Schweizer Unternehmen und die EU: FDP-Präsident will Steuer für ausländische Arbeitnehmer

Translated Article:

>__Thierry Burkart advocates for an immigration levy. He sees it as a tool for better regulation of immigration.__

>FDP President Thierry Burkart has spoken in favor of an immigration levy for Swiss companies in relation to negotiations with the European Union. In the area of free movement of persons, Switzerland could examine such own instruments, he said in an interview with the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung.”

>Local companies attract skilled workers from abroad who contribute to prosperity here, Burkart said in the interview published on Monday with the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung.”

>At the same time, more people also cause more costs, Burkart explained his reasoning. For example, more teachers and doctors would be needed. “With a levy, it would be up to companies to weigh these advantages and disadvantages,” he said.

>For the FDP President, it is clear that a safeguard clause is needed “which allows Switzerland to effectively regulate immigration.” Here, the EU must accommodate Switzerland. In addition to possible own instruments – like the immigration levy – it is also up to Switzerland to correct misguided incentives.

>__Abolish numerus clausus__

>The numerus clausus for admission to medical studies should, according to Burkart, be abolished. “It cannot be that we make it so difficult for Swiss students to access medical studies and at the same time have to recruit 40 percent of doctors from abroad,” said the party president.

>According to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland and the EU are negotiating “hard but solution-oriented” in the area of free movement of persons. A spokesperson for the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) said this to the Keystone-SDA news agency in early July. The negotiations must be pursued intensively. The negotiations between Switzerland and the EU are expected to be concluded by the end of 2024.

Is it just me, or are they just making everything harder?

“Abolish numerus clausus” but what does that mean in practice? In the UK, you have a filter after the first year of uni, due to quite a few not passing the first year, is that what is wanted?

If we want to annoy the EU, “just” make the Kohäsionsmilliarde go towards groups supporting direct democracy.

I think a tax on all kind of non-resident workers would make no sense. That’s because there is actually a shortage of SOME type of personnel, like for example medical personnel. A tax would make the crisis worse.

Counterintuitively, I think taxing the ‘expats’ (I.e. businesspeople / engineers working white collar jobs) from abroad would make sense. That’s because these jobs are basically glorified PowerPoint movers (I know because I have one of these jobs), and when people are let go they have challenges finding something else because the job market is very competitive.

Forcing companies to privilege people that are already in Switzerland would help local unemployment.

In other terms, why does a company need to hire someone that is non-resident, when there are a plethora of 40 and 50 years old out of work that can move boxes on PowerPoint just as well as anyone new coming in from the EU.

That would also find a trend where workers are getting laid off as they age in favor of migrant workers from EU that can be paid significantly less. That puts overall a strain on salaries and the welfare / unemployment system.

In reality anyway it would be difficult to decide where to put the line on what workers are taxed and what not. And also as I am generally against over regulation and the government over reaching, I would probably not be in favor of something like this.

They could also be subsidized, they are producing wealth without having used as much resources of the state as equivalent swiss workers (not profiting from free education in Switzerland etc)

More doctors and teachers would be needed? I was thought by teachers in my home country and when possible I fly back for my home country to do health check ups, many people do the same.
Start making life hard for educated immigrants and they will go somewhere else as they have a choice. The uneducated net negatives will stay however

Well more people means of course more costs. But more people working in Switzerland means more taxes. Just up the taxes for everyone or maybe just for the company’s and here you go you have more money. No need to have a tax only for foreigners… that’s just racist stuff

Should the companies or the foreign workers pay for that? Companies need international talents. I think this is not the correct way to regulate

Not much of a liberal party anymore, he?