All over the world the number of people fleeing threats such as war and persecution is on the rise. Switzerland should also be ready with a response to these developments. The fifth Avenir Suisse International Think Tank Summit in January 2021 looked at how processes for asylum seekers should ideally be designed and what different countries could be learning from each other. The conference report, edited by researcher Céline Neuenschwander and head of research “Smart Government” Lukas Rühli, outlines the various approaches to migration policy, their strengths and weaknesses.

One conclusion runs like a thread through the reports on the different countries: successfully integrating refugees in the workplace is key, as it reduces social spending and crime rates in the long term. A functioning asylum system should first and foremost enable people with a right to stay to access the labor market quickly with as few obstacles as possible – and the targeted involvement of the private sector.