Press release on Switzerland’s lifting of restrictions on labour market access for Croats

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia has received with satisfaction the news of the decision of the Federal Council of the Swiss Confederation to lift restrictions on access to the Swiss labour market in for Croatian nationals 2026, following the fact that the number of work permits issued in 2025 remained below the thresholds envisaged for the activation of the safeguard clause.

Accordingly, as of 1 January 2026, the full regime of free movement shall apply to Croatian nationals, without quantitative restrictions or transitional mechanisms, in accordance with the provisions of Protocol III to the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons between the Swiss Confederation and the European Union.

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs welcomes the achievement of full equality of nationals of the Republic of Croatia with those of other member states of the EU and EFTA with regard to access to the Swiss labour market, namely the completion of the process of equalisation of this right.

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