Can I receive unemployment insurance while on a post-PhD job seeker's permit? Or months later on a spouse B-permit?

Finance, Taxes, Banking, Insurance and Retirement
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Hello,

I am finishing my PhD studies at ETHZ soon and I am applying for the 6 month job seeker’s permit that non-EU graduates are entitled to. I was wondering if I will be eligible to receive RAV unemployment insurance while I am on this permit?

As another complication, I will be getting married to an EU citizen who lives and works in Switzerland in a couple of months, after which I will apply for a spouse B-permit. Would I then be able to receive RAV unemployment insurance at this point? My worry is that the RAV website says you must apply for unemployment insurance at latest the day after my contract ends so this would obviously be a couple of months after that.

Thanks for any help!

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Back in 2017 I did it. I started the process in Bern and got a couple of payments there, and then moved to Zurich and got the rest from the rav Zurich. It was for 5 months since I found a job meanwhile (took 2 months to get the work permit, I was paid by rav during these 2 months). They even paid me a course for improving the CV and stuff, in English. Not sure if it depends on the advisor, or if anything has changed from 2017. But try. And do not get discouraged by the first person that tells you no. It has happened to me a few times that when I expose an uncommon situation to an assistant (for residence permits, visas, etc.) the first answer is no, until you try again and submit your documents, which makes them have to follow official process to check and then the outcome is different. So, try with a push if needed. :slight_smile:

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Thanks Jonnahtan for your response!

I will go to RAV right after my contract ends and see what they say. I have enough savings to juuust get me through 6 months but having the RAV payments would help enormously while I search for a job.

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oh no, you need to subscribe before your contract ends. And then show that you’ve been looking for jobs for 3 months or so. The subscription takes some time and maybe some documents that you will need, I do not remember, but I certainly started the process a few months before the contract ended. So I would recommend you pass by, explain your situation and they would tell you what you need and when.