Switzerland Limits Number of Bulgarian and Romanian Workers After Influx

GENEVA (AP) — Switzerland’s government says it will temporarily limit the number of workers from European Union member states Bulgaria and Romania who can access Swiss jobs, after an influx from the countries in recent months.

The Federal Council’s decision Wednesday invokes rules of a deal between Switzerland and the EU that generally allows for open-access work rights and freedom of circulation, with some exceptions based on how many people enter. Switzerland is not in the 28-country EU.

Citizens of Romania and Bulgaria, as relatively new EU members, first obtained such enhanced access last July.

But after a relative influx of Bulgarians and Romanians mainly for seasonal construction jobs, the council ordered limiting net immigration from the countries at a total of 996 people over the coming year.

Switzerland has relatively low unemployment.