Foreign-born population – 2024 | 32.2% of the population | Main countries of birth: |
2.9 million, 51% women | Evolution since 2014: +25% | Germany (13%), Italy (10%), Portugal (7%) |
International Migration Outlook 2025
In 2024, Switzerland received 136 000 new immigrants on a long-term or permanent basis (including changes of status), ‑6.2% compared to 2023. This figure comprises 74% immigrants benefitting from free mobility, 2% labour migrants, 15% family members (including accompanying family) and 10% humanitarian migrants. Around 6 300 permits were issued to tertiary-level international students and 3 300 to temporary and seasonal labour migrants.
Germany, France and Italy were the top three nationalities of newcomers in 2023. Among the top 15 countries of origin, Portugal registered the strongest increase (3 100) and Croatia the largest decrease (‑600) in flows to Switzerland compared to the previous year.
In 2024, the number of first asylum applicants decreased by ‑15%, to reach around 23 000. The majority of applicants came from Afghanistan (5 000), Türkiye (3 800) and Algeria (2 000). The largest increase since 2023 concerned nationals of Algeria (300) and the largest decrease nationals of Türkiye (‑2 900). Of the 25 000 decisions taken in 2024, 66% were positive.
Emigration of Swiss citizens to OECD countries decreased by ‑5% in 2023, to 9 700. Approximately 22% of this group migrated to Spain, 20% to Germany and 7% to the Netherlands.
Switzerland maintained its 2024 immigration quotas for third-country and UK nationals for 2025, with 8 500 permits for third-country nationals and 3 500 for UK nationals. Quotas for both, third-country and UK nationals, were not exceeded in previous years. As of 1 January 2025, Croatian nationals have full access to the Swiss labour market, but a safeguard clause may be applied if numbers exceed a set threshold (only in 2026).
In an initiative to support both domestic skilled labour supply and the integration of refugees, the State Secretariat for Migration and Swiss universities launched a pilot in March 2025 to support refugees with academic potential in accessing Swiss universities. The supported projects will provide participants with targeted preparation for entry into a higher education degree programme.
Refugees from Ukraine are granted the protection status S in a fast-track procedure. The temporary protection (status S) has been extended until March 2026 to provide legal certainty. Switzerland pursues a dual intent approach towards refugees from Ukraine: professional and social integration is promoted from the outset. The qualifications acquired in Switzerland do not aim only to integrate refugees into the domestic labour market but are also useful after their return to their home country. At the same time, legal barriers to accessing the labour market have been lowered. In the education sector, tuition fee exemptions were granted to Ukrainian students through the 2024/25 academic year.
On the other hand, the State Secretariat for Migration revised its assessment of Afghan asylum claims in April 2025, deeming return reasonable for specific categories, such as healthy, single adult men if the circumstances are favourable.
The Swiss Government also further enhanced migration enforcement. The new Identification and Security Checks Division was launched in January 2025, with the goal of supporting various departments within the State Secretariat for Migration, other federal or cantonal offices and foreign authorities in verifying the identity of foreign nationals. It also serves as a contact point for Eurodac and the Schengen Information System.
In response to broader European developments, in March 2025 the Federal Council adopted those parts of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum that are legally binding for Switzerland due to its association to Schengen and Dublin/Eurodac. Although Switzerland is not subject to mandatory quotas or financial contributions foreseen in the AMM Regulation, the Federal Council expressed support for voluntary solidarity measures.
Furthermore, Switzerland continued its international co‑operation efforts regarding migration. The Swiss Agency for Development and Co‑operation (SDC) advanced migration partnerships with countries including Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Tunisia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo1, focussing on vocational training and migration governance.
In addition, under the Second Swiss Contribution to selected EU member states, Switzerland provides support to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Projects focussing on asylum and infrastructure, as well as voluntary return and reintegration, are implemented under the framework credit migration.
For further information: www.sem.admin.ch | www.eda.admin.ch.
1. This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/99 and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo’s declaration of independence.
