Should Foreign Nationals With Swiss Roots Be Allowed To Work In Switzerland?

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) A motion from Senator Carlo Sommaruga is calling for a special immigration quota for the descendants of Swiss emigrants without citizenship so that they can find work in Switzerland more easily. The Swiss government has rejected the motion – now it's up to parliament to decide. This content was published on March 19, 2025 - 09:00 7 minutes

In my work, I focus on topics that are relevant to Swiss citizens abroad – from political developments in Switzerland and their impact on the diaspora to social, economic, and cultural issues. Before joining SWI swissinfo, I worked as a local journalist for the Aargauer Zeitung. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Multilingual Communication and, as is typically Swiss, completed an apprenticeship as a commercial employee.

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There are several tens of thousands in South America alone. One can only guess how many there are worldwide. What we do know is that the number of people descended from Swiss emigrants who have lost their Swiss citizenship over generations is high.

Despite the distance, many maintain a connection with their Swiss roots to this day. They dream of regaining Swiss citizenship or at least spending some time living and working in Switzerland. However, it is not only their financial situation that makes it impossible for these descendants – many of whom live in South America – to travel to Switzerland. They often fail to get a residence permit, and if they want to stay in Switzerland for longer and work, they are not granted a visa.

Now a motion External link submitted by Senator Carlo Sommaruga of
Switzerland's Social Democratic Party wants to change this and will be discussed in the current parliamentary session. It calls for the creation of an additional special quota of residence permits with gainful employment for the descendants of Swiss citizens who have neither Swiss citizenship nor the citizenship of a country within the European Union or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

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