Though rates of immigration dropped in 2024, the year still saw 170.607 people come to Switzerland to fill jobs, reunite with family or claim asylum. Now, the latest data from the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has revealed the most common nationalities to move to the alpine nation last year.

170.000 people moved to Switzerland in 2024

After several years of high population growth, net migration to Switzerland in 2024 dropped by over 15 percent compared to 2023, down to a net positive of 83.392 people. 6 percent fewer people chose to move to Switzerland, while rates of emigration rose by 4,8 percent.

Nevertheless, last year saw 170.607 people claim a resident permit in Switzerland for the first time, a population larger than Lausanne. Nationals from EU / EFTA countries made up 70,7 percent of the total, while the rest came from so-called “third countries” from outside the blocs. 

The vast majority (71 percent) of EU / EFTA arrivals came to fill jobs in Switzerland, while most third-country nationals moved to reunite with family. In all, 2.368.364 non-Swiss people called the alpine nation home at the end of 2024, making up over a quarter of the total population.

Germans, French and Italians the most common arrivals

In 2024, German citizens were the most common migrants to Switzerland in 2024, totalling around 24.547 people. They were followed by French people (19.586) and Italians (17.987) - 38 percent of immigrants in 2024 were nationals from one of Switzerland’s neighbours.

For those interested, the most common non-EU / EFTA citizens to move to Switzerland last year were from Afghanistan, Türkiye and China. By contrast, the smallest group of new arrivals were the individuals who moved to Switzerland from Eswatini, the Comoros Islands and Samoa.

Most common nationalities to move to Switzerland

In all, here are the most common nationalities to move to Switzerland in 2024:

1. Germany (24.547)
2. France (19.586)
3. Italy (17.987)
4. Portugal (12.210)
5. Spain (9.067)
6. Romania (6.948)
7. Afghanistan (6.366)
8. Poland (6.255)
9. Türkiye (3.590)
10. China (PR) (2.288)

For more information about the study and to see which other nationalities moved to Switzerland last year, check out the official website.

Thumb image credit: Novikov Aleksey / Shutterstock.com