Even though politics (like everything else) slows down in Switzerland during the summer months, some topics and debates focused on foreign nationals are ongoing. This is what’s happening right now.
Wages
A new government study found that, overall, foreign employees are paid less than their Swiss counterparts for comparable jobs.
The disparities are greatest between Swiss and foreign men, with the former earning 18 percent more on average.
What’s more, these differences have remained steadfast since 2022: since that time, salaries have increased by 5.5 percent for Swiss employees, but only by 4.1 percent for foreigners.
“Overall, this wage differential in favour of Swiss employees over foreign workers was found regardless of the permit category,” the Federal Statistical Office noted.
READ ALSO: Foreigners in Switzerland paid far less than Swiss workers, study claims
Foreigners cost health insurance companies less than Swiss citizens
Despite right-wing claims to the contrary, data from the Federal Statistical Office shows that foreign patients cost health insurance companies nearly 1,000 francs less per year than Swiss citizens.
This difference is explained in part by the age structure of the foreign population: immigrants in Switzerland are mostly of working age, while the Swiss have a higher proportion of retirees, whose healthcare tends to be more expensive, especially in the later years of life.
Many foreigners return to their home countries before retirement, so no longer access Swiss healthcare.
Study sheds ‘new’ light on immigrants in Switzerland
A research team from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and the University of Geneva analysed data containing millions of entries from censuses, population registers, and Switzerland’s central migration information system, to find out how the profile of immigrants has changed over the years.
It found that the public perception of immigrants is shaped by the outdated image from the 1990s, when numerous, predominantly Muslim asylum seekers from the Balkans came to Switzerland with the intention of staying permanently.
This image no longer reflects reality today, however.
“Most immigrants come here to pursue an education or pursue a career opportunity, but half leave the country after five to ten years,” according to EPFL’s Mathias Lerch, the study’s lead author.
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Bilateral agreement with the EU
The treaty, concluded between Bern ad Brussels in December 2024, covers some changes to the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP), under which European Union citizens can work in Switzerland.
These modifications set the terms for employment-based immigration, new ‘permanent residency’ status, as well as laxer family reunification rules.
You can find out more about these changes here: How could Switzerland’s new treaties with the EU impact immigration?
Other recent developments concern non-resident foreign nationals, whose presence impacts Switzerland nonethless:
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‘Drop-in’ foreigners no longer welcome in Swiss swimming facilities
After groups of young people from neighbouring France repeatedly misbehaved at a public pool in Porrentruy (Jura), the municipal council banned them from visiting the facility again until August 31st.
Only Swiss citizens, those who have permanent residency and people with a valid Swiss work permit will be allowed to use the pool during this time.
Soon after, Basel, which borders both France and Germany, also cited “problematic behaviour,” including harassment, aggression, and disrespect as a reason for its decision to ban people from across the border from using its swimming pools.
READ ALSO: One more Swiss city bans foreigners from its swimming pools
Following the example set by these two cities, the Ticino municipality of Mendrisio also wants to implement such a restriction at its swimming facility at peak times like weekends and national holidays.
In this case, Italians would be targeted.
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MPs want to levy a tax on foreign motorists transiting through Switzerland
In order to prevent traffic jams at key roads, such as the Gotthard tunnel – a gateway between Switzerland and Italy that is frequently congested – 90 deputies are seeking to impose special fees on foreigners transiting through the country during heavy travel periods.
At this point, this is only a proposal, which the parliament will debate in more detail during future sessions.
