Over the past decade, net immigration of EU/EFTA nationals to Switzerland has amounted to around 400,000 people. Every day, tens of thousands also cross the border for work.
Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller
Freedom of movement has spurred immigration from Europe into Switzerland. Swiss authorities, employers’ associations and trade unions argue that this helps meet the needs of the labour market, and that future demographic ageing will make it even more necessary. But the system also has its costs.
This content was published on
April 30, 2026 - 09:00
