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In 2021, Swiss companies again did not exhaust the quotas for skilled workers from countries outside the EU.
Swiss companies were allowed to recruit a total of up to 8,500 specialists in countries outside the EU last year. However, Swiss companies have only used a little more than three quarters of these maximum figures: In 2021, 80 percent of the 4,500 residence permits and 73 percent of the 4,000 short-term residence permits were issued, as the State Secretariat for Migration SEM reported on request from Radio SRF. The rate was even lower the year before.
Because of Corona, travel and exchanges between companies have declined.
The deep exhaustion is a consequence of the pandemic, explains the President of the Conference of Cantonal Economic Directors VDK, the Uri Central Government Councilor Urban Camenzind: “Due to the well-known corona situation, travel and exchange among companies have declined. That’s why fewer third-country nationals came to us to work, and that’s why the quotas weren’t used up either.”
“Not the time to cut quotas”
There has been a struggle for years about maximum numbers and quotas. The Federal Council reduced the quotas for skilled workers from third countries after the SVP’s mass immigration initiative was adopted in 2014. Business and the cantons then fought for an increase.
We lack well qualified people, we have to get them from somewhere.
Today, VDK President Camenzind reiterated: Even now, when companies are recruiting fewer specialists due to the pandemic, it is not the time to cut quotas again. It is currently too unclear how the situation will develop.
In addition, Switzerland needs skilled workers: “We lack well-qualified people, we have to get them from somewhere. That is why it is necessary for us to be able to issue such work permits for third-country nationals.”
Glarner: “Of course we would prefer lower contingents, but…”
The SVP does not want to speak out for a cut either. The person responsible for the party’s migration policy, Aargau National Councilor Andreas Glarner, says: “Of course we would always prefer lower quotas. But for the sake of the economy, they probably need to be kept where they are now. We have to watch for more years.”
Since the yes to the mass immigration initiative, the federal constitution has required the control of immigration with maximum numbers and quotas. However, an increase or even partial abolition of the quotas for skilled workers from third countries is currently being discussed.
For the sake of the economy, the quotas will probably have to be kept where they are now.
The Federal Council already proposed a slight easing in autumn at the suggestion of the FDP. And last week Finance Minister Ueli Maurer told the media that the quotas for specialists from third countries had to be reviewed, i.e. increased, so that Switzerland would remain attractive to large, internationally active companies.
However, according to Maurer in the “NZZ am Sonntag”, an increase would have to be limited to highly qualified occupations, because otherwise there would be too much immigration “in occupations where we need them less”.