Geopolitics, Diplomacy and Small States: Immigration Challenges in Switzerland Essay

Introduction

Switzerland is considered a relatively small country by land area and population when compared with other major European countries. With a geographical area of 41,290 square kilometers and a population of 8,715,494, the country ranks 31st and 19th in land area and population respectively, in Europe (Rosenberger, Stern and Merhaut, 2018). In this case study, the focus is on the country’s population, which has been growing consistently over the past decade. The challenge that the country faces is that the population growth is largely attributed to increased immigration. Steiner and Wanner (2019) explain that Switzerland is one of the European nations that have witnessed a significant growth of economic immigrant and asylum seekers from other parts of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, South America and other parts of the world.

The Arab Spring that started in 2010 led to a high number of asylum seekers moving to Europe, including Switzerland (Steiner and Wanner, 2019). Then there is a significant number of those who come to the country illegally or choose to remain in the country even when their visas have expired. The high number of immigrants, some of whom are in the country illegally, poses major challenges in the security, health, education, transport, and housing sectors. In this study, the aim is to propose, based on research, ways in which the country can address this issue through its foreign affairs policies.

The Nature of the Problem

Switzerland is one of the signatories of the Refugee Convention of 1951. It means that the country is obligated to accept people fleeing their countries because of political persecution or other factors that make them qualified as refugees (Thorhallsson, 2006). The country has been dealing with economic immigrants, especially from Eastern Europe for decades. The problem has been manageable because most of them were coming with work visas. However, there was a sudden change of trend from 2010 because of the Arab Spring. Starting in North Africa and spreading rapidly to the Middle East, many governments were brought down because of the civil unrest. According to Rosenberger, Stern and Merhaut (2018), it is estimated that 61,000 people lost their lives and another 12.4 million others were displaced. The majority of those who were displaced went to Europe. Switzerland is one of the nations that had to accommodate these refugees.

The increasing number of refugees in the country was already a major concern even before the Arab Spring crisis. Efionayi, Niederberger, and Wanner (2005, para. 3) observe that “according to the 2000 census, 22.4 percent of the total population of 7.4 million is foreign-born, and 20.5 percent, or nearly 1.5 million, are foreigners, defined as persons with a foreign nationality.” The population of foreigners in the country has been growing steadily over the last two decades in the country. The crisis in the MENA region only made the problem worse. Currently, Switzerland is one of the few countries in Europe with such a high concentration of foreign nationals. The current foreign policies of the country have remained ineffective in regulating the influx of foreigners in the country. Although some of these immigrants are genuine asylum seekers, the majority are economic immigrants who are in the country temporarily. They remit most of their earnings back to their home countries where they intend to retire after some time in this country. The complex nature of their presence in the country poses numerous challenges to the government as it plans for its citizens.

How the Problem Affects Switzerland as a Small Country

The assumption of the drafters of the Refugee Convention of 1951 was that asylum-seeking is temporary and that the refugees would be expected to go back to their homeland once normalcy is restored. However, that has not been the case, especially among those coming from developing nations of Africa and Asia to developed nations of Europe. The majority of these immigrants opt to stay in the country for as long as possible, with some even acquiring citizenship of the host country. In Switzerland, about 25% of the total population are immigrants (Steiner and Wanner, 2019). The following are some of the specific challenges that are associated with the high rate of immigration in the country.

Affordable Housing Challenges

When immigrants come to the country, one of the basic needs that they require is accommodation. Some have the financial capacity to pay rent in different parts of the country. Many others take up jobs, which means that they can also pay for their accommodation. The problem is that when the number of immigrants is significantly higher than the supply for affordable housing. The effect of the population influx is that it creates a sudden increase in the purchase and rental price of houses in the country (Grøn and Wivel, 2011). The problem does not only affect the foreigners but locals as well who are forced to pay more to rent or purchase houses in major cities. The problem is causing homelessness among those who could previously afford to pay their rent in major cities in the country. Some of the locals are forced to stay in city suburbs where the cost of housing is still low.

Security Challenges

One of the major concerns for policy-makers and administrators in the country is the deterioration of security, which is directly linked to the high number of immigrants in the country. According to Thorhallsson (2012), radicalization is a common problem in the MENA region and the west is often considered the enemy. As such, these terrorists are always in constant effort to execute an attack on American and European countries and installations around the world (Pedi and Kouskouvelis, 2019). Some of those leaving the MENA region as refugees are members of terror groups or their sympathizers who have plans of attacking specific European nations. While they are taken in on humanitarian grounds, these criminals often have ulterior motives, mostly to attack civilian installations such as schools, churches, sports arenas, and transport vessels, often considered soft targets (Mohammadzadeh, 2017). Such cases have been witnessed in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France among other European nations.

