The Swiss government has announced its migration policy priorities for 2008, with the focus on measures to crack down on foreigners who abuse the system.
But with anti-foreigner http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=1987 currently running high in Switzerland, the Federal Migration Office said it also wanted to help foreigners integrate into Swiss society.
Top of the migration office’s list on Thursday was the “stringent implementation” of tougher http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=1767 on asylum seekers and foreigners which have come into effect in stages since January 1, 2007.
These changes include the requirement that asylum seekers present valid identity papers within 48 hours of entering Switzerland. The changes also make it easier for the authorities to expel asylum seekers.
Concerning http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=1793, the preference given to workers from the European Union (EU) and countries of the European Free Trade Association (Efta) means only highly skilled laborers from outside these blocs can apply for Swiss jobs.Eduard Gnesa, director of the migration office, said the authorities should use existing legal means to expel law-breaking foreigners.
“If a person violates the law, his or her working or residency papers can be revoked or not renewed,” Gnesa said.
“It’s also possible under Swiss http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=1668 to expel the [non-Swiss parents of juvenile delinquents, for example, if they neglect their children or fail to comply with conditions set by the school authorities.”
This was in reference to a http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=2074 by the rightwing Swiss People’s Party to make such expulsions mandatory. The party’s anti-foreigner stance helped it in the October elections, when it increased its representation by nine per cent in parliament, where it is the largest party.