A man carries a poster of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) that states ‘Enough is enough!’ during a meeting of the party’s delegates in Brugg, Switzerland. EPA
A man carries a poster of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) that states ‘Enough is enough!’ during a meeting of the party’s delegates in Brugg, Switzerland. EPA
A man carries a poster of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) that states ‘Enough is enough!’ during a meeting of the party’s delegates in Brugg, Switzerland. EPA
A man carries a poster of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) that states ‘Enough is enough!’ during a meeting of the party’s delegates in Brugg, Switzerland. EPA

World

Swiss voters to decide on EU immigration pact

Opponents say the plan would rob businesses of skilled workers

Nicky Harley
Nicky Harley
London

September 27, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Voters in Switzerland are set to decide on Sunday whether to annul a pact with the European Union on the free movement of people, an important test of attitudes towards foreigners, who make up a quarter of the country’s population.

The right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) – the biggest in parliament – has led the charge to take back control of immigration, echoing some of the arguments pro-Brexit politicians used in the run-up to Britain’s exit from the bloc.

But a poll for policy research company gfs.bern found 63 per cent of respondents oppose the SVP proposal and 35 per cent support it, suggesting voters want stability at a time of economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

The SVP has painted a gloomy picture of young foreigners supplanting older Swiss, house price increases, overcrowded schools and transport, and construction running wild.

Opponents say the plan would rob businesses of skilled workers and torpedo accords that enhance non-EU member Switzerland’s access to the bloc’s single market.

A “guillotine clause” means ending free movement would topple other bilateral pacts on land and air transport, procurement, research and technical barriers to trade.

The country had 2.1 million resident foreigners in 2019. Sixty-eight per cent of these were citizens of EU states, or of Iceland, Norway or Liechtenstein, which like Switzerland are members of the European Free Trade Association. More than 450,000 Swiss citizens live in the EU.

Should the referendum drive fail, as is expected, the government can turn to its biggest foreign policy headache – a stalled treaty that would cement ties with the bloc but which critics say infringes too much on Swiss sovereignty.

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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

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