I have a quick question. Let me explain the context first:
I am French and lived in Switzerland from 2018 to 2022. My boyfriend and I left last year as he had a 12-month mission in France with his current company. The mission is ending and we are going back to Lausanne in August (we have the apartment and everything).
I quit my job in CH to follow him in France and now I am looking for a new one. I started looking a month ago and got several interviews that did not go the way I expected (I work in Marketing and competition is fierce in this field and not being physically in Switzerland does not help).
I am afraid I won't be getting a job before we actually move like we planned. Summer is usually a dead end when it comes to recruitment in my field.
We are not married yet (it is planned for next year). Do you guys know if there is a permit that would allow me to stay in Switzerland legally while looking for a job? I'm sure I'll find one before December but these things can take time.
I've looked on the Lausanne city official website and they specify that you can stay up to three months to look for a job but they don't explain much. People also told us that my boyfriend could "sponsor" me officially while I am looking. There seems to be some kind of form that we could fill on which he'd claim he'd pay for me (insurance and all) while I am unemployed.
Has anyone been through a process like that before?
I'm gathering information before directly asking the Canton.
And yes we thought about not saying anything and I'd just live between CH and France while looking for a job, the problem is that most of the things we own are in my name and the moving company is asking me to register to the Population Registry Office. We'd like to make things as legal as possible.
AFAIK for EU nationals there's really no limit as there's a freedom of movement as long as you can sustain yourself financially. Since you are not married it will probably be enough for you to declare that you are living in a concubine to have your boyfriend warrant your financial means.
Sorry, I don't know first hand how to get through it. I know a story about the opposite. A woman on an EU B permit inquired about a social aid as her financial situation became difficult, in response she received a letter that her B permit is cancelled as she is not self sufficient, giving her two weeks to leave Switzerland.
As an EU national you can be here for up to 3 months as a tourist to look for work. If you don’t find a job in that time you can apply for a job seeker L permit for another 3 months. Not sure if that can be extended for another 3 months if necessary these days; used to be, but that may have been tightened up.
Your bf can apply for a concubine permit for you. The requirements for Vaud are outlined here:
As you plan to get married and if you have a definite date then you might be able to get a permit which allows you to be here to help with planning the wedding.
Tbh 1 would probably be the easiest option for you.
Thanks a lot to both of you for your reply. I think I'm just gonna look for a job and ask for an extension if I don't find one in the time I am allowed.
In case it goes south, we can indeed share the fact that we have a wedding date.
As an EU citizen, as long as you work for at least 12 hours per week, and can demonstrate that you can support yourself (low rental sub-let contract from your partner in whose name the apartment is, obligatory medical insurance, plus about Fr. 900 per month), you will get a B-permit to live here. EU citizens can freely change jobs and cantons, as they wish.
Therefore, you could also consider taking a different job from your ideal career step, as a temporary measure, while you're job-hunting for the Real Thing.
Thanks for your reply ! Thoses temporary jobs are actually pretty hard to come by. When I wanted to start my company I actually thought about taking a part-time side job (starbucks, Mcdonalds, etc) but my CV basically scared the companies.
this is the best and normal option. Your boyfriend would have to sign that he will support you and your permit will be linked to him until you have a job.
you simply need to register together and state that he will support you financially. This is all they care about.