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In Switzerland, immigration from EU countries is deeper than it has been for a long time. According to a report by the federal government, the effects of displacement on the Swiss labor market are barely detectable.
Since the vote on the mass immigration initiative, immigration from the EU has declined significantly. (Walter Bieri / Keystone)
Just a few years ago, immigration to Switzerland was a very controversial subject. In this context, the mass immigration initiative, which warned against uncontrolled immigration and strong wage pressure, was hardly approved by the people and the authorities in February 2014. Since then, the situation is clearly relaxed. As noted by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) in its latest report of observation on the agreement on the free movement of people with l & # 39; 39, EU, net immigration from EU countries rose to 31,250 last year. This is 11% less than the previous year and more than 54% less than in 2013, the year when net migration (less emigrant immigrants) to the EU was 53,950 people.
The main reason for the low immigration is the late 2017 economic development still moderate in Switzerland and the successful economy in Europe. Since the economic recovery has also stabilized in Southern Europe and employment prospects have improved, immigration to Switzerland has also decreased considerably in relation to these countries. In the case of Portugal, there were still more emigrants than immigrants. On the other hand, Italy, whose economy is underperforming, remains an important recruitment country for the Swiss labor market. Immigration remained stable against Germany and France. The immigration of workers from Romania and Bulgaria has increased. Overall, however, Switzerland remains a country of secondary destination for East European workers, writes Seco.
Many who leave Switzerland
According to Seco, the results shed new light on the high level of immigration of previous years: almost half of the people who arrived in Switzerland in 2009 took the retired five years later. Obviously, it is not generally assumed that immigrants will remain in the labor market in the long run, according to the report.
The trend of appeasement is expected to continue. Also in the first few months of the current year, no resurgence of immigration has been found, she continues. Cumulative immigration for the months of January to May 2018 was 4% lower than the value for the same period last year. The problem is therefore rather too weak an immigration: Swiss companies tend to have more difficulties in recruiting EU workers, predicted Seco experts.
Barely to the detriment of the Swiss population
The EU depends on the labor market and, according to Seco, it does not go to the detriment of the rest of the population. Despite a strong labor migration, Swiss nationals and third-country nationals may have increased their employment rates between 2010 and 2017. The risk of unemployment has remained constant low. Wage growth in recent years has been mainly in line with economic developments. The distribution of wages has remained balanced. For example, despite immigration into low-skilled occupations, low wages could match wages in the medium-term skills area. At the upper end of the pay scale, however, the additional supply of skilled workers from the EU zone counterbalanced stronger wage growth.
Recent results show that immigrants often earn slightly lower incomes than Swiss immigrants shortly after immigration. However, they can catch up with the natives or even surpass their incomes
The necessary measures of accompaniment in spite of the calm
The measures of accompaniment of the labor market set up for the free movement of people would have worked well and would be needed Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, director of Seco, during the presentation of the report. These measures have contributed significantly to effectively containing the undesirable effects of the free movement of persons on wages and working conditions. We have found a good balance that will ensure the flexibility of our labor market while providing the necessary protection for workers. With the newly introduced job notification requirement, another instrument is available. Employers must post job offers with an unemployment rate of at least 8% to the VAR.
High Demand for Skilled Labor
Two groups of immigrants have been particularly important to the Swiss labor market in recent years: skilled workers with high professional qualifications and people with low levels of education. qualified as aids and seasonal workers. The group of highly qualified people continues to constitute the majority: among immigrants, 54% of people have higher education; the proportion was 70% for immigrants from France, 63% for Germany, 50% for Italy and 13% for Portugal. According to the Seco report, the majority of highly skilled immigrants remain employed according to their level of qualification. It's not that they also work in low-skilled professions and that they compete with non-graduates. This is also reflected in wages: For example, immigrants with a university degree on average earn wages similar to those of comparable locals. Some salary deductions were only accepted by well educated people from Southern and Eastern Europe. According to Seco, the differences may be due to shortages of language skills.
Least skilled workers have been recruited in European third countries outside the EU in recent years. Meanwhile, immigration to the labor market from non-EU countries is limited to highly skilled workers. Companies seeking foreign workers for simpler functions must look in the EU. Among immigrants within the framework of the free movement of persons with the EU, 17% in total have only a compulsory education; for immigrants from Portugal, the share is particularly high at 59%, among Italians 18% do not have post-compulsory education, while Eastern Europeans have 8% and Northwestern Europeans 4%.
The demand for Swiss labor is ultimately also the consequence of the highest qualification of Swiss citizens. The bottom line is that immigration from the EU is highly complementary not only to the top but also to the lower end of the qualification spectrum, the Seco report continues.
Immigrants tend to be unemployed
Potential problems of unemployment and social assistance were also examined. Overall, it has been found that the risk of unemployment for foreigners is higher, while the social security risk is below average. The unemployment contribution rate for people who immigrated as a result of the free movement of persons was 5.5% in 2016. In comparison, the Swiss ratio was 2.4%. Quotas of 7.3% and 5.8% were recorded for immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe and 4% for North West Europeans
Less well-being social
The social security risk for immigrants remains below average. Low income and precarious employment. However, the proportion of welfare recipients is 2% for EU immigrants, well below the Swiss average of 3.2%; For Swiss citizens, the proportion is 2.6%. According to the Seco report, the proportion of people receiving social assistance in addition to income from work is low among European immigrants: only 1% of the labor force depended on welfare benefits in addition to an income part-time or full-time employee. ; the proportion has remained constant in recent years.
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