Naturalisation and Socio-Economic Characteristics of Youth of Immigrant Descent in Switzerland

Author(s) : Rosita Fibbi, Mathias Lerch, Philippe Wanner

Source : http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13691830701541655

Abstract:

Many studies on the generational social mobility of immigrant populations have taken into account the socio-economic characteristics of the immigrant groups on the one hand, and the historical and economic conditions of the receiving society, including the legal framework, on the other. However, little attention has so far been paid to the juridical status of immigrant groups. This paper explores the variation in education and employment performance of young people from different immigrant origins (Italians, Portuguese, Turks, Croats, Kosovars and Serbs) and of different citizenship statuses—naturalised, non-naturalised, and Swiss-by-birth. Inter-ethnic group variations become much more muted when social origin and length of stay are controlled for; however, they do not disappear altogether. Naturalised immigrant youth perform best; indeed in many cases, where they are Swiss-born, they out-perform native Swiss. This performance, however, is overlooked by Swiss society because the acquisition of Swiss citizenship makes it statistically invisible.

 

Keywords: Second Generation, Naturalisation, School Attainment, Economic Integration, Switzerland, Immigration