SWITZERLAND has tightened the rules for the entry of workers from Croatia. This was confirmed by the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which says it received this news with regret.

“The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia has received with regret the information about the decision of the Federal Council of the Swiss Confederation to reintroduce transitional measures for the access of Croatian citizens to the Swiss labor market, for a period of one year, from January 1, 2023 to December 31 of the same year, after which it will reconsider this decision”, the Ministry writes.

During that period, a quota system for issuing work permits to Croatian citizens will apply, it adds.

This year they eased entry for Croatian citizens, now they tightened it again

At the beginning of this year, Switzerland made it easier for Croatian workers to arrive, but now it has again introduced quotas for issuing work permits. The Ministry believes there was no need for that.

“Taking into account the fact that such a decision is based on the provisions of Protocol III to the Agreement on the Free Movement between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation and that in the period since the temporary abolition of these transitional measures on January 1, 2022, the number of Croatian citizens who applied for a work permit in Switzerland has increased, the Ministry considers that this increase was not of such intensity as to require the reintroduction of restrictions”, it adds.

“Also, although the Republic of Croatia became a member of the EU back in 2013, Protocol III, by which the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons with the EU was extended to Croatian citizens, entered into force in Switzerland only in 2017, and Croatian citizens were deprived of the timely start of the application of this Agreement, including the start of the transitional period”, it adds.

“After the Federal Council of the Swiss Confederation activated the safeguard clause that will again restrict the employment of Croatian citizens, no later than the end of 2026, the Ministry expects the Swiss side to review this decision in a timely manner, so that Croatian citizens seeking employment in Switzerland are treated equally with other EU/EFTA citizens”, the Ministry adds.

Source: index.hr