2.5.5 Switzerland: Immigrants, Foreign Workers, and Refugees
Description
This article is from the Switzerland FAQ, by Marc Schaefer schaefer@alphanet.ch with numerous contributions by others.
2.5.5 Switzerland: Immigrants, Foreign Workers, and Refugees
Switzerland has a long tradition of being a country prone to accept
refugees. It has also a relatively high percentage of foreigners (19%,
1995), which is explained only partly by the real difficulties
foreigners may have to become swiss (12 years staying). A nice and
entertaining movie on that subject, even if a little outdated, is
"Schweizermacher" / "Swiss makers" with Walo Luoend and Emile. The
policy of the government, especially regarding refugees has become
harsher.
Despite that, many new laws have been adopted to distinguish between
economic refugees (which do not have the right to be accepted) and
political refugees. There have also been votes on recurrent
anti-foreigner laws, but they have not been accepted by the
people. However, recently, the proposition to diminish the
restrictions on foreigner's flat and houses buyings has been
disapproved by the people (Lex Friedrich, June 95).
Also a simplification of the Swiss naturalization (which would have
made much easier for young foreigner living in CH to become swiss) has
been refused at the federal level. However, some Cantons (e.g. Neuchatel) have
however a lot more relaxed laws: the possibility for a foreigner to
vote and to be elected at the communal level; however, no extension
to the Cantonal level has been accepted. Recently, a new law
authorizing the immigration service to use more powerful means of
controlling immigration has been accepted (Constraints measures).
This however applies mainly to refugees.
Switzerland has made apologies (1995) to the Jewish people for the
attitude in World War II (Swiss official policy was not to accept
Jews; fortunately, however, many Swiss citizens have ignored the law,
fortunately. This is discussed in details in section 3.11).
The statute about foreigners who come to work for a season in Switzerland
(seasonal workers, A permit) is also being debated, being considered
unfair status by the EU as part of the bilateral agreements.
University students can work to some extent (REALLY?) but are not at
all allowed to bring their families to Switzerland (including wife and
children), like A licensees (see section 2.9.1Military service for details on the
Swiss permits and Swiss citizenship).
Continue to:
My Books
