Countries that make refugees wait before they can attempt to find jobs are burdening society with extra welfare costs and lower tax revenue, according to a Swiss-US academic study.
Researchers at Zurich’s Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ) and Stanford University in the United States examined groups of refugees who arrived in Germany either side of an easing of restrictions in that country. A German court ruling in 2000 reduced the time refugees must wait before seeking work from 13-24 months to 12 months.
The study revealed a stark difference in the medium-term employment rates of both groups. Only 29% of those who faced a longer employment ban had found work five years after they arrived in Germany. Nearly half of those refugees who only had to wait 12 months were established in the workforce after the same period.
“Extended, involuntary unemployment can be powerfully demoralizing, a phenomenon other studies have called ‘scar effects’,” the study stated. “Facing a much longer wait may have drained the 1999 group of motivation, and when the employment ban finally lifted, that motivation didn’t suddenly snap back into place.”
The study authors estimated that the more severe ban before 2000 had cost Germany around €40 million (CHF45 million, $46.7 million) per year in welfare payments and lost taxes.
The Swiss migration office on Tuesday published the results of its own study that found that many Swiss employers are put off taking on refugees for fear of extra administrative and financial burdens.
The authorities have put together a six-point plan to provide employers with better access to relevant information, improve communication between different parties and to potentially create employment coaches to help refugees into the workforce.
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Documentary portrays Swiss teenagers forced to return to parents’ homeland
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
AI can reduce the number of animals needed for research
This content was published on
Swiss researchers have developed a new, AI-supported method that analyses the behaviour of mice in the laboratory more efficiently.
Geneva Conventions conference on Middle East scheduled for March 2025
This content was published on
The conference on the Middle East of the 196 States party to the Geneva Conventions, organised by Switzerland, will take place in Geneva in March.
Swiss university graduates are popular hires worldwide
This content was published on
Graduates of Swiss universities are popular with international employers, according to the Global Employability University Rankings.
French cross-border workers in Switzerland fear ‘discriminatory’ unemployment reform
This content was published on
In the French region around Geneva, cross-border workers are protesting proposals to cut unemployment benefits for those working in Switzerland.
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.
Read more
More
Swiss plan to get more refugees into the workforce
This content was published on
Former Special Envoy for Migration Issues, Eduard Gnesa, was commissioned by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) to find out how employers regard refugees as potential workers. He conducted 55 interviews with companies, industry associations, cantonal authorities and integration specialists. The key finding was that companies lack information on the conditions of employment of refugees,…
This content was published on
The promoters of a three-year project for refugees to work on Swiss farms has been hailed as a success, despite organisational shortcomings.
What asylum seekers learn about life, work and love in Switzerland
This content was published on
Integrating into Swiss society can be complex, especially for people who have just arrived from countries like Syria, Afghanistan or Eritrea.
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.