Migrations extra-communautaires

This Diplomacy Dialogue paper focuses on the increasing shortage of semi-skilled labour in Switzerland and the need to explore new solutions to this labour market imbalance such as through sustainable and planed trans-continental labour migration. The New Aliens Act, which entered into force in January 2008 favours foreign workers from member states of the EU / EFTA at the expense of third country workers. It reflects the intensity of economic and political relations that Switzerland has with the member countries of the EU / EFTA, for instance through bilateral agreements. As a result, the Aliens Act provides access for citizens of EU / EFTA whatever their skills are. However, despite this open access for EU based workers, demand for high skilled and semi-skilled labour remains high. To close the gap in regard to highly skilled labour, Switzerland is recruiting a growing number of EU nationals and highly skilled workers from the United States and Asian countries. However, closing the gap of semi-skilled labour through recruitment of workers outside Europe is not on the agenda of the Swiss authorities but should be in order to sustain Switzerland‘ long-term economic development.

 20100625-Migrations extra-communautaires février 2010.pdf (481.53 kB)