Switzerland
Destination country · migration, permits and visas
- Inflow of foreign nationals, 2023 (OECD)
- 178,943
- Largest group, 2023
- Germany
- First residence permits, 2025 (Eurostat)
- 46,190
- Schengen visa refusal rate, 2024
- 11.3%
DestinationCH2023–2025
Year by year
Data as at 2025
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Who moves to Switzerland
Inflows of foreign nationals recorded by Switzerland, by nationality (OECD).
- Germany26,211
- France19,955
- Italy19,497
- Portugal12,750
- Spain8,964
- Poland7,576
- Romania7,520
- Hungary4,175
- Türkiye3,788
- China3,526
- India3,514
- Afghanistan3,466
- Austria3,342
- Bulgaria2,634
- Croatia2,571
- Greece2,452
- Slovakia2,407
- United States2,363
- United Kingdom2,040
- Brazil2,024
All inflows by year
Data table
| 2000 | 52,030 |
| 2001 | 56,238 |
| 2002 | 59,880 |
| 2003 | 58,897 |
| 2004 | 63,832 |
| 2005 | 64,581 |
| 2006 | 71,613 |
| 2007 | 104,068 |
| 2008 | 120,318 |
| 2009 | 95,037 |
| 2010 | 131,726 |
| 2011 | 139,822 |
| 2012 | 141,339 |
| 2013 | 152,632 |
| 2014 | 149,447 |
| 2015 | 148,007 |
| 2016 | 140,247 |
| 2017 | 135,004 |
| 2018 | 137,201 |
| 2019 | 138,479 |
| 2020 | 134,761 |
| 2021 | 138,935 |
| 2022 | 159,835 |
| 2023 | 178,943 |
Source: OECD, International Migration Database (OECD.ELS.IMD), accessed 24 Oct 2026Data as at 2023
Foreign nationals living in Switzerland
Stock of foreign nationals by nationality (latest year reported) and acquisitions of Switzerland's nationality (OECD).
- Germany7,614
- France4,933
- Italy4,347
- Portugal2,356
- Spain1,419
- Türkiye1,413
- North Macedonia1,238
- United Kingdom1,097
- Serbia1,019
- Russia747
- Poland558
- Eritrea551
- Bosnia and Herzegovina502
- Romania479
- Belgium436
Acquisitions of nationality by year
Data table
| 2000 | 18,369 |
| 2001 | 16,923 |
| 2002 | 21,875 |
| 2003 | 20,658 |
| 2004 | 19,304 |
| 2005 | 20,089 |
| 2006 | 35,292 |
| 2007 | 32,968 |
| 2008 | 34,193 |
| 2009 | 32,700 |
| 2010 | 28,133 |
| 2011 | 25,055 |
| 2012 | 22,904 |
| 2013 | 24,006 |
| 2014 | 30,642 |
| 2015 | 37,688 |
| 2016 | 38,278 |
| 2017 | 40,956 |
| 2018 | 39,117 |
| 2019 | 36,876 |
| 2020 | 31,364 |
| 2021 | 34,587 |
| 2022 | 38,774 |
| 2023 | 38,738 |
Source: OECD, International Migration Database (OECD.ELS.IMD), accessed 24 Oct 2026Data as at 2023
International migrants
People living in Switzerland who were born in another country, or who hold foreign citizenship where country of birth is not recorded: mid-year estimates (UN DESA).
- Germany371,816
- Italy273,822
- Portugal202,178
- France195,100
- Türkiye86,906
- North Macedonia85,065
- Ukraine80,919
- Spain71,167
- Serbia68,585
- Bosnia and Herzegovina58,221
- Austria57,640
- Poland53,044
International migrants by year
Data table
| 1990 | 1,252,320 |
| 1995 | 1,363,586 |
| 2000 | 1,484,514 |
| 2005 | 1,740,312 |
| 2010 | 2,053,953 |
| 2015 | 2,385,713 |
| 2020 | 2,610,189 |
| 2024 | 2,773,840 |
- International migrants, 2024
- 2,773,840
- Share of the population, 2024
- 31.1%
- Counted by
- country of birth, refugees added
Source: United Nations, DESA Population Division, International Migrant Stock 2024 (CC BY 3.0 IGO)Data as at 2024
Migrants in the labour market
Labour force survey results for Switzerland: residents aged 15 and over who were born abroad, compared with those born in the country (ILOSTAT).
| Indicator | Born in the country | Born abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Employment-to-population ratio, 2025 | 63.3% | 65.6% |
| Unemployment rate, 2025 | 3.4% | 7.4% |
- Born abroad: share of all workers, 2025
- 35.4%
- Born abroad: share of high-skill jobs, 2025
- 32.9%
- Born abroad: share of medium-skill jobs, 2025
- 33.8%
- Born abroad: share of elementary jobs, 2025
- 68.0%
Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT (CC BY 4.0)Data as at 2025
Earnings by occupation
Mean gross annual earnings of employees in Switzerland by major occupation group, in enterprises with 10 or more employees (Eurostat, Structure of Earnings Survey 2022).
