The Local Switzerland

Swiss population hits 8.5 million mark for first time

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 21:28:07 +0200

Switzerland's Federal Statistics Office (FSO) has just released new details about the country's population. From the number of foreigners to the biggest cities, here's what you need to know.

Foreign residents now make up more than a quarter of the population in Switzerland

Fri, 31 Aug 2018 19:48:35 +0200

International residents now represent more than a quarter of the population in Switzerland, according to data released on Friday by the Federal Statistical Office, though the number of new immigrants arriving is falling.

Here's how much tax Swiss people can expect to pay in a lifetime

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 16:48:47 +0100

Swiss daily the NZZ recently crunched the numbers to work out that an average worker in Switzerland could pay a grand total of €1,144,000 in taxes over the course of a lifetime.

There are now 2.1 million foreigners in Switzerland

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 12:08:32 +0200

The number of foreigners in Switzerland increased at a faster rate than the number of Swiss in 2016, according to new figures released on Wednesday.

Cross-border workers in Switzerland rise by a quarter in five years

Fri, 24 Feb 2017 12:48:42 +0100

The number of cross-border workers commuting to Switzerland for jobs has risen by more than a quarter since 2011, new figures show.

Foreigners in Switzerland surpass 2 million mark

Fri, 26 Aug 2016 13:38:04 +0200

For the first time, there are now more than two million foreigners living in Switzerland, according to new figures released on Thursday.

Report confirms rising number of immigrants

Thu, 27 Aug 2015 21:14:05 +0200

Immigration is continuing to drive Switzerland’s growth in population, which rose by almost 100,000 to more than 8.2 million by the end of 2014, official government figures confirm.

Report: Switzerland is world’s safest country

Fri, 14 Aug 2015 12:00:06 +0200

Provided you're not mountain climbing, skiing off-piste or base jumping, Switzerland is the safest country in the world, according to a new study.

Foreigner head count nears two million

Fri, 24 Apr 2015 13:25:14 +0200

Immigration continues to boost the Swiss population, which grew to 8,236,600 at the end of 2014, an increase of 96,000 persons (up 1.2 percent) from a year earlier, according to new provisional figures released by the federal statistics office.

Swiss cabinet unveils EU immigration quotas bill

Thu, 12 Feb 2015 00:22:00 +0100

The Swiss government has presented a bill for new quotas on immigration from the European Union, a year after voters narrowly approved such curbs and put the country on a collision course with Brussels.

Bern launches campaign against 'Ecopop' bid

Tue, 14 Oct 2014 23:47:00 +0200

The Swiss federal government on Tuesday launched its campaign against a national initiative to limit net annual immigration to 0.2 percent of the population.

Foreign women have rising share of newborns

Wed, 01 Oct 2014 11:17:00 +0200

More than one in three babies were born in Switzerland last year to foreign mothers, a proportion that has doubled in the past 20 years, according to government figures.

Expats boost high rise in Swiss population

Fri, 29 Aug 2014 14:01:43 +0200

Over two-thirds of Switzerland’s population growth in 2013 can be attributed to foreign immigrants, according to figures published by the Swiss federal office of statistics (BFS).

Swiss expats threatened by ‘absurd’ proposal

Wed, 16 Jul 2014 15:05:00 +0200

A proposal to limit population growth in Switzerland could mean Swiss expats cannot return to their native country, says an organization representing citizens living abroad.

Swiss share of births out of wedlock doubles

Thu, 04 Jul 2013 13:38:00 +0200

The number of children born out of wedlock in Switzerland has virtually doubled in the past decade, but the rate remains well below the European average, a report released on Thursday shows.

Swiss ecologists seek to curb immigration

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:46:00 +0100

A group of Swiss environmentalists on Friday submitted a bill to the government aimed at reining in immigration in the name of curbing population growth and protecting the environment.

Swiss have space for two million more people

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 13:25:00 +0200

Switzerland can accommodate up to 2.1 million more people under current planning laws, a federal official says.

European arrivals swell Swiss population stats

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:37:00 +0200

The number of foreigners living in Switzerland rose 2.9 percent in August compared to a year ago, with the rise driven by arrivals from European countries.

Swiss population at 7.9 million: statistics office

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:16:00 +0200

Switzerland's population grew to 7.9 million people last year, with a quarter of residents born abroad, the Federal Statistics Office said Thursday.