Get Rid of Your Roots: Labour Market Re-Integration in Switzerland

Abstract

We start from the premise that institutional factors, i.e., the Swiss immigration regime (a two-circle model) and the Swiss integration regime (an assimilationist setup), influence immigrants’ likelihood of finding a new job and the time required to do so.

Based on a comprehensive dataset collected in 2012, we find that individuals who emigrate from the less favoured non-EU countries and/or who are born abroad face substantial disadvantages on the labour market compared to Swiss natives. We thus conclude that the institutional prioritization of particular immigrant groups is reflected in individuals’ chances of succeeding on the labour market.

Keywords: unemployment, employability, labour market re-integration, discrimination, immigration regime, integration regime

JEL Classification: I38, J70