Introduction
The quantitative limitations on nationals of EU Member States wishing to work
in Switzerland will be lifted on 31 May 2007. Switzerland will have to decide by
June 2009 whether to extend the Agreement on Freedom of Movement. If the
decision is positive, freedom of movement between Switzerland and the EU will be
fully implemented by June 2014.
Licensing system
Switzerland has applied a binary licensing system since 1 November 1998. This
is intended, on the one hand, to ensure preference for workers from EU Member
States and, on the other, to maintain a restrictive licensing policy for
non-Member States – that is, to restrict licensing to specialists and
qualified skilled workers.
Finding a job in Switzerland
If you are a citizen of an EU Member State and are looking for a job in
Switzerland, you have various possibilities:
European Employment Services (EURES)
The main function of the EURES network of public employment services, which
was established to facilitate the freedom of movement of workers in the 18
states of the European Economic Area (EEA), is to inform potentially mobile
workers about job opportunities and living and working conditions within the EEA.
There are nearly 500 EURES network advisers throughout the territory of the
EEA and they will be pleased to answer all your questions about freedom of
movement for workers. You can contact them in two ways:
- through your national employment office;
- through the EURES website (the organisation is based in Brussels).
Finding a job through the Internet
Your computer screen offers virtually unlimited opportunities for finding
employment. Of the large number of relevant active websites, more and more now
allow interactive searching (online CV filing, specimen letters of application,
job mailers, etc.).
Finding a job through the press
Many Swiss daily newspapers and magazines regularly include details of
vacancies in their region through job-opportunities inserts or periodic special
supplements – for instance:
- the jobs insert of the newspaper Tages-Anzeiger (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
- the jobs insert of Bund (Wednesdays)
- the "Emploi et formation" supplement of the newspaper Le Temps (Fridays)
- the "Emploi" supplement of the newspaper 24heures (Thursdays)
Finding a job locally
If you have not found a job before travelling to Switzerland, you can go on
looking when you arrive. In this case, you should apply:
- to the Regional Placement Office (RAV) competent for your region;
- to employment agencies;
- direct to relevant employers.
Your application file
So as not to ruin your chances from the outset, you should of course ensure
that your application file is as complete as possible and, in particular,
contains the following documents (in one of Switzerland's three official
languages or alternatively in English):
- letter of application (no more than 1 page)
- CV
- one copy of each of your academic qualifications certificates
Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2006
Reproduction is authorised.
| 
