19". To do so, I had to provide a bank statement to prove that I had enough funds in my account to live off for a minimum of 3 months (6,000 CHF or more) because the extension of my permit did not count as a work permit. In other words, I could not work on the permit extension alone, I would have had to go through the whole work permit process again, so the commune had to be sure I could fund myself. I, also, had to provide proof of a rental contract in my name. It was all straight forward enough and Brexit did not even cross my mind at this point. The Corona virus was very much at the fore front!
It wasn't until December 2020 when I started noticing changes: I received a letter from the government office in Sion asking me to come and provide more information for them. I was asked to bring a valid form of identification (i.e. a valid passport) and be willing to have my fingerprints put on record in order to obtain a bio-metric residence permit. I remember thinking this was strange as I had never had to do that before. After looking more into this online, I realised that after leaving the EU, the UK were now considered as a third party country to the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. In compliance with EU requirements, third party nationals in Switzerland are issued a credit-card formatted permit that has a micro-chip which is used to store the permit holders bio-metric data. According to the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), the bio-metric permit, when presented with a valid passport, allows the permit holder to travel throughout the Schengen area without a visa. (For more information on this, visit the SEM official website.) This in itself is a strange concept, as I am used to having freedom of movement around Europe with only my UK passport to hand, and no other document. Although, it does put my mind at ease a little to know that I am not required to get a new visa every time I visit countries in the Schengen area, if I have my bio-metric permit on me.
Saying that, however, there are more post-Brexit hurdles to overcome. Now that the UK is consider a third party country, British nationals seeking a permit are now subject to a new annual quota system. Switzerland can now only give out 2,100 long-term "B" residence permits and 1,400 short-term "L" permits a year to UK nationals, which isn't an awful lot at all. Not only that, but it's going to be a lot tougher for Brits to get a job in Switzerland from now on. Britons are now second in line to Swiss and EU nationals when applying for jobs, and can no longer enter the country as a job seeker, but need to obtain a work permit before entering the country for work (For more information on this, visit: Swissinfo.ch).
As I am not a new arrival, and because I am currently still in the country, I am not overly concerned about being able to find work. However, what I am concerned about is the limit of "L" permits available to UK nationals. Luckily, my partner was able to obtain a "B" permit (an ordinary residence permit) through his work, and a friend of mine advised me that I might be able to "get on" my partner's permit by proving that we are a long-term, live-in couple (i.e. "cohabiting"). I went to the local commune to enquire about this but it was a lot more complicated that we first thought. I was told that I needed to prove that I had been living with my partner in Switzerland for 3 years "without a break". What this means is that there is no "break" in-between my residency permits. The woman at the commune explained to me that once a work contract finishes and an "L" permit expires, it is automatically assumed that the foreign national has left Switzerland. Therefore, that individual must renew their permit if they intend to stay in Switzerland so that the commune are made aware.
Until I had had that conversation at the commune, I hadn't been informed of this information. I knew that even if you are a non EU national, you can stay in Switzerland for 90 days without a residency permit so I had assumed that I was okay. Luckily for me, the time I spent in to Switzerland without a residency permit did not exceed the 90 day limitation. This being so, and because I have proof of a rental agreement in both my partners' name and my own along with my Swiss work permits through out the last couple of years, I have been told I can apply for "B" cohabiting permit once I have lived with my partner in Switzerland for 3 years. Whether or not it is accepted, of course, is a different matter.
Meanwhile, as I wait until I can apply for the "B" permit, the Swiss company that I work for has offered to renew my work contract which allows me to renew my current "L" permit. As far as I am aware, this does not interfere with the annual quota of "L" permits that Switzerland are allowed to give to UK Nationals. So, for now, Brexit has not completely hindered my ability to live and work in Switzerland. However, I do worry for the future and I do feel sorry for any new British arrivals wanting to work or live in Switzerland, post Brexit.
Are you also being affected by Brexit? Share you own experiences in the comments below.
Commentaires