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IMMIGRATION

Immigrants trust the state and the police more than Swiss locals

Immigrants to Switzerland have a higher degree of trust in state entities and the police than locals, a new report has found.

Immigrants trust the state and the police more than Swiss locals
Swiss Federal Councillor and Minister for Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis (R) and Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Luigi Di Maio (L) salute border police. Photo: Alessandro Crinari / POOL / AFP

The report, compiled by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office, found that immigrants to Switzerland had a higher level of trust in the state and state entities like the police. 

While only 41 percent of Swiss trust the political system, 53 percent of immigrants say they have trust in politics. 

READ: Immigrants twice as likely to struggle financially as Swiss

Both Swiss locals and immigrants have a higher level of trust in police than they do in the political system, although immigrants still had more trust for police. 

In total, 65 percent of locals said they trust the police, compared with 70 percent of foreigners or immigrants. 

Broad agreement on equal opportunity

Immigrants and locals largely agree on the need to ensure equal opportunities for everyone in Switzerland regardless of their backgrounds. 

Three-quarters of immigrants (75 percent) and 68 percent of locals said everyone in the country should have the same access to opportunities. 

Locals vote more frequently

Switzerland, with its regular referenda and representative elections, is known for going to the polls frequently. 

This seems to be better understood among locals, of whom 67 percent participate in elections regularly. 

'I pay taxes but have no say in Swiss life': Your views on whether Switzerland should allow all foreigners to vote 

Among foreigners eligible to vote, 60 percent vote regularly. 

 

 

 

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QUALITY OF LIFE

‘Can’t make friends’: Why Switzerland is less popular with foreign residents?

Switzerland has fallen in popularity among international workers and students, according to survey results released this week. Do you agree with the conclusion?

'Can't make friends': Why Switzerland is less popular with foreign residents?

The country slipped to 34th place out of 53 surveyed countries in the annual Expat Insider 2024 survey conducted by Internations.

This is a drop of 11 places compared to 2023.

Why the drop in ranking?

Switzerland an expensive place to live, and it’s hard to make friends – at least, that’s the verdict of many survey respondents. (Let us know your own thoughts in the comments section below)

Some 60 percent of respondents said they were dissatisfied with the cost of living in Switzerland, compared with a global figure of 39 percent. 

Some 63 percent judged housing affordability negatively, with 22 percent giving it the worst possible rating. 

This is substantially higher than the global figures – 47 and 14 percent respectively.

Furthermore, 49 percent found it hard to find a place to live when arriving in the country. 

This is another increase, on the worldwide figure of 34 percent. 

READ MORE: How hard is it to make friends in Switzerland?

Those who responded to the survey also indicated they struggled to make connections.

The country’s lowest rankings came in local friendliness (47th) and feeling welcome (46th).

Only 46 percent of respondents felt that the Swiss are friendly to foreigners (versus 61 percent globally) and 62 percent said they found making friends locally difficult (compared to 41 percent overall).  

READ ALSO: Readers tips – How to make friends in Switzerland?

Is it all bad news?

No. Those taking the survey indicated that they enjoyed a comfortable life, pointing to several responsible factors. 

Switzerland ranked 12th in terms of quality of life, with 47 percent identifying leisure options and 33 percent choosing healthcare as the determining factor. 

Additionally, 58 percent of respondents reported an income of over 100,000 US dollars a year (compared to 20 percent globally) and 57 percent said they were happy with their financial situation (54 percent worldwide). 

READ MORE: In which jobs in Switzerland do foreign workers earn more than the Swiss?

Switzerland’s transportation networks and travel infrastructure were also a big hit with international residents. 

93 percent indicated they had the opportunity to travel, compared to a worldwide figure of 83 percent, putting the country in first place for the category. 

93 percent also rated local transportation positively, over twenty percent higher than the global figure of 72 per cent. 

The report’s Expat Essentials Index also revealed that it’s generally easy to get things done online, an area of particular interest to international residents. 

The country ranked 10th in access to high-speed internet, 15th in access to online services and 16th in online availability of administrative services. Overall, it ranked 12th in terms of digital life worldwide.

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