Switzerland ‘seizes assets from migrants’ to cover costs

[zaZa9]

Why should refugees come from another country to, for example, Switzerland, and not pay for their upkeep.

Why in fact should any host country take resources from its own people to care for refugees from another country? All that achieves in the longer term is a large financial burden on the host country which means that less resources are available for the people of that country. Most lose but refugees win.

You're right. The USA should have turned away all the nasty refugees who emigrated there in the 19th and 20th centuries. Or, if they did let them come, they should have confiscated most of their money so they couldn't set up business and compete with native merchants. Very sound thinking.

And you miss the point.

The refugees that arrived in the US back then got NOTHING besides the chance to work and pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.

[mgjackson69]

If I ran a country, my policy would be thus: After passing a very rigorous background check, we will accept any refugee. For each refugee accepted from a particular country, payments to that country (foreign aid, etc) are reduced by (pick a significant figure).. 1 million USD?

Sounds reasonable to me

[Baerboxer]

You mean the Swiss aren't going to provide free housing, that meets the migrants expectations, free food, free healthcare, free education, hi speed internet, free and of a speed that meets the migrants expectations, free designer clothing, provide nice new spacious mosques and allow Sharia law, and only Sharia, to be followed?

How very non European of them. Angela won't like this. They might not be in the EU but they are in Shengen.

Or maybe they could use some of the Nazi loot thieved from the murdered Jews and lying unclaimed in Swiss vaults? That would be so ironically twisted.

[mysticman]

I still cannot understand why EU especially Germany allows these refugees to enter EU. The cream of Syria has long ago moved abroad. These so called refugees are filth and terrorists. This is the way Germany got thanked by refugees groping and molesting women in Cologne on newyears eve.

The EU doesnt give financially sound tourists or businessen a 5 year business or tourist visa like USA does but they take this filth which does nothing but sink the economy.There boats should be towed out back to sea like Australia does.

Remember they will never integrate.

[Ulic]

There are cost that need to be offset. The world goes toward a user pay system. This 14k charge

will not cover the costs but will help offset then. Seems reasonable to me.

[mgjackson69]

There are cost that need to be offset. The world goes toward a user pay system. This 14k charge

will not cover the costs but will help offset then. Seems reasonable to me.

Yes...you can come here, we will help you, but it is not going to be a free ride.

[ggt]

You migrants thought the scams were over once you made it to Switzerland? Welcome to Switzerland...once all your worldly assets are taken...you may need to fear being deported back to your homeland...penniless...this is the real world in which we live today...stay home and tough-it-out next time...

[wabothai]

Proud to be Swiss; before I could draw social welfare in my native Switzerland I would have to forfeit everything.

Maybe not the most popular way to attract "refugees"; real refugees usually have nothing, are grateful for everything and also don't ransack and rape around like what happened all over Germany by "wanna-be refugees".

Those sow wind will reap storm. Next thing is for Switzerland is to honour the Schengen treaty but re-introduce border controls to keep all those fidel non-refugees out

What do you mean by re-introduce border controls? They have been there all along for years.

[billd766]

Why should refugees come from another country to, for example, Switzerland, and not pay for their upkeep.

Why in fact should any host country take resources from its own people to care for refugees from another country? All that achieves in the longer term is a large financial burden on the host country which means that less resources are available for the people of that country. Most lose but refugees win.

You're right. The USA should have turned away all the nasty refugees who emigrated there in the 19th and 20th centuries. Or, if they did let them come, they should have confiscated most of their money so they couldn't set up business and compete with native merchants. Very sound thinking.

Well the UK is welcoming them.

If however I want to bring my wife and son to the UK, BOTH must pass an English language test, I must prove an income of £18,600 and NOT even 1p less just to get my wife into the UK plus a further sum for my son, although I am not too sure of that as he is a UK citizen.

I will also be expected (as I have pension payments) to fund our own accommodation and living expenses, yet if we were refugees it would all be given for free.

So please explain to me why as a UK citizen I have to pay my own way despite paying income tax for 56 years, and still have to pay it, yet people who have contributed nothing can come in for free and live at the expense of the UK tax payer?

[bentfarang]

There are cost that need to be offset. The world goes toward a user pay system. This 14k charge

will not cover the costs but will help offset then. Seems reasonable to me.

Yes...you can come here, we will help you, but it is not going to be a free ride.

I would take the opportunity as an economic refugee, with some hard work I could have a good life and provide an even better one for my kids. Perfectly reasonable.

[simple1]

Excellent policy......................to put it into perspective.

