The Changing Face Of Swiss Immigration

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Switzerland saw a sharp decline in net immigration last year, as fewer people arrived and more left the country than in 2023. What is the make-up of the foreign population and why was Switzerland less attractive year-on-year? This content was published on April 14, 2025 - 14:22 6 minutes

I write about the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence technology and its possible impacts on society. Originally from England, I spent some time at the BBC in London before moving to Switzerland to join SWI swissinfo.

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The number of immigrants entering Switzerland in 2024 fell by 6% to 170,607. At the same time, the number of people leaving Switzerland increased, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reported in February.

This resulted in net immigration declining by 15,459 people (or by 15.6%) to a figure of 83,392 people.

What's behind the decline?

This can partially be explained by a slowdown in the number of Ukrainian refugees arriving in Switzerland.

In 2023, Switzerland granted new 50,600 S permits, which allow Ukrainian refugees to work in the Alpine state. This contributed to the largest annual Swiss population growth since the early 1960s. The number of newly-issued S permits fell to 9,600 last year.

But this is not the only reason net immigration declined last year. A rising number of foreigners who had been resident in Switzerland decided to return home last year, particularly Portuguese nationals.

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Switzerland saw a rapid rise in the number of Portuguese immigrants after the 2008 financial crisis. But a more recent improvement in economic conditions in Portugal has reversed this trend.

“Migration flows are greatly affected by economic factors. If the Swiss economic situation changes relative to other countries, we tend to see changes in migration,” Didier Ruedin, a senior lecturer at the Swiss Forum for Migration and Population Studies at the University of Neuchâtel, told SWI swissinfo.

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“Differences in economic opportunities between other countries and Switzerland have reduced.”

Some 60,597 EU/EFTA nationals left Switzerland last year, a 5.9% rise in the number of departing foreigners from these countries.

“After two years of strong economic growth, the [Swiss] labour market has calmed down as expected since spring 2024,” stated FSO.

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