Integration of the Foreign Population in Liechtenstein
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OFFICE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRINCIPALITY OF LIECHTENSTEIN INTEGRATION OF THE FOREIGN POPULATION IN LIECHTENSTEIN Status report on facts, causes, measures and recommended integration policy actions published by the Working Group against Racism, Anti-Semitism, and Xenophobia Vaduz, August 2007 Source: Office of Equal Opportunity, Vaduz. Photographer: Ingrid Delacher, blusky.li. Integration in Liechtenstein TABLE OF CONTENTS INDEX OF TABLES AND FIGURES 6 INTRODUCTION 7 SUMMARY 10 PART I: INTEGRATION POLICY 14 1 Goals and content of integration policy 14 1.1 Government Policy Paper on Integration Policy 14 1.2 Non-discriminatory treatment of foreigners 16 2 Legal framework of integration policy 17 2.1 Integration and non-discrimination 17 2.2 Temporary and permanent residence, naturalization 19 3 Competences and instruments for the promotion of integration 22 3.1 Office of Equal Opportunity, commissions, and working groups 22 3.2 Offices of the National Administration 23 3.3 Police, Office of the Public Prosecutor, and Probation Service 24 3.4 Municipalities 24 3.5 Non-governmental organizations 24 PART II: FOREIGNERS IN LIECHTENSTEIN 26 4 Overview data on the foreign population 26 4.1 Share of foreigners 26 4.2 Sociodemographic characteristics 28 4.3 Length and status of stay 29 4.4 Data on crime perpetrated by the foreign population 30 5 Asylum 31 5.1 Asylum procedure and competences 31 5.2 Asylum seekers and provisionally admitted persons 32 5.3 Admission on humanitarian grounds, persons in need of protection, and refugees 35 6 Attitudes toward foreigners, discrimination 37 6.1 Attitudes toward foreigners 37 6.2 Discrimination 41 6.3 Racism and right-wing extremism 41 6.4 Measures against discrimination and right-wing extremism 44 6.5 Recommended integration policy actions 50 PART III: AREAS OF INTEGRATION 51 7 Schooling 51 7.1 Data on foreign students and their integration 51 7.2 Causes of integration deficits 54 7.3 Especially vulnerable groups (risk groups) 54 3 Integration in Liechtenstein 7.4 Competences and existing measures 54 7.5 Recommended integration policy actions 58 8 Vocational training 59 8.1 Data on foreign apprentices and their integration 59 8.2 Causes of integration deficits 60 8.3 Especially vulnerable groups (risk groups) 61 8.4 Competences and existing measures 61 8.5 Recommended integration policy actions 62 9 Labor market 63 9.1 Data on the foreign population on the labor market 63 9.2 Causes of integration deficits 65 9.3 Especially vulnerable groups (risk groups) 67 9.4 Competences and existing measures 67 9.5 Recommended integration policy actions 68 10 Social security 69 10.1 Data on the situation of the foreign population with respect to social security 69 10.2 Causes of integration deficits 72 10.3 Especially vulnerable groups (risk groups) 72 10.4 Competences and existing measures 72 10.5 Recommended integration policy actions 73 11 Health 74 11.1 Data on the health situation of the foreign population 74 11.2 Causes of integration deficits 75 11.3 Especially vulnerable groups (risk groups) 75 11.4 Competences and existing measures 75 11.5 Recommended integration policy actions 77 12 Language 78 12.1 Data on the language situation of the foreign population 78 12.2 Causes of integration deficits 78 12.3 Especially vulnerable groups (risk groups) 79 12.4 Competences and existing measures 79 12.5 Recommended integration policy actions 80 13 Housing 81 13.1 Data on the housing situation of the foreign population 81 13.2 Causes of integration deficits 83 13.3 Especially vulnerable groups (risk groups) 83 13.4 Competences and existing measures 83 13.5 Recommended integration policy actions 84 14 Participation in social life and the political process, naturalization 85 14.1 Situation with respect to social and political participation, naturalization 85 14.2 Measures 88 14.3 Recommended integration policy actions 90 15 Religion and culture 91 15.1 Data on the religious affiliation of the foreign population 91 15.2 Dealing with cultural and religious tensions 91 15.3 Recommended integration policy actions 95 4 Integration in Liechtenstein PART IV: CONCLUSIONS 96 16 Integration in Liechtenstein 96 16.1 Heterogeneity of the foreign population 96 16.2 Interactions among areas of integration 96 16.3 Naturalization and political rights 97 17 Statistical foundations 98 17.1 Importance of statistical surveys 98 17.2 Recommended integration policy actions 98 18 Uniform integration policy 100 ANNEX 101 I Legal framework of integration policy 101 II Foreigners’ associations in Liechtenstein 104 III Country groups for evaluation of the 2000 Census 105 IV Flyer demanding assimilation of foreigners 106 V Right-wing extremist incidents in Liechtenstein, 2004 to 2006 107 VI Implementation of the conclusions drawn by the Government from the Final Report of the Independent Commission of Historians 109 VII Naturalization votes 114 VIII Compilation of the existing statistical gaps 116 IX Tables 125 REFERENCES 140 5 