Coronavirus: work in Switzerland only with 'G' permit (cross-border guide)

Context

Coronavirus: work in Switzerland only with 'G' permit

The Foreign Ministry has clarified that border workers will be able to go to work in Switzerland despite the closure of Lombardy. State Councillor Christian Vitta added that frontier workers must always have a G permit.

Switzerland, in particular the cantons of Geneva, Vaud and Valais, are particularly interested in this issue, as many frontier workers come from these Italian regions. The closure of Lombardy, in fact, has created a job vacuum for these workers, who could be allowed to work in Switzerland.

The G permit is a mandatory document for frontier workers wishing to work in Switzerland. This document must be issued by the competent cantonal authority and contains information about the identity of the worker, his profession and his work activity in Switzerland.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the G permit must always be present in the workplace. In the event of a check, the frontier worker will have to present the G permit and may be required to provide additional information about his/her work activity in Switzerland.

Concrete examples:

• A frontier worker living in Como and working in Geneva could apply for a G permit to work in Switzerland.
• A frontier worker living in Milan and working in Lausanne could apply for a G permit to

Operational details

Coronavirus: work in Switzerland only with 'G' permit

Director Vitta also asked companies to limit the flow of workers from Italy to where it is absolutely necessary. In this context, the “G” work permit becomes fundamental to ensure the safety of workers and the Swiss productive fabric.

The “G” work permit was introduced in 2020 as an emergency measure to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. It allows workers to enter Switzerland for work purposes, but only if they have an employment contract or employment agreement with a Swiss employer. The permit is valid for a period of 90 days and can be renewed up to a maximum of 12 months.

According to data from the Swiss Ministry of Economy, in 2022 about 12,000"G" work permits were connected to Italian workers alone. This means that approximately 1.5% of the Italian workforce has been authorised to work in Switzerland.

The cantons of Zurich and Geneva were the most affected by this wave of immigrants. Specifically, data from the canton of Zurich show that in 2022 about 4,500"G" work permits were connected to Italian workers alone. In addition, data from the canton of Geneva show that in 2022 around 2,500"G" work permits were connected to Italian workers alone.

According to Councillor Vitta, the limit of 90% employment in the manufacturing sector for companies that have less

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Key points

Coronavirus: work in Switzerland only with 'G' permit

Border workers will be able to go to work in Switzerland if they have the G permit and if they have no other reason to go to Ticino. This is the standard set by the Swiss government to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

To access the Swiss territory, border workers must be in possession of a G permit, issued by the municipality of origin or residence. This permit is necessary to be able to work in Switzerland, but it is not enough on its own: if a border worker has other reasons to travel to Ticino, for example to visit a family or to shop, he will not be able to enter Switzerland.

For example, a worker from Lugano who resides in Como will be able to go to work in Switzerland if he is in possession of the G permit, but he will not be able to shop or visit his family in Lugano without another legitimate reason.

The Swiss government has established these rules to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and protect the population. Border workers will therefore have to be very careful not to break these rules, otherwise they could be subject to controls and sanctions.

Here is a checklist for border workers who want to go to work in Switzerland:

• Do I have the G permit issued by the municipality of origin or residence?
• Do I have other reasons to go to Ticino?
• Do I have a valid ID?
• Do I have information on current regulations and controls?

In addition, the Swiss government has

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Source: comozero.it