Although in many cases employment or paid work offers effective protection against poverty, employed persons can also be affected by poverty. The cause of poverty despite employment can be analysed in greater depth by observing the poverty rates by socio-occupational variables.
Relevance/Result
Major region
In 2017, in Switzerland, the poverty rate of employed persons was 4%. Persons with a migration background had a higher rate than those without (6% compared with 3%).
In all major regions, the poverty rate of employed persons with or without a migration background shows no statistically significant difference, with the exception of Northwest Switzerland where the poverty rate of employed persons with a migration background is higher than that of people without a migration background.
Definitions
In western societies, paid work is considered the best way to reduce the risk of being affected by poverty. The poverty rate of the employed population indicates the proportion of the population who, despite working, is affected by poverty.
The poverty rate of the employed population corresponds to the percentage of employed persons aged 18 or over living in a poor household. According to this indicator, anyone who was employed or self-employed for more than half of the reference period, is considered as an employed person. A household is considered poor if its disposable income is below the poverty line (see indications on the poverty rate above). For households comprised of several adults with a different migration status, the same value is entered for persons with a migration background and for those without.
Methodologies
Following changes to the survey framework and improvements in the weighting model, results from 2014 on can no longer be directly compared with those from previous years (series break).
Contact
Federal Statistical Office Section Demography and MigrationEspace de l'Europe 10
CH-2010 Neuchâtel
Switzerland