Alfred Gantner proposes immigration levy on Swiss firms

Swiss entrepreneur Alfred Gantner, co-founder of Partners Group, has proposed a new levy on companies that hire workers from the European Union to manage immigration. Through his alliance, Kompass Europa, Gantner suggests that businesses benefiting from immigration should contribute to the costs incurred by the influx of foreign labor.

The proposed levy would be paid over five years and calculated based on the employee's salary. For an annual income of 75,000 Swiss francs, the total levy would be 15,000 francs, while higher salaries would trigger disproportionately larger payments; for instance, an income of 300,000 francs would result in a 225,000-franc levy.

Gantner estimates the annual revenue from this measure could reach 1.35 billion Swiss francs. He intends for these funds to be redistributed directly to the Swiss population, specifically targeting low-income individuals and families to offset social costs. However, the proposal notes that such a levy would likely be incompatible with current EU freedom of movement agreements.