In Australia my son needs to obtain a loan to attend university . By the time he finishes his course he will have a DEBT in excess of $30,000 (AUD). Now thats a great way to start your working career.

However,a potential terrorist , refugee gets given hand outs left right and centre, get given housing whilst many Australians sit on waiting lists, get given free health care ( above and beyond general Medicare that exists in Aust),and social security payments for doing nothing ( they certainly cant meet job search criteria if they cant speak english, or have no skills/qualifications for employment).

I have no problems with genuine refugees being taken into Australia.....................but make everything they are given into LOANS to be paid back when they obtain gainful employment and integrate into the community.

In Oz it is currently estimated a person with a degree, as an average,will earn $1.5 million during their working life more than those without a degree, really can't complain about a contribution to their education.

Personally I view the actions of the Swiss government a sop to anti-refugee sentiment & likely to do more harm than good. Likely to spend longer time in subsidised housing as no spare money for rental deposits and so on. Refugees, if they can obtain work, will be be under pressure of circumstance to take low wage cash in hand work, just like welfare recipients in Oz, to get some extra cash - no tax income for government - a zero sum game

[bendejo]

I saw something about Denmark doing this a few days ago. The impression I got from the report was that they want to discourage refugees showing up, for word to get out "don't go to Denmark, they'll take all your stuff, including jewelry." On the other hand it is much different if a family has means to support themselves at the standard of living of the country, have tangible professions, etc. I'm guessing these would be the people who arrive by airplane, follow the proper immigration procedures, and so on.

[NeverSure]

Why should refugees come from another country to, for example, Switzerland, and not pay for their upkeep.

Why in fact should any host country take resources from its own people to care for refugees from another country? All that achieves in the longer term is a large financial burden on the host country which means that less resources are available for the people of that country. Most lose but refugees win.

You're right. The USA should have turned away all the nasty refugees who emigrated there in the 19th and 20th centuries. Or, if they did let them come, they should have confiscated most of their money so they couldn't set up business and compete with native merchants. Very sound thinking.

You're way off base. The US had no "benefits" programs then and those people were on their own. Most of those people were from Europe with traditional European values and cultures that easily assimilated into America as most people already on hand also came from Europe.

This nasty batch that's flooding Europe right now will ruin it. They not only won't assimilate, many will kill to try to change it. They are pushing Europe to a precipice that it can't now avoid going over.

Your analogy won't wash but nice moot try anyway.

Cheers.

[MAJIC]

Germany opened the flood gates and now they are having problems with refugees.

http://www.macleans.ca/politics/worldpolitics/germanys-real-problem-with-refugees/

The flood gates were easy to open, but will certainly be much harder to close !

[arjunadawn]

A fool could see there is no real value in this act. This act ostensibly addresses refugees paying their way but the real target audience is the citizens. Clearly this is designed to assuage the outrage that people have over the betrayal of their nations; make it seem like your doing something. "Create problem, provide solution." But its no solution at all, just resetting the clock on outrage at this wholesale betrayal of those who have invested in the social contract.

There's no amount of possessions that can be levied to cover the costs of what a typical welfare recipient sucks off the state in a year. This act will do nothing... nothing at all to deter others from coming; they will only ensure they arrive with less or have valuables secured in some other manner. Even a topical statistical review of European nations demonstrate in staggering numbers these "migrants" remain on the taxpayers' bill like albatrosses around their necks. The fact is, 2015 marks the era Europe was irretrievably lost and Eurabia begins. https://muslimstatistics.wordpress.com/

[MAJIC]

Sometimes I think most of the countries in Europe have a death wish fuelled by guilt and past misdeeds, they think the answer is to give away their country to the hourdes of scrounging invaders of their country. We have not seen nothing yet,this is only the start !

[MAJIC]

Excellent policy......................to put it into perspective.

In Australia my son needs to obtain a loan to attend university . By the time he finishes his course he will have a DEBT in excess of $30,000 (AUD). Now thats a great way to start your working career.

However,a potential terrorist , refugee gets given hand outs left right and centre, get given housing whilst many Australians sit on waiting lists, get given free health care ( above and beyond general Medicare that exists in Aust),and social security payments for doing nothing ( they certainly cant meet job search criteria if they cant speak english, or have no skills/qualifications for employment).

I have no problems with genuine refugees being taken into Australia.....................but make everything they are given into LOANS to be paid back when they obtain gainful employment and integrate into the community.

And you really believe the loans will be paid back ?

[mgjackson69]

Why should refugees come from another country to, for example, Switzerland, and not pay for their upkeep.

Why in fact should any host country take resources from its own people to care for refugees from another country? All that achieves in the longer term is a large financial burden on the host country which means that less resources are available for the people of that country. Most lose but refugees win.

