Portuguese are most frequent senders of remittances from Switzerland

The Portuguese and Swiss flags set up for a diplomatic visit in Geneva. Keystone / Denis Balibouse

In Switzerland – a global frontrunner when it comes to remittance payments – people from Portugal often send smaller amounts, while those from the UK send larger amounts, but less often, a study has found.

For the study published in the “Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies”, researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) interviewed around 3,000 people from various European countries living in Switzerland about money transfers, the UZH said on Thursday.

At least 21% of those surveyed said they send money to their home country at least once a year. For people from Portugal, 46% of all respondents send money home every year. People from Germany (15%) and Italy (13%) are below average.

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The researchers say this is due to the high number of second-generation migrants among those surveyed. In general, such people make fewer remittances due to the lower number and strength of their social relationships in their parents’ home country, researchers said.

No sign of failed integration

According to the study, the average annual amounts also differ greatly depending on nationality. People from the UK transfer around CHF4,000 ($4,447) each, followed by Portugal with CHF2,200 and Germany with CHF1,100. The contributions for Bosnia-Herzegovina are lowest (CHF324).

Immigrants from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Italy and Serbia said they often use the money transfers to support family and friends, while Portuguese migrants mainly transfer the money to their own accounts.

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The payments depend on successful integration into the labour market and therefore on a high income of the migrants as well as on their ties to their home country. According to the study, identification with Switzerland, the home country, perceived discrimination and knowledge of the Swiss national languages do not play a role. Money transfers are not a sign of failed integration, the researchers emphasised.

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