Switzerland is often seen as a magnet for foreigners. Far less attention is paid to the large number that leave every year. In a typical year, roughly 90,000 foreign nationals leave, according to new data obtained by swissinfo.ch.
Between 2013 and 2022, net migration averaged more than 60,000 a year, accounting for 85% of Switzerland’s population growth. In 2023, over 50,000 Ukrainian refugees helped push net foreign migration to a record of nearly 150,000, before falling back to around 95,000 in 2024, according to provisional data.
However, this sustained net inflow masks a significant and steady outflow of people. From 2013 to 2022, the country welcomed an average of 155,000 foreign nationals annually, while emigration hovered around 90,000 a year, a figure that has grown slowly but steadily since the early 2000s.
According to data from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), most foreign nationals who leave do so within a few years of arrival. Of the 200,000 foreigners who entered Switzerland in 2011, half had left within five years, and nearly 60% by 2022, with most departures occurring within the first two years.
Between 2014 and 2023, around 1.85 million foreign nationals immigrated to Switzerland. By the end of 2023, 800,000 (43%) of them had left.
One reason for leaving is related to the types of residence permits available. Most enter Switzerland on either a B-permit (renewable annually) or the more precarious L-permit, which is valid for no more than a year. Among 2011 arrivals, nearly one-third held an L-permit. 70% of this group eventually left. More than half received a B permit, but less than half of this group had left within a decade.
Whether someone stays seems to also be linked to employment. Work is the most common motivation for both arriving and leaving. Many also plan to retire abroad, driven by financial considerations.
Others come to Switzerland for short-term academic or professional opportunities, with little emotional or social attachment to the country. The EU’s free movement of persons agreement, in force since 2002, has not only boosted immigration but also encouraged more fluid, cross-border careers where people come and go.
Since the introduction of free movement with the European Union in 2002, emigration among EU citizens has risen significantly. EU nationals—particularly from Germany, Portugal, Italy and France—make up the bulk of foreign departures.
Portugal stands out for having the highest return migration rate. In 2023, for every 100 Portuguese nationals who arrived, 83 left.
More on this:
Swissinfo article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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