4 ms·

Is it much easier in the EU? For example, can I go to Switzerland or France and easily get permanent residency?

by pkaye 11y ago

hyperion_ 11y ago
Switzerland is not a part of the EU.
- eax_ 11y ago
  Right, but it's part of the Schengen area, which also covers most of the EU countries, so once you got a visa to e.g. France, you're free to work and live in Switzerland as well.
  - avz 11y ago
    Nope. There are many different types of Schengen visa [1] and it generally does not allow you to work. For this you need a national visa from a specific member state [2]. So, no, if you get a work permit in France, you are not free to live and work in Switzerland. In fact, EU citizens generally need a residency and work permit if they wish to live and work there. [1] http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-types/ http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-types/ [2] http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/frequently-asked-questions-schengen-visa/ http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/frequently-asked-questions-s...
    - jahnu 11y ago
      > In fact, EU citizens generally need a residency and work permit if they wish to live and work there. No, they generally don't. https://www.ch.ch/en/working-switzerland-eu-efta/ https://www.ch.ch/en/working-switzerland-eu-efta/
      - avz 11y ago
        From the page: "For employment lasting longer than three months, a residence permit is required." I named their permit incorrectly: should be "residence permit" instead of "residency and work permit". The point remains that EU citizens generally need an official permit to work in Switzerland.
    - semigroupoid 11y ago
      EU citizens have the right to move to and work in any country within the EU. See here: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=457 http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=457
      - cosmolev 11y ago
        Switzerland is not in EU.
        semigroupoid 11y ago
        I thought he meant France. Anyway, the correct link to the Swiss page was already posted.
  - cosmolev 11y ago
    Wrong. You can enter Switzerland with a Schengen visa as a tourist. Finding work in Switzerland is difficult (employer has to prove it can't hire Swiss citizen for this position).
  - jotm 11y ago
    Switzerland is not part of the EU nor Schengen. Eu citizens can travel visa-free to Switzerland, but they can't work there. Same goes for US and many other nationals...
    - jotm 11y ago
      It seems I was wrong about the Schengen part. Switzerland is part of Schengen, which is what allows EU citizens to travel there visa-free.
- pkaye 11y ago
  Alright what about France and Germany?
bnegreve 11y ago
You don't need to do anything inside the Schengen area in order to be allowed to "reside permanently". For the citizenship, it's a different issue I guess.
orkoden 11y ago
It depends where you are from. But it's not that hard for US and Canadian citizens if you have a job or want to study. You won't be thrown out as quickly as in the US.
sampo 11y ago
> Is it much easier in the EU? You still need a job offer to first enter the country, but changing jobs will involve less bureaucracy than in the USA, and after having been employed in the country for 5-10 years, and speaking a local language, you can apply for permanent residency or citizenship yourself, so the hassle of needing you employer to do it for you, does not exist.
- pkaye 11y ago
  In the US, most H1B hires I personally know have had their green card sponsorship started within an year of hire. Then it takes about 2-3 years to get it finalized. I knew of one who even got the process started in 2 months. So there are some differences from other countries but no 5-10 years wait.
  - sampo 11y ago
    > 5-10 years wait I mean, having been in the country 5-10 years, depending on the country, is a requirement of getting the citizenship, not just to to get the process started.
  - storgendibal 11y ago
    Wrong. The green card on EB2 takes 6-8 years for Indian and Chinese born immigrants. On EB3, it can take over 10 years. The green card process involves a per-country quota. Folks from countries other than India, China, and a couple of others get it "finalized" in 2-3 years.

Is it much easier in the EU? For example, can I go to Switzerland or France and easily get permanent residency?

by pkaye 11y ago

Is it much easier in the EU? For example, can I go to Switzerland or France and easily get permanent residency?

hyperion_ 11y ago

Switzerland is not a part of the EU.

eax_ 11y ago
Right, but it's part of the Schengen area, which also covers most of the EU countries, so once you got a visa to e.g. France, you're free to work and live in Switzerland as well.
- avz 11y ago
  Nope. There are many different types of Schengen visa [1] and it generally does not allow you to work. For this you need a national visa from a specific member state [2]. So, no, if you get a work permit in France, you are not free to live and work in Switzerland. In fact, EU citizens generally need a residency and work permit if they wish to live and work there. [1] http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-types/ http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-types/ [2] http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/frequently-asked-questions-schengen-visa/ http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/frequently-asked-questions-s...
  - jahnu 11y ago
    > In fact, EU citizens generally need a residency and work permit if they wish to live and work there. No, they generally don't. https://www.ch.ch/en/working-switzerland-eu-efta/ https://www.ch.ch/en/working-switzerland-eu-efta/
    - avz 11y ago
      From the page: "For employment lasting longer than three months, a residence permit is required." I named their permit incorrectly: should be "residence permit" instead of "residency and work permit". The point remains that EU citizens generally need an official permit to work in Switzerland.
  - semigroupoid 11y ago
    EU citizens have the right to move to and work in any country within the EU. See here: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=457 http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=457
    - cosmolev 11y ago
      Switzerland is not in EU.
      - semigroupoid 11y ago
        I thought he meant France. Anyway, the correct link to the Swiss page was already posted.
- cosmolev 11y ago
  Wrong. You can enter Switzerland with a Schengen visa as a tourist. Finding work in Switzerland is difficult (employer has to prove it can't hire Swiss citizen for this position).
- jotm 11y ago
  Switzerland is not part of the EU nor Schengen. Eu citizens can travel visa-free to Switzerland, but they can't work there. Same goes for US and many other nationals...
  - jotm 11y ago
    It seems I was wrong about the Schengen part. Switzerland is part of Schengen, which is what allows EU citizens to travel there visa-free.
pkaye 11y ago
Alright what about France and Germany?

bnegreve 11y ago

You don't need to do anything inside the Schengen area in order to be allowed to "reside permanently". For the citizenship, it's a different issue I guess.

orkoden 11y ago

It depends where you are from. But it's not that hard for US and Canadian citizens if you have a job or want to study. You won't be thrown out as quickly as in the US.

sampo 11y ago

> Is it much easier in the EU? You still need a job offer to first enter the country, but changing jobs will involve less bureaucracy than in the USA, and after having been employed in the country for 5-10 years, and speaking a local language, you can apply for permanent residency or citizenship yourself, so the hassle of needing you employer to do it for you, does not exist.

pkaye 11y ago
In the US, most H1B hires I personally know have had their green card sponsorship started within an year of hire. Then it takes about 2-3 years to get it finalized. I knew of one who even got the process started in 2 months. So there are some differences from other countries but no 5-10 years wait.
- sampo 11y ago
  > 5-10 years wait I mean, having been in the country 5-10 years, depending on the country, is a requirement of getting the citizenship, not just to to get the process started.
- storgendibal 11y ago
  Wrong. The green card on EB2 takes 6-8 years for Indian and Chinese born immigrants. On EB3, it can take over 10 years. The green card process involves a per-country quota. Folks from countries other than India, China, and a couple of others get it "finalized" in 2-3 years.