Switzerland´s Immigration Policy: Lessons for Germany?

With a foreigner share of almost 20 percent and a traditionally tight labourmarket, Switzerland has evolved into an immigration country against its own intention. In thepast, many low-qualified workers originally recruited on a temporary basis were allowed tosettle in Switzerland. This approach collapsed in the early nineties and led to a fundamentalchange in the foreigners policy, which is currently translated into the draft of a new AliensAct. Priority is now given to high-qualified workers with a clear distinction betweentemporary and permanent immigrants. However, Switzerland still seems to adhere to thetraditional labour shortage concept, according to which immigration should mainly serve toreduce the present shortages in the labour market. EU nationals are already treatedfavourably and will enjoy the same treatment as Swiss workers in the labour market followingthe ratification of bilateral agreements between Switzerland, the EU and its member states...