Brussels, 20/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 20 June, the Swiss Federal Council presented its concept for implementing the referendum of 9 February on introducing quotas for European workers from February 2017 onwards. There are currently no quotas for border workers who have an employment contract in Switzerland, or for seasonal workers.
According to the terms of the proposal, all types of permits for a stay of over four months will have quotas applied to them, the Swiss government states in a press release. The number of border workers will also be subject to quotas. The Swiss cantons will be able to issue further restrictions in order to protect the regional employment market.
The admission of nationals from EU member states or from EFTA “should be less restrictively regulated than for persons from third countries. In contrast to third-country nationals, EU and EFTA nationals may still be admitted even if they lack specialist qualifications. Switzerland will continue to have a dual-track admission system”, according to the press release.
In addition, the Federal Council “has refrained from setting a fixed, inflexible target for reducing immigration. A target of this type would make it impossible to respond to the changing economic and jobs situation when regulating immigration. This is in keeping with the wording of the new article of the Constitution, which does not specify a maximum number either”. The concept for implementing the new article on immigration will be formalised in a draft law at the end of the year. (SP)