At its meeting on November 26, 2025, the Federal Council decided that the unilateral safeguard clause relating to Croatia will be reactivated should the number of workers entering Switzerland from Croatia exceed a certain threshold by December 31, 2025. Quotas on the number of Croatian nationals coming to work in Switzerland may thus apply again next year.
The Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) concluded with the European Union was extended to Croatia by an additional protocol, which entered into force on January 1, 2017. This protocol provides for the gradual opening up of the Swiss labor market to Croatian nationals over a period of ten years. Switzerland has the option of activating the safeguard clause one last time in 2026. From January 1, 2027, Croatian nationals will benefit from full freedom of movement, on the same basis as nationals of other EU member states.
This measure may be implemented if, by December 31, 2025, the number of permits issued to Croatian workers reaches 2,004 residence permits (B permits) or 1,116 short-term permits (L permits). As soon as the threshold for either type of permit (B or L) is exceeded, the safeguard clause can be activated.
The Federal Council will decide on this issue in January 2026, based on the permit numbers reached by December 31, 2025. If the thresholds are not reached by that date, Switzerland will not reintroduce quotas for Croatia next year. From January to the end of October of this year, Switzerland issued 1,492 B permits and 656 L permits to Croatian nationals.
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