Yesterday I was given a termination notice at work - 3 months. My last day of work is May 26th and my B permit goes up to 26th August. I have been in Switzerland (Zurich) for nine years. I just registered online on the RAV site. I have no wish to rush back home (UK). I am worried that I won’t be able to extend my permit if I am on RAV payments.
I guess one option I could have is to take the FIDE test as soon as possible and apply for a C permit.
I would appreciate any insights or wisdom on this topic please.
You have 3 months to find a new job and or get a c permit. Luckily you can work on both at the same time. But I don’t think being on RAV automatically means you get kicked out.
I thought I can contribute here but the case seems a special one.
A few remarks but no idea if they are true in your case:
In my application for the so called early C permit (after 5 years, from a pariah country) - I had to demonstrate “economic integration” and had to sign that I would let the authorities know had my situation changed during the permit processing. However, for the ol’ good countries the C permit was somehow de jure and might have less stringent requirements.
In case of EU citizens (permit B EU/EFTA) the unemployment benefit allowed to extend the B permit until the benefit ends. For the non-EU normally there would be no unemployment benefit at all as they would loose their permit as soon as they lost work, but some people wrote on this forum that they got the unemployment benefit despite having a non EU-EFTA B permit.
If I were in your shoes I would take any job until the permit is sorted out.
As a Brit who obtained the permit before Brexit you won’t be kicked out for being in RAV and your permit will be renewed.
Apply for the C permit as early as you can as that would be useful but not essential.
I know of two people here who had their B permits converted to C whilst claiming RAV so even that’s a possibility.
Thank you all for your replies and support. I have my first RAV appointment today. I have booked myself onto the SDS test for April. I will take pretty much any job offer that comes my way, though my work is somewhat niche. I am a counsellor who works with people with drug and alcohol issues. My German is definitely not good enough to do this work in German. But I have pretty good management, leadership and administration skills. Let’s see what happens.
Just wanted to post a quick update. I took my SDS test in April and managed to get a B1. Chuffed about that. On Tuesday I will go to the Immigration Office with my SDS Certificate, my debt extract (which is clear) and Social Services report (again clear). I also ordered a Police report - it hasn’t arrived yet but I don’t think it’s required in Zurich. I’ll try for a fast Track C permit and hope they don’t contact my employer. Fingers crossed
The Oral part comes in sections. First part is to introduce yourself, second part is about what your job is, and what is a typical day like, then there is a question that I believe varies - something like what would you do if you won the lottery, or who is a person you admire and why. Then come the B2/C1 questions which are more complex. The written/listening part is several multiple choice questions, writing at least two emails in a formal style, e.g. telling your doctor that you can’t make the appointment. Most of the questions from A1 - B2 follow a similar style, just that they increase in complexity.