With a tax on cross-border commuters: Italy wants to deprive Switzerland of its nurses

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Only a few kilometers separate informal caregivers from much more money. At least if you live in Italy and work in a Swiss hospital. Because many Italians do this, there is a shortage of between 400 and 500 doctors and nurses in the provinces of Como and Varese alone, writes ‘Le Temps’. Now the Italian government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (47) is taking measures.

Under the budget law, which came into effect at the beginning of this year, cross-border commuters are required to pay between three and six percent of their net income from Switzerland. The aim is to ensure that doctors and nurses can work in Italy. Moreover, their wages should also be increased. The criticism from Italian cross-border commuters is therefore great. And concern is also growing in Switzerland.

“Hospitals dependent on cross-border commuters”

According to the Ticino Health Department, of the 4,250 nurses in hospitals, clinics or nursing homes, more than a third, namely 36 percent, were Italian cross-border commuters, as ‘Le Temps’ writes. There are also 525 people from other nursing professions and 208 doctors who work as cross-border commuters in Ticino.

The rule is not well received by Ticino councilor Alex Farinelli (42). “We have seen during the pandemic that Swiss hospitals are dependent on cross-border commuters,” he tells Blick. He fears the new tax will keep cross-border commuters away. “The fewer people come, the bigger the problem becomes.”

However, much is still unclear for Farinelli. “We don’t know whether Italy can even introduce the tax and how it will be designed.” There is also resistance to the measure in Italy.

SP national councilor Sarah Wyss (35) tells Blick that cross-border commuters are “indispensable” for a functioning economy. However, she also holds Switzerland responsible in the healthcare sector. “I expect that Switzerland will finally take its responsibility and firstly train enough specialists and secondly improve working conditions.”

Are there legal consequences?

Although there is no fear of mass layoffs in hospitals, they will monitor the situation closely, a spokesperson for hospitals in Ticino told ‘Le Temps’. Admittedly, it is becoming more expensive to work in Switzerland, but the pay gap remains large.

The Italian tax will probably still be discussed. The rule could conflict with several international agreements, says FDP-Farinelli. “It wouldn’t be a surprise if there were legal issues. Italy does what it wants.” It is reminiscent of the blacklist of tax evaders, from which Switzerland was only removed last year.

For example, Switzerland has a cross-border shuttle agreement with Italy. This has also been true since the beginning of this year and is intended to eliminate double taxation. In response to Blick’s request, the State Secretariat for International Financial Affairs writes that it is aware of the new measure and is currently analyzing it.

Source:Blick