| Occupation group | Mean annual earnings, CHF | Index, all occupations = 100 |
|---|---|---|
| All occupations | 96,147 | 100 |
| Managers | 158,497 | 165 |
| Professionals | 121,218 | 126 |
| Technicians and associate professionals | 100,164 | 104 |
| Clerical support workers | 82,066 | 85 |
| Service and sales workers | 67,528 | 70 |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | 72,276 | 75 |
| Craft and related trades workers | 77,737 | 81 |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | 74,032 | 77 |
| Elementary occupations | 63,129 | 66 |
- Mean gross annual earnings, all employees, 2022
- 96,147 CHF
- Women's mean earnings as a share of men's, 2022
- 82.6%
Source: Eurostat, Structure of Earnings Survey 2022 (CC BY 4.0)Data as at 2022
Residence permits
First residence permits issued by Switzerland to non-EU citizens (Eurostat).
First permits by year
Data table
| 2012 | 44,670 |
| 2013 | 49,102 |
| 2014 | 30,437 |
| 2015 | 41,084 |
| 2016 | 41,993 |
| 2017 | 42,156 |
| 2018 | 43,693 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 44,962 |
| 2022 | 50,829 |
| 2023 | 50,613 |
| 2024 | 47,176 |
| 2025 | 46,190 |
- Family18,124
- Education12,782
- Work12,577
- Other reasons2,707
- United States4,583
- India3,779
- China3,545
- United Kingdom3,008
- Brazil1,966
- Türkiye1,739
- Kosovo1,658
- Serbia1,543
- Canada1,289
- North Macedonia1,212
- Russia1,108
- Mexico915
- Philippines906
- Japan885
- Ukraine796
- Other paid activities12,577
- Valid residence permits, 31 Dec 2025
- 811,078
- Long-term residence permits issued, 2025
- 5,923
Schengen visas issued by Switzerland
Short-stay visa applications at Switzerland's consulates worldwide.
Applications by year
Data table
| 2009 | 384,595 |
| 2010 | 391,720 |
| 2011 | 428,189 |
| 2012 | 464,512 |
| 2013 | 512,797 |
| 2014 | 466,329 |
| 2015 | 481,886 |
| 2016 | 460,653 |
| 2017 | 517,010 |
| 2018 | 556,520 |
| 2019 | 611,598 |
| 2020 | 92,249 |
| 2021 | 114,025 |
| 2022 | 410,036 |
| 2023 | 603,261 |
| 2024 | 636,077 |
| Country of the consulate | Applications 2024 | Refusal rate |
|---|---|---|
| India | 217,373 | 12.0% |
| China | 95,003 | 4.9% |
| Saudi Arabia | 37,225 | 5.5% |
| Thailand | 31,723 | 4.4% |
| United Arab Emirates | 27,148 | 21.3% |
| Türkiye | 23,034 | 11.0% |
| Indonesia | 19,679 | 3.4% |
| United Kingdom | 14,464 | 12.8% |
| Philippines | 13,753 | 5.1% |
| Iran | 13,440 | 9.7% |
| Qatar | 13,269 | 7.7% |
| Russia | 10,224 | 4.7% |
| United States | 9,863 | 3.2% |
| South Africa | 8,480 | 8.0% |
| Sri Lanka | 6,617 | 34.1% |
Switzerland's embassies and consulates abroad
Countries in which Switzerland has an embassy or consulate, as recorded in Wikidata.
| Country | Embassies | Consulates-general | Consulates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | 1 | — | — |
| Algeria | 1 | — | — |
| Angola | 1 | — | — |
| Argentina | 1 | — | — |
| Armenia | 1 | — | — |
| Australia | 1 | — | — |
| Austria | 1 | — | — |
| Azerbaijan | 1 | — | — |
| Bangladesh | 1 | — | — |
| Belarus | 1 | — | — |
| Belgium | 1 | — | — |
| Bolivia | 1 | — | — |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | — | — |
| Brazil | 1 | — | — |
| Bulgaria | 1 | — | — |
| Cameroon | 1 | — | — |
| Canada | 1 | — | — |
| Chile | 1 | — | — |
| China | 1 | — | — |
| Colombia | 1 | — | — |
| Costa Rica | 1 | — | — |
| Croatia | 1 | — | — |
| Cuba | 1 | — | — |
| Cyprus | 1 | — | — |
| Czechia | 1 | — | — |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 1 | — | — |
| DR Congo | 1 | — | — |
| Dominican Republic | 1 | — | — |
| Ecuador | 1 | — | — |
| Egypt | 1 | — | — |
| Ethiopia | 1 | — | — |
| Finland | 1 | — | — |
| France | 1 | — | — |
| Georgia | 1 | — | — |
| Germany | 1 | — | — |
| Ghana | 1 | — | — |
| Greece | 1 | — | — |
| Guatemala | 1 | — | — |
| Haiti | 1 | — | — |
| Hungary | 1 | — | — |
| India | 1 | — | — |
| Indonesia | 1 | — | 1 |