A recent case where an Islamic extremist fatally stabbed a man in Morges, Vaud canton is an indication that residents of this country are not safe from these terrorists (Associated Press, 2020). It is almost impossible for the government to screen these immigrants and identify the terrorists unless they are already on the radar of the international intelligence and security agencies. Security organs in the country have to find an effective way of dealing with this emerging security threat.

Employment Challenges

Switzerland is a relatively small country, in terms of population, when compared to other European nations such as Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Germany. The number of companies in the country has also been limited but sufficient to sustain the local labor market (Wivel, 2016). The sudden surge in the number of job seekers has created an employment crisis in the country. Some of those migrating to the country have high academic qualifications and experience, making them more desirable for some of the local employers than some citizens. They are also less demanding than local employees. The effect is that some of the locals are losing their jobs to foreigners. As the number of potential employees continues to increase, many firms are lowering their minimum wages to maximize their profits. It has led to the problem of underemployment in some parts of the country.

Integration, Racism and Discrimination Challenges

Integration of immigrants remains one of the biggest challenges when addressing the problem of immigration in the country. German, French and Italian are the common languages in Switzerland. Some of those who migrate to this country from the Arab countries, Africa, and parts of Asia cannot communicate effectively in any of these languages (Steiner and Wanner, 2019). A few of the immigrants can speak English, a language that about 45% of the locals can use. The language barrier slows down the ability of these immigrants to be absorbed into the societal systems. Besides the language barrier, there is also the culture shock among the migrants that slow the integration. Some of the common Islamic practices are uncommon in Switzerland. It takes some time for the visitors to understand and embrace these new practices in the country.

Cases of racism and discrimination have also been reported by a section of these immigrants. One of the causes of the discrimination is the constant suspicion directed against Islamic immigrants that they may be members of terror groups interested in planning major attacks (Pedi and Wivel, 2020). Recent attacks in other parts of Europe justify such fears, but it slows the integration process. Some employers in the country prefer hiring locals because of similar fears or out of the desire to protect jobs for the locals. Such discrimination and discord create hatred between locals and foreigners. It makes it difficult for security agencies to gather intelligence that can help in facilitating the arrest of criminals and terror-minded individuals among the migrants.

Healthcare and Education Services Challenges

In every fiscal year, the government plans for various services for its citizens, which include healthcare and education. A specific number of healthcare facilities and personnel are needed to serve a given population within the country (Paul, 2019). When there is a sudden increase in the number of immigrants, the healthcare facilities will be strained. The situation is worsened by the fact that immigrants are more likely to get ill primarily because of the change of environment. Local hospitals have to serve a higher population than had been previously planned. The quality of service and the time it takes for residents to access them is negatively affected. If these immigrants come with school-going children, they have to be enrolled in local learning institutions. Because they were not budgeted for in the current fiscal year, local schools will be constrained. The poor quality services that result from the constraint not only affects the foreigners but also the locals.

Anti-Immigration Politics

The government is constantly under pressure to address the problem of immigration, and most of it comes from political leaders. The challenges associated with uncontrolled immigration are obvious for all the citizens of the country. The political class, especially those in the opposition, is keen on capitalizing on this problem to gain political mileage (Paul, 2019). They are fully aware that this problem goes beyond internal policies as it affects foreign relation policies of the state. However, they directly accuse the government of allowing foreigners into the country without taking into considerations locals’ interests. On the one hand, the government has an international duty to accept refugees under the Refugee Convention of 1951 and many other international policies (Wivel, 2016). On the other hand, it has to deal with negative publicity and criticism from the political class. The government has to be careful when addressing this unique challenge that it faces. While trying to abide by international laws, it also has the responsibility of protecting the interest of its citizens.

Proposed Solutions

The government of Switzerland must acknowledge the uniqueness of this problem and find an effective way of addressing it. Some of the proposed strategies will require foreign policy changes. It may need to work closely with some of its neighbors and the European Union to find a lasting way of addressing this problem.

Providing Safe Alternative to Some Immigrants

The government should find internal solutions to the problems above before seeking the support of foreign partners. One of the ways of addressing economic and crime-related challenges is to provide safe alternatives to some immigrants (Paul, 2019). Instead of confining them to refugee camps in specific locations, they can be allowed to work in agriculture, transport, or any other sector that is often shunned by the locals. Allowing these refugees to work enhances their integration into society. Most of them will not have time to engage in terror or crime-related activities. They will realize that the country values them and is willing to allow them to take part in the active development of the economy.

