Please sign Andreas Scholl s petition to the Swiss Federal Office for Migration asking them to undo their recent change in policy. All musicians from non-EU countries living in Basel have to demonstrate that they have 75% employment from a single employer in order even to apply for a residency permit. Further restrictions also apply. On September 1, 2014, all professional musicians who had been living and working in Basel for years were informed that they would have to leave Switzerland. The reason given was a change in policy at the Federal Office for Migration. This change in policy makes entirely unrealistic demands on professional musicians: What are the consequences? Many highly-qualified musicians would have to leave the country, because no jobs with 75% employment exist in their specialized field. They would be forced to cease their national and international performing and research activities, which in many cases are connected with music schools and renowned Basel music institutions such as the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis and the Paul Sacher-Stiftung. The reputation and excellence of Basel’s musical life would be threatened. Research, teaching, as well as performance would all suffer from the negative consequences. Fairness for musicians and quality of Basel’s musical life The change in policy for residency permits was unforeseeable for those affected. They have all planned on being able to live and work in and from Basel. In many cases they have signed contracts extending well beyond January 1st 2015 that they must fulfill. It would therefore only be fair if a solution for those affected could be found so that they would not have to leave Basel, and that Basel would not become a “musical wasteland”!
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 04:37:44 +0000
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