MONET 2030: Unemployment rate by migration status

SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries

Goal description

"The international community has made significant strides towards lifting people out of poverty. […] However, inequality still persists and large disparities remain in access to health and education services and other assets. Additionally, while income inequality between countries may have been reduced, inequality within countries has risen. […]"

Swiss target 10.7: Immigration is safe, orderly and in keeping with Switzerland's economic prosperity and social cohesion. Refugees and vulnerable persons are afforded protection that takes gender and age-specific needs and vulnerabilities into account. The causes of flight and irregular migration to Europe are tackled and the integration of refugees and migrants is encouraged and demanded.

Significance of the indicator
The indicator expresses the unemployment rate based on the International Labour Office (ILO) definition of persons aged 15 to 74 in the permanent resident population, by migration status. Paid work is indispensable in being able to earn an independent living. It is also an important factor in being able to take part in the economy, society and culture, and therefore in being integrated. A drop in the unemployment rate of persons with a migration background is therefore positive for sustainable development.

Help for interpretation
Regardless of migration status, the unemployment rate based on the ILO definition has not changed significantly in Switzerland since 2012. However, on average it is three times higher among persons with a migration background than those without.
Among persons with a migration background, those from the first generation tend to be more affected by unemployment than later generations.

International comparability
This indicator is in part comparable with the ‘Unemployment rates for the population aged 20-64, by citizenship’, which is one of the Zaragoza indicators dedicated to measuring the integration of migrants, published by Eurostat.

Synthesis

Comments: Calculation of the variation in % on the difference between the population with and without a migration background.

This indicator shows the unemployment rate of the labour force aged 15-74 (percentage of ILO unemployed in the labour force) by migration status.

The indicator is based on the permanent resident population by migration status used to measure integration:

The population without a migration background comprises all persons born Swiss in Switzerland or abroad to at least one parent born in Switzerland, and persons born in Switzerland or naturalised Swiss whose parents were both born in Switzerland. This includes persons from subsequent generations.

The population with a migration background includes all foreign nationals (irrespective of their generational status), first or second- generation naturalised Swiss (born abroad or born in Switzerland to a least one parent born abroad), and persons born Swiss to parents who were both born abroad.

The unemployment rate is calculated by the FSO as part of the Swiss Labour Force Survey (SLFS). The data broken down by migration status are available from the reference year 2012.

Swiss target 10.7: Immigration is safe, orderly and in keeping with Switzerland's economic prosperity and social cohesion. Refugees and vulnerable persons are afforded protection that takes gender and age-specific needs and vulnerabilities into account. The causes of flight and irregular migration to Europe are tackled and the integration of refugees and migrants is encouraged and demanded.

International target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.