Towards the end of the WWII, Switzerland relied very heavily on foreign workers to meet the demand for labour during a period of sustained economic growth. Following a decline in immigration during the 1970s, there was an upsurge during the 1980s, which raised the percentage of the foreign population to an all-time high in 1993. Increased immigration resulted in an increased diversity of migrant's origins, because of an active recruitment policy for workers from Portugal and Yugoslavia. The author assesses the efficiency of quantitative controls (quota systems) and their effect on the labour market. These had only a small impact on immigration, and thus on the numbers of permanent foreign residents in Switzerland. A policy which allowed foreigners to settle in Switzerland, and the conversion of seasonal into permanent permits, reduced the effect of quantitative restrictions. Policies failed to achieve an optimum balance in employment and led to an economy which was more vulnerable in times of crisis, and to higher unemployment. -from English summary

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market impact immigrant labour policy effect immigration policy migrants' origin quota system labour market Switzerland