Swiss Federal policy aims at stabilizing the number of foreign workers in the country. Since the demand for foreign manpower is and will continue to be heavy, this can only be achieved through restrictive measures. It will also be necessary to assimilate these migrant workers through equal schooling, occupational training, and housing. Education is the responsibility of the 25 cantonal States making up the Swiss Confederation. Most of these delegate some of their powers to cummunal authorities. To assimilate foreign children while preserving their links with their home culture, 3 principles are followed: (1) integrate the children in local schools; (2) provide adequate instruction in a child's national language and culture; and (3) prevail upon parents to take an active part in educating their children. Difficulties in implementing this include the socio-political problems arising from the presence of a large foreign population; constitutional rules that are difficult to adjust; and an inadequate knowledge of the socioeconomic, cultural, and psychological characteristics of immigrant populations. Since migrant legislation comes from the various cantonal and communal authorities, the effects of these numerous texts and/or decisions are summarized. As of December 1972 there was a total migrant population in Switzerland of 1,032,285. (KM)