You're right. The USA should have turned away all the nasty refugees who emigrated there in the 19th and 20th centuries. Or, if they did let them come, they should have confiscated most of their money so they couldn't set up business and compete with native merchants. Very sound thinking.

Well the UK is welcoming them.

If however I want to bring my wife and son to the UK, BOTH must pass an English language test, I must prove an income of £18,600 and NOT even 1p less just to get my wife into the UK plus a further sum for my son, although I am not too sure of that as he is a UK citizen.

I will also be expected (as I have pension payments) to fund our own accommodation and living expenses, yet if we were refugees it would all be given for free.

So please explain to me why as a UK citizen I have to pay my own way despite paying income tax for 56 years, and still have to pay it, yet people who have contributed nothing can come in for free and live at the expense of the UK tax payer?

UK is merely continuing the process of turning the country into a third-world ghetto.

[manarak]

Excellent policy......................to put it into perspective.

In Australia my son needs to obtain a loan to attend university . By the time he finishes his course he will have a DEBT in excess of $30,000 (AUD). Now thats a great way to start your working career.

However,a potential terrorist , refugee gets given hand outs left right and centre, get given housing whilst many Australians sit on waiting lists, get given free health care ( above and beyond general Medicare that exists in Aust),and social security payments for doing nothing ( they certainly cant meet job search criteria if they cant speak english, or have no skills/qualifications for employment).

I have no problems with genuine refugees being taken into Australia.....................but make everything they are given into LOANS to be paid back when they obtain gainful employment and integrate into the community.

In Oz it is currently estimated a person with a degree, as an average,will earn $1.5 million during their working life more than those without a degree, really can't complain about a contribution to their education.

Personally I view the actions of the Swiss government a sop to anti-refugee sentiment & likely to do more harm than good. Likely to spend longer time in subsidised housing as no spare money for rental deposits and so on. Refugees, if they can obtain work, will be be under pressure of circumstance to take low wage cash in hand work, just like welfare recipients in Oz, to get some extra cash - no tax income for government - a zero sum game

no, in Switzerland there is no zero sum game because nearly everyone works.

Also, to qualify for welfare, Swiss citizens have to used up their assets first before applying for aid from the government.

I see no reason to give foreigners better standing than nationals for obtaining welfare.

[Minnie the Minx]

No free rides on the Swiss gravy train. Kudos.

[Rimmer]

A baiting troll post has been removed

[Steely Dan]

A fool could see there is no real value in this act. This act ostensibly addresses refugees paying their way but the real target audience is the citizens. Clearly this is designed to assuage the outrage that people have over the betrayal of their nations; make it seem like your doing something. "Create problem, provide solution." But its no solution at all, just resetting the clock on outrage at this wholesale betrayal of those who have invested in the social contract.

There's no amount of possessions that can be levied to cover the costs of what a typical welfare recipient sucks off the state in a year. This act will do nothing... nothing at all to deter others from coming; they will only ensure they arrive with less or have valuables secured in some other manner. Even a topical statistical review of European nations demonstrate in staggering numbers these "migrants" remain on the taxpayers' bill like albatrosses around their necks. The fact is, 2015 marks the era Europe was irretrievably lost and Eurabia begins. https://muslimstatistics.wordpress.com/

Indeed. Perhaps a rape tax on immigrants in Cologne will ease the anger of the current 650 victims and counting. Likewise perhaps the banning of culture enrichers from German swimming pools because they couldn't keep their hands to themselves will likewise fix everything.

P.s There is one angle to the Swiss move which is positive, those funding Hirja will at least have to pay a bit more.

[AloisAmrein]

And what does Thailand with Burmese refugees? They get sent back to the open sea, get abused as slaves on fishing trawlers or simply get killed as have shown the mass graves in the South.

[Fookhaht]

It's not undignified. It's brilliant. Kudos Switzerland.

Agreed. Switzerland is letting any newcomers know that their society is one of self-responsibility and equal contribution.

I worked (social work) with immigrants in my home country, many entering on refugee status (mostly from Vietnam and Cambodia), and learned that many of these families concealed huge assets while they continued to get free health care, dental care, public-subsidised housing, legal assistance, and many more benefits.

I only found this out when most of them bought homes outright (meaning the 100% full house cost) with cash, after approximately 5-7 years of living off the public dole. Out of all my relatives and friends (all fellow countrymen), I've only known one hard-working family who was able to do this. No, I have no wealthy connections.