Integration in Liechtenstein INDEX OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1: B permits granted according to ground for admission and origin (column percentage), 1.1. to 31.12.2006 27 Table 2: Number and share of foreigners from selected countries, June 2006 28 Table 3: Number of asylum applications and population of asylum seekers and provisionally admitted persons per year, 2001 to 2006 33 Table 4: Attitudes toward immigrants (agreement with statement, in percentage of respondents) 37 Table 5: Share of students at the secondary level according to origin (2006/07) (row percentage) 51 Table 6: Share of students at the secondary level according to origin (2006/07) (column percentage) 51 Table 7: Special schooling at the Therapeutic-Pedagogical Center according to country group, 2006 52 Table 8: Apprentices by nationality, 2006 59 Table 9: Registered unemployed in all benefit categories, April 2004, according to country group (in percentage) 65 Table 10: Problems of the clients of the Social Services Division in finding housing, 2003 83 Table 11: Naturalizations by type, 2005 and 2006 87 Figure 1: Discriminatory rental advertisement 39 6 Integration in Liechtenstein INTRODUCTION The Working Group against Racism, Anti-Semitism, and Xenophobia, which was appointed by the Government pursuant to its decision RA 2002/1818-9761.2/8 of 18 June 2002 and dissolved pursuant to RA 2007/388-9761.2/8 of 14 February 2007, consisted of the following members: • Christine Stehrenberger, Deputy Director of the Office for Foreign Affairs, Chair • Nancy Barouk-Hasler, Office of Social Affairs • Peter Gstöhl, Director of the Office of Public Health • Jules Hoch, National Police • Alicia Längle/Domenik Wanger (mutual substitutes), Office for Foreign Affairs • Veronika Marxer, Office of Equal Opportunity • Helmut Müssner, Office of Education • Regine Walzl, Immigration and Passport Office. Pursuant to RA 2006/542-9761.2/8 of 21 March 2006, the Working Group was mandated to prepare a Status Report for the Government on the situation pertaining to racism and integration. Ms. Marion Malin, staff member of the Office for Foreign Affairs, compiled this report on behalf of the Working Group. The Status Report aims to show the current state of affairs, the problems, and the need for action with respect to integration, and in this way to supplement the already existing foundations for a coherent integration policy on the part of the Government. Affected Offices of the National Administration were consulted for their expertise in the preparation of the report. The Office of Equal Opportunity, which is in charge of the topics of migration and integration and which will continue the mandate of the Working Group against Racism, Anti-Semitism, and Xenophobia, should thus be able to draw on an overview of the integration status quo that is as comprehensive as possible. With approximately 12,000 foreigners living in the country, Liechtenstein is one of the European countries with the highest share of foreigners, namely 33.9% of the population (31 December 2006). Among EU and EFTA States, only Luxembourg, Estonia, and Latvia have a higher share of foreigners. Specific to the Liechtenstein situation is that 57.2% (end of June 2006) of its resident foreigners are from German-speaking countries. Comparisons with other countries with respect to integration efforts and problems relating to the share of foreigners should therefore be regarded with caution. Given the largely peaceful coexistence of foreigners and citizens, the integration of foreigners can be considered relatively unproblematic. The goal of the present report is to show existing deficiencies and deficits in the area of integration that could, in the long term, lead to social problems, as well as to propose possible countermeasures. In addition to the Introduction and Summary, the report is structured as follows: In Part I on “Integration Policy”, the goals, contents, and legal framework of Liechtenstein policy on foreigners and integration are explained, and the responsibilities and tools for the promotion of integration are illustrated. In Part II on “Foreigners in Liechtenstein”, basic data on the foreign population and the Liechtenstein refugee situation is presented. Next, the attitudes of Liechtenstein citizens toward their foreign neighbors are examined, measures already taken to combat racism and xenophobia are enumerated, and the need for action in the view of the Working Group against Racism, Anti-Semitism, and Xenophobia is outlined. 7 Integration in Liechtenstein In Part III on “Areas of Integration”, already existing data and findings on the status quo of integration in the following areas are outlined: schooling; vocational training; labor market; social security; health; language; living situation; participation in social life and the political process, naturalization; religion and culture. In each area, a situation analysis is performed, integration deficits and deficiencies are determined, their causes identified, particularly affected risk groups named, existing measures explained, and the need for action shown.