I’m a non-EU national with a B permit issued by the Canton of Geneva, where I currently live and work. The permit isn’t tied to a specific employer.
I’ve signed a contract with a Zurich-based company and will be moving to the Canton of Zurich. I called the OCPM in Geneva and they confirmed the move is possible, but only once their office approves it. They asked me to submit an online form, and warned that a response can take several weeks.
So a few questions:
Do I have to wait for the Zurich Migrationsamt to review and approve the request before I can physically move?
I’ve already resigned, and my new contract starts in November. Is that realistic timing for the whole process?
I’m living in accommodation provided by my current employer, and they’ve asked me to vacate on the last day of my contract.
That last point is what worries me most. I could end up without a place to live while the permit transfer is still pending and I cannot move to Zurich without approval from them. My child is attending school which also needs to be considered on top of that. Has anyone been through a canton change under similar time pressure? Any idea how long this usually takes in practice?
Have you asked the new employer if they can help you? Does the new employer also have accommodation that they can already sign you up for? If you get this in place then you can let the local authorities know so they can assign a school place for your child.
Thanks — I did ask. The new employer said the permit procedure is something I have to handle myself, and they don’t provide accommodation either.
Finding a place in Zurich first was my thinking too, but that’s exactly where the pressure is: I need somewhere to live before I can register, and I’m losing my current accommodation the day my contract ends.
I’m not the expert in permits and the like, and there are people on the forum who know much more than me (paging @MedeaFleecestealer), but I think the permit is something that the employer has to handle, not you.
As for accommodation, Zurich is a bit like Geneva whereby accommodation is in short supply. Have a look at places outside the city with a public transport connection, and perhaps you’ll find one quicker than looking in the city itself.
Find a place to live in Zurich. That’s your priority. Once you have your place, you can register with the authorities there.
Finding accommodation in Zurich is the most difficult and time-consuming part. Once you have that, it is quick admin to de-register from Geneva and register in Zurich.
If you are really stuck, you can rent an expensive furnished place while you search for a more permanent setup.
Hm, if your permit isn’t tied to your employer I don’t see that Geneva can say they have to approve your move first. That would only be the case if your permit is tied to your current employer. Then both Geneva and Zurich need to approve the change.
Yes, that is what OCPM in Geneva said as well. In any case, I contacted Zurich Migrationsamt today and they’re like it might take 1 - 3 months to provide the decision on approval. So, this is what makes me worry.
When I moved from GE to VD I needed approval from both. GE approved it quite quickly but VD took longer. They also restricted my B permit to employment anywhere except VD.
Tied B I can understand, but I thought a non-EU B permit that wasn’t tied meant you are effectively like an EU national and can move/work anywhere in Switzerland without needing approval from the cantonal authorities to do so.
I think I was in the situation you describe some years ago, non-EU B permit, changing cantons. I can explain some details:
As non-EU permit holder, your future employer in Zürich needs to do the paperwork to be able to hire a non-EU worker for the open position. They apply for this with your profile, your future employer attaches to the application a nice letter telling that hiring you will generate lots of gains for the business, etc. Once the canton says “you can hire this person”, you can find a place to live and move to ZH. That’s the prior approval you mentioned above.
After you move, you arrive to the municipality in ZH and apply for residence. But, your job contract and permit to be hired are already approved (precondition to apply for residence).
After you apply for residence in ZH, you submit the form to canton Geneva and your tax liability there ends. In may case, previous canton played a bit hard and they didn’t want to let me go because tax revenue. Some week later I received a letter from the new municipality that the application was successful and they welcomed me. I forwarded this letter and the previous municipality did their job.
Geneva has no power to prevent you from leaving. All they do is to check that you registered somewhere else, became tax liable in the new place and then stop taxing you.
GE had issued me a B permit on the premise I would work and live in GE. VD didn’t want me to work in VD but was happy for me to live (and spend) there. I argued I couldn’t afford to live in GE, the only accommodation I could find was a three bedroom flat costing around f3000 a month.
GE agreed as did VD with the restriction I couldn’t work there. That restriction remained on my B permit until it became a C after 10 years residence. It was OK as I stayed with the same employer in GE for 25 years before retiring.