Foreigners in Switzerland have lower quality of life
Swiss residents who have foreign roots, especially foreign nationals, have a much lower quality of life on average than native Swiss people, according to new statistics. But nuances between different groups of foreigners exist.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/dos
Español
es
La calidad de vida en Suiza es inferior para los extranjeros
In 2018, 38% of residents in Switzerland, or 2,686,000 people, had a migration background, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reported on TuesdayExternal link. This represents a 1.5% increase on 2017. The most common nationalities among this group were (naturalized) Swiss (36%), Italian (10%), and German (10%).
The FSO said there is a link between having a migration background and achieving a high quality of life – measured along both objective (housing, education, work situation, etc.) and subjective (reported satisfaction) criteria.
The general trend is that native Swiss have a better quality of life than the immigrant-origin population, while within this latter, it’s also better to be naturalized Swiss than not.
However, the FSO also establishes distinctions within this non-Swiss group, saying that citizens of northern and western Europe have above-average conditions, while those from eastern Europe and from non-European countries have a worse quality across the board.
This group has a lower level of education, insufficient social relations, financial difficulties and worse health – four factors that can also complicate their entry into the job market and their income potential, the FSO wrote.
This group also reported higher than normal levels of stress and dissatisfaction, as well as difficulties in accessing housing.
Across all nationalities and origins, the report also noted that unemployed people face the most difficult challenges when it comes to securing a decent quality of life.
The term “population with a migration background”, as defined by the statistical office, refers to anyone – foreign nationals, naturalised Swiss citizens, as well as Swiss citizens at birth – whose parents were both born abroad.
More
More
Defining the 25% foreign population in Switzerland
This content was published on
For the first time, Switzerland has 2 million foreigners living in its midst. But just who exactly are they? These graphics offer an explanation.
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
This content was published on
Fewer people moved to Switzerland from the European Union and EFTA states as well as third countries in the first half of 2019 than a year ago.
This content was published on
Switzerland’s population increased slightly to 8.5 million last year, according to provisional data from the Federal Statistical Office.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.