Money Transfer Patterns Among European Migrants Living in Switzerland: A Study from the University of Zurich

For the study published in the journal “Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies”, researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) interviewed around 3,000 people living in Switzerland from various European countries in writing about their money transfers, as the UZH announced on Thursday.

The result: At least 21 percent of those surveyed send money to their home country at least once a year. For people from Portugal, 46 percent of all respondents said they send money home every year. People from Germany (15 percent) and Italy (13 percent) are below average.

According to the researchers, this is due to the higher number of second-generation migrants among those surveyed. In general, the second generation of migrants make fewer remittances due to the smaller number and strength of their social relationships in their parents’ home country, the researcher said.

No sign of failed integration

According to the study, the average annual amounts also differ greatly depending on nationality. People from Great Britain transfer around 4,000 francs each, followed by Portugal with 2,200 francs and Germany with 1,100 francs. The contributions for Bosnia-Herzegovina are lowest (324 francs).

Immigrants from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Italy and Serbia particularly often use the money transfers to support family and friends, while Portuguese migrants mainly transfer the money to their own accounts.

The payments depend on successful integration into the labor market and thus on a high income of the migrants as well as on their ties to their home country. According to the study, identification with Switzerland, the home country, perceived discrimination and knowledge of the Swiss national languages ​​do not play a role. The researchers emphasized in the UZH communication that money transfers to the home country are not a sign of failed integration.