MigrantoImmigrants in Switzerland
2.4M foreigners live in Switzerland — 26% of the country's population
Immigrants in Switzerland by country
The 3 largest groups make up 36% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Germany | 371816 |
| Italy | 273822 |
| Portugal | 202178 |
| France | 195100 |
| Turkey | 86906 |
| North Macedonia | 85065 |
| Ukraine | 80919 |
| Spain | 71167 |
| Serbia | 68585 |
| Bosnia | 58221 |
| Austria | 57640 |
| Poland | 53044 |
| Brazil | 51063 |
| United Kingdom | 48706 |
| USA | 42809 |
| Romania | 40167 |
| Sri Lanka | 37483 |
| Eritrea | 31946 |
| Russia | 30466 |
| China | 30309 |
| Hungary | 29553 |
| Syria | 29396 |
| India | 27635 |
| Slovakia | 24437 |
| Netherlands | 24215 |
| Afghanistan | 24005 |
| Thailand | 22654 |
| Morocco | 21949 |
| Croatia | 19802 |
| Greece | 19484 |
| Belgium | 19211 |
| Colombia | 17521 |
| Iran | 17038 |
| Czech Republic | 16719 |
| Philippines | 16482 |
| Tunisia | 14494 |
| Dominican Republic | 13870 |
| Canada | 13033 |
| Vietnam | 12927 |
| Bulgaria | 12532 |
| Iraq | 12464 |
| Peru | 12080 |
| Argentina | 11810 |
| Algeria | 11016 |
| Sweden | 10012 |
By region of origin
76% of immigrants come from Europe
Ask Migo
Tap a question — our AI assistant answers it in chat, with real migration data
Key facts
Immigrants in Switzerland in numbers
Immigration drives population growth
50% of the population growth of Switzerland since 1990 came from immigrants.
1 in 4 residents of Switzerland was born abroad
2.4M of 9M residents were born abroad — 26.3% of the population.
The map of origins has changed since 1990
5 countries have entered the top 20 origins since 1990: Ukraine, Romania, Eritrea. Ukraine climbed from outside the top 20 to #7.
Immigrant population in Switzerland over time
Foreigners living in Switzerland, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 1221707 |
| 1995 | 1298377 |
| 2000 | 1395537 |
| 2005 | 1575766 |
| 2010 | 1719495 |
| 2015 | 1975782 |
| 2020 | 2154485 |
| 2024 | 2371751 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Switzerland, by year
| Year | Germans | Italians | Portuguese | French | Turks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 234879 | 266625 | 100958 | 99313 | 65429 |
| 1995 | 250441 | 257127 | 115033 | 105573 | 67011 |
| 2000 | 268635 | 249113 | 131724 | 112955 | 68983 |
| 2005 | 300781 | 250428 | 156741 | 126528 | 73866 |
| 2010 | 323003 | 243157 | 179838 | 135578 | 76194 |
| 2015 | 349435 | 260982 | 220901 | 156030 | 78454 |
| 2020 | 359069 | 269298 | 212350 | 175221 | 82295 |
| 2024 | 371816 | 273822 | 202178 | 195100 | 86906 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Switzerland
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Switzerland
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Switzerland?
Around 2.4M immigrants live in Switzerland — the world's #29 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Switzerland are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 26% of the population of Switzerland — that's 2.4M out of a total population of 9M.
Where do most immigrants in Switzerland come from?
Most immigrants in Switzerland come from Germany, Italy and Portugal — these three countries account for about 36% of all immigrants.
How many Germans live in Switzerland?
Around 371.8K Germans live in Switzerland — about 16% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Switzerland growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Switzerland has grown from 2M to 2.4M, about 20%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Switzerland come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Switzerland. Their children born in Switzerland are not included.
Where to live?
Score countries, regions and cities by what matters to you
Living in Switzerland
See the full country overview