A Swiss parliamentary committee has approved a proposal to impose an immigration fee on EU and third-country workers if post-Bilateral III labor inflows exceed thresholds. The Council of States’ responsible committee voted 7-0 with six abstentions on Tuesday, according to parliamentary services cited by AWP.
The levy would apply to employed persons entering via companies, as well as adult family members joining them, once the protective clause negotiated under Bilateral III is triggered by excessive immigration. The committee framed the measure as a tool to incentivize greater utilization of Switzerland’s domestic labor potential while generating revenues to be redistributed to the population.
The proposal is part of Switzerland’s implementation framework for the EU treaty package, designed to supplement the protective clause that activates if migration rises too sharply after Bilateral III takes effect. The committee did not specify the fee’s amount or timing, stating further legislative detail would follow.