Contingency Financial Plans

The analysis above shows that the government rarely plans for these immigrants, especially if they come to the country illegally. As such, the quality of services in education and healthcare among others is compromised. This problem can be addressed by having a contingency financial plan that allows it to increase its expenditure when necessary. Such plans will allow the government to expand its healthcare and education sector when necessary to meet the emerging needs created by the migrants. Statistics show that the majority of these migrants are rarely willing to leave the country (Mohammadzadeh, 2017). It means that the increased capacity in these sectors will serve the country for a long time.

Improved Screening before Admitting Refugees

One of the major concerns for the locals associated with immigrants is compromised security. There is a constant fear that some of these migrants, working closely with international terror groups, may plan and execute major attacks targeting civilians. Given the fact that the state cannot reject asylum seekers, the government has an obligation to screen them before allowing them into the country (Pedi and Wivel, 2020). In cases where screening cannot be done at the entry points, the process can be done internally before they can be released into refugee camps or to the general masses.

Working closely with international security agencies such as Interpol, Central Intelligence Agency, Mossad, Military Intelligence Section 6, and Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation among others, the Federal Intelligence Service (Nachrichtendienst des Bundes) should gather information about these immigrants. The goal should be to identify those who have interacted with a known extremist organization or their perceived sympathizers. Such individuals should be denied admission and relevant measures taken to deport them out of the nation. International conventions guiding the handling of refugees allow a country to deny anyone believed to pose a security threat asylum status.

Develop Policies against Human Smuggling

Illegal immigration in Switzerland is partly caused by human smuggling in the country. Switzerland is one of the destination countries for people who are smuggled to work in the sex industry (Pedi and Kouskouvelis, 2019). Others are taken to the country to become domestic workers at significantly low pay. In most cases, they come as tourists, while others claim that they come to visit friends or family members (Pedi and Wivel, 2020). Once they are in the country, their travel documents are confiscated and they are condemned to a life of slavery. The government, through its intelligence and security agencies, should crackdown on organizations responsible for such syndicates. There should be a proper verification of those allowed into the country through tourist visas. New policies should be developed allowing and enabling the government to trace these visitors upon the expiry of theirs visas.

Engaging All Political Leaders in Addressing the Problem

The government needs to engage the opposition leaders when developing policies to address the immigration problem. The Federal Assembly of Switzerland should be actively involved when enacting these policies to ensure that all political leaders participate in the process (Steiner and Wanner, 2019). The strategy will eliminate cases where opposition political leaders claim that the government acted without consultation when addressing the refugee problem. The fact that these politicians are representatives of citizens, will be a sign that the government is committed to taking into consideration the views and interests of its citizens when addressing an international problem. Eliminating negative politics in addressing the problem enables the government to reduce internal pressure that may force it to make a decision that may affect its relations with the international community.

Support Political and Economic Stability in the Source Countries

The state may need to redefine its foreign policies as a way of averting this problem of immigration. One of the best ways of doing so is to support the political and economic stability of the source countries to preempt the problem (Paul, 2019). In this strategy, Switzerland will work closely with other developed nations to extend direct financial help to these countries to make them stable. They can also help militarily to discourage political activities that may cause civil war in developing nations. It will help in ensuring that those who would have wanted to come to Switzerland for political or economic reasons can remain in their countries of birth. The money that the government spends to take care of refugees is more than it will be expected to contribute to support these nations. It will also avert the numerous challenges discussed above.

Establishing Standard Asylum Procedures in Europe

The state should acknowledge that sometimes it may not be possible to eliminate the problem from the source. Some people are forced out of their countries by natural disasters, which are out of human control (Mohammadzadeh, 2017). It is advisable for the government, working closely with other states in the European Union, to establish standard procedures for asylum seekers in Europe. The level of screening of asylum seekers in the United Kingdom is significantly different from that in Spain. The lack of common standards means that intelligence gathered in one country may not be useful in another. The process that it takes to process an immigrant in one member state within the EU is also different from the next. Standardizing the procedure makes it possible for member states to share data and to ensure that the burden of handling refugees is shared within the region. Combatting some of the concerns such as a possible terror attack can also be done at a regional level.

Conclusion

Switzerland is a small but highly developed state that continues to attract foreigners, especially asylum seekers, from around the world. It is considered one of the most attractive destinations not only because of its stable economy but also the security and advanced social systems. However, recent trends where a record number of foreigners are coming to the country to stay for various reasons is a cause of concern. Besides compromised security, the government is unable to effectively plan for its citizens. The study recommends that the state should address this problem using both internal and external policy changes. It needs to actively involve the political class when addressing these internal challenges. It should also engage the international community, especially members of the EU, to find a solution to the problem of immigration in the region.

Reference List

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