| Iran | 1 | — | — |
| Ireland | 1 | — | — |
| Israel | 1 | — | — |
| Italy | 2 | — | — |
| Japan | 1 | — | 1 |
| Jordan | 1 | — | — |
| Kazakhstan | 1 | — | — |
| Kenya | 1 | — | — |
| Kosovo | 1 | — | — |
| Kuwait | 1 | — | — |
| Kyrgyzstan | 1 | — | — |
| Latvia | 1 | — | — |
| Lebanon | 1 | — | — |
| Luxembourg | 1 | — | — |
| Madagascar | 1 | — | — |
| Malaysia | 1 | — | — |
| Mexico | 1 | — | — |
| Morocco | 1 | — | — |
| Mozambique | 1 | — | — |
| Myanmar | 1 | — | — |
| Nepal | 1 | — | — |
| New Zealand | 1 | — | — |
| Nigeria | 1 | — | — |
| North Macedonia | 1 | — | — |
| Norway | 1 | — | — |
| Oman | 1 | — | — |
| Pakistan | 1 | — | — |
| Peru | 1 | — | — |
| Philippines | 1 | — | — |
| Poland | 1 | — | — |
| Portugal | 1 | — | — |
| Qatar | 1 | — | — |
| Romania | 1 | — | — |
| Russia | 1 | 1 | — |
| Saudi Arabia | 1 | — | — |
| Senegal | 1 | — | — |
| Serbia | 1 | — | — |
| Singapore | 1 | — | — |
| Slovakia | 1 | — | — |
| Slovenia | 1 | — | — |
| South Africa | 1 | — | — |
| South Korea | 1 | — | — |
| Spain | 1 | — | — |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | — | — |
| Sudan | 1 | — | — |
| Sweden | 1 | — | — |
| Tanzania | 1 | — | — |
| Thailand | 1 | — | — |
| Tunisia | 1 | — | — |
| Türkiye | 1 | 1 | — |
| Ukraine | 1 | — | — |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 | — | — |
| United Kingdom | 1 | — | — |
| United States | 1 | 3 | — |
| Uruguay | 1 | — | — |
| Uzbekistan | 1 | — | — |
| Venezuela | 1 | — | — |
| Vietnam | 1 | — | — |
| Zimbabwe | 1 | — | — |
- Countries
- 101
- Missions
- 109
Source: Wikidata (CC0)Data as at Oct 2026
Remittances sent abroad
Personal remittances paid from Switzerland to other countries, in current US dollars (World Bank).
Remittances paid by year, US$ million
Data table
| 2000 | 5,873 |
| 2001 | 6,556 |
| 2002 | 7,528 |
| 2003 | 9,139 |
| 2004 | 10,332 |
| 2005 | 10,855 |
| 2006 | 11,671 |
| 2007 | 13,413 |
| 2008 | 15,834 |
| 2009 | 16,410 |
| 2010 | 18,532 |
| 2011 | 23,687 |
| 2012 | 23,715 |
| 2013 | 25,308 |
| 2014 | 26,783 |
| 2015 | 25,993 |
| 2016 | 26,005 |
| 2017 | 26,910 |
| 2018 | 27,690 |
| 2019 | 28,408 |
| 2020 | 29,557 |
| 2021 | 32,218 |
| 2022 | 33,302 |
| 2023 | 37,531 |
| 2024 | 40,110 |
| 2025 | 42,676 |
- Remittances paid, 2025
- US$42,676 million
- Average cost of sending US$200 from Switzerland, 2023
- 4.1%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)Data as at 2025
Corridors into Switzerland
Nationalities with a dedicated corridor page.
- India → Switzerland
- Germany → Switzerland
- France → Switzerland
- Italy → Switzerland
- China → Switzerland
- Portugal → Switzerland
- United States → Switzerland
- Spain → Switzerland
- Poland → Switzerland
- Romania → Switzerland
- Saudi Arabia → Switzerland
- Thailand → Switzerland
- United Kingdom → Switzerland
- United Arab Emirates → Switzerland
- Türkiye → Switzerland
- Hungary → Switzerland
- Indonesia → Switzerland
- Brazil → Switzerland
- Afghanistan → Switzerland
- Austria → Switzerland
- Kosovo → Switzerland
- Serbia → Switzerland
- Philippines → Switzerland
- Iran → Switzerland
- Qatar → Switzerland
- Bulgaria → Switzerland
- Canada → Switzerland
- Croatia → Switzerland
- Greece → Switzerland
- North Macedonia → Switzerland
- Slovakia → Switzerland
- Russia → Switzerland
- Belgium → Switzerland
- Mexico → Switzerland
- Japan → Switzerland
- Syria → Switzerland
- South Africa → Switzerland
- Ukraine → Switzerland
- Netherlands → Switzerland
- Morocco → Switzerland
- Eritrea → Switzerland
- Sri Lanka → Switzerland
- Sweden → Switzerland
- Czechia → Switzerland
- Colombia → Switzerland
- South Korea → Switzerland
- Vietnam → Switzerland
- Australia → Switzerland
- Tunisia → Switzerland
Source: OECD, International Migration Database (OECD.ELS.IMD), accessed 24 Oct 2026Data as at 2023
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