Rather than inspiring gratefulness and generosity in these immigrants/refugees, my country's generous help seemed to result in the opposite: concealment of current assets, hoarding of new assets, and downright deceit. It was a game of, "How much can I get out of these naive government people, while I build my own fortune?"

Meanwhile, as a taxpayer contributing to their welfare costs, I continued paying my own 30-year mortgage, health insurance, etc. I nearly spent my full paycheck every month on these necessities while the people I was assisting literally had money-to-burn, concealed of course.

Edited January 17, 2016 by Fookhaht

[manarak]

It's not undignified. It's brilliant. Kudos Switzerland.

Agreed. Switzerland is letting any newcomers know that their society is one of self-responsibility and equal contribution.

I worked (social work) with immigrants in my home country, many entering on refugee status (mostly from Vietnam and Cambodia), and learned that many of these families concealed huge assets while they continued to get free health care, dental care, public-subsidised housing, legal assistance, and many more benefits.

I only found this out when most of them bought homes outright (meaning the 100% full house cost) with cash, after approximately 5-7 years of living off the public dole. Out of all my relatives and friends (all fellow countrymen), I've only known one hard-working family who was able to do this. No, I have no wealthy connections.

Rather than inspiring gratefulness and generosity in these immigrants/refugees, my country's generous help seemed to result in the opposite: concealment of current assets, hoarding of new assets, and downright deceit. It was a game of, "How much can I get out of these naive government people, while I build my own fortune?"

Meanwhile, as a taxpayer contributing to their welfare costs, I continued paying my own 30-year mortgage, health insurance, etc. I nearly spent my full paycheck every month on these necessities while the people I was assisting literally had money-to-burn, concealed of course.

Why doesn't your government come back to them and ask reimbursment ?

I know Swiss administration would do so.

[Patsycat]

There was also groping in Zurich over New Year.

I live in Switzerland and see these men loitering everywhere. There does not seem to be many families, just men.

They get food, a warm place to live, clothes, language lessons, integration lessons etc. for free. Why, when and if, they get a job shouldn't they pay back? If they decide to leave after six months - they get whatever money they arrived with back.

I am on benefits here, it is not a lot of money. Enough to live on, I have also been on a list for a flat for 4 years. The housing problem is horrific, I shall be very angry if some "refugee" gets a flat before me!!

Switzerland is a very small country, and protecting itself. It doesn't want to turn out like France or Germany. And if anyone doesn't like the conditions put to them to come here, they can go somewhere else.

Another thing, even for Western professional people, to find a job here is very difficult. The Swiss only employ foreigners if they can't find a Swiss person to do the job.

And then there is the languages - you have to be able to speak one of the three official languages.

The paperwork that has to be filled in would make anyone think again!!! Pages and pages, wanting to know everything - from your mother's maiden name to everything!! If you try to hide anything - they will find out and punish you!!

[boomerangutang]

Of course they should contribute towards their keep. There is no such thing as a free ride as they know only too well. They had to pay to get to Europe.

Except there are 'free rides' to some extent, for migrants who make it to Germany or Sweden.

One Syrian woman, as soon as she stepped over the border into Germany began yelling "I have a brain tumor" Whether she did or not, we don't know. However, German guards couldn't get her to stop yelling, so they were obliged to get her an ambulance. She's been in a German hospital (every since?) with clean sheets, 3 meals a day, TV, nice bathroom, room service, and her relatives can sleep on the clean floor on mattresses they bring to her hospital room. Sounds like a free ride to me. It's an isolated scenario yet is a window into the mentality of some migrants.

[Jonmarleesco]

'“This is undignified,” SRF cited Stefan Frey from refugee aid group Schweizerische Fluechtlingshilfe as saying ... “This has to change.”' Why does it have to change? Let's hear one good reason why refugees - and especially the economic variant - shouldn't be expected to contribute towards their upkeep? A pity more countries don't demand the same.

[simple1]

I have requested Mods to delete my post above as duplicate info from OP.

Swiss asylum law has since the 1990s required asylum seekers to contribute to the costs of hosting them so nothing new. 100 refugee applicants had a total equivalent to 200,000 Swiss Francs confiscated so we're talking about very few applicants impacted out of the 23,765 registered applicants in 2014.

No knowledge about Swiss / Danish welfare procedures for EU nationals, but as a comparison in Oz welfare applicants are not required to sell off physical assets to receive welfare, only related to amount of cash on hand.

In the period Jan - Aug 2015 the rate of positive assessment for refugee applicants was only 44.7%. The Swiss usually only permit family reunion if family members will be independent of welfare support.

Lot more detail at...

http://www.asylumineurope.org/reports/country/switzerland/asylum-procedure/treatment-specific-nationalities