Residence status (Switzerland)
The residence status represents the authorization of a foreign person to reside in Switzerland . It can be structured very differently and is usually justified by the legally regulated acquisition of a residence permit. The residence status is decisive for how long a foreign visitor or immigrant can legally stay in the country and what restrictions or requirements he may be subject to. If the laws of the host country are violated, foreign citizens may be deported and lose their residence status. Foreigners who stay illegally in Switzerland without the corresponding status are liable to prosecution and may be deported if necessary. In the case of long-term unauthorized residence, one speaks of illegal immigration .
Residence permits for EEA citizens
The residence status is regulated by the Federal Act on Foreigners (Foreigners Act for short; AuG) . Residence permits for members of the member states of the European Union and EFTA are:
- Short-term residence permit (L EU / EFTA permit)
- Residence permit (B EU / EFTA permit)
- Permanent residence permit (C EU / EFTA permit)
- Residence permit with gainful employment (Ci EU / EFTA permit)
- Cross-border commuter permit (G EU / EFTA permit)
Residence permits for other foreigners
All other foreigners receive residence permits as follows:
- Residence permit (B permit)
- Settlement permit (permit C)
- Residence permit with gainful employment (Ci permit)
- Cross-border commuter permit (G permit)
- Short-term residence permit (L permit)
- Temporarily admitted foreigners (permit F)
- Asylum seekers (ID card N)
- Persons in need of protection (S permit)
Every foreigner with a stay of 91 days or more receives a foreigner's permit .
Sans-Papiers
People who live in Switzerland without a valid residence permit are called sans-papiers . Their number is naturally unknown. Estimates vary between 90,000 and 250,000 people. Many sans-papiers work for the “low-skilled”. Sans-papiers work in industries whose personnel requirements are not fully covered by Swiss or EU citizens. They clean in private households, look after children and the elderly, work on construction sites or in agriculture.
In Swiss migration policy, the prevailing opinion is that people who are illegally residing in Switzerland may not be “rewarded” with the legalization of their residence if they have resided illegally in the country long enough. This is why there is hardly any possibility of legalization of their residence for sans-papiers in Switzerland, even if they were born and raised in Switzerland. There are many different ways people become sans-papiers, the most common reasons being:
- Most sans-papiers come to Switzerland from so-called third countries (not an EEA country) and have no regular opportunity to stay in the country. The admission practice for “low-skilled” people from third countries is very strict. Nevertheless, many people, mostly women, immigrate from non-European countries.
- A residence permit is usually tied to a reason, e.g. B. studying, a job or staying with your spouse. If the reason for your stay no longer applies, for example when you finish your studies or if you are separated after less than three years of marriage, the permit will be withdrawn or the permit will expire and will no longer be renewed.
- Another group are people from the area of asylum after a negative decision to submerge .
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Federal Office for Migration: Residence permits for members of the EU / EFTA member states . Accessed February 12, 2011
- ^ Federal Office for Migration: Residence permits for other citizens . Accessed February 12, 2011
- ↑ Platform to the Sans-Papiers. In: sans-papiers.ch. Retrieved December 6, 2019 .
- ↑ Contact point for Sans-Papiers in Basel Life Without a Face in Neue Zürcher Zeitung from March 26, 2016
- ^ Federal Commission for Migration Issues EKM: Living as Sans-Papiers in Switzerland.
