Four essays on the labor market assimilation of immigrants in Switzerland

Author(s) : Augustin De Coulon

Source : http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.36551.44963

Abstract:

“Despite this record proportion of foreigners, economic research in the area of
immigration is still somehow lacking in Switzerland. The assimilation process of
immigrants has been particularly little studied. We assert that this lack is related
to the objective of the migration policy conducted by the Swiss authorities until
recently. As showed by Homann-Nowotny (1985), Switzerland never considered itself as an immigration country. Immigration was simply considered as a mean
to full the needs of the economy. The legislation implemented after the end of World War II intended to implement a guest worker system. The objective was to favor a highly mobile immigrant workforce, who could fluctuate with the business cycle. The goal was to prevent as much as possible the settlement of the immigrants in the country. This system really worked only a decade (from 1946 to 58).”