Switzerland records decline in EU migrants

Fewer EU migrants moved to Switzerland between January and September 2017, then had done in the same nine-month period last year, new figures show.

The figures, obtained by Swiss public television network RTS, found that immigration from European Union states was down by 26 per cent, compared to the same period of 2016. From January to September 2017, 67,039 foreigners arrived here from EU and EFTA states.

Experts believe that the main reason for the decline is the fact that many economies in the EU are currently growing faster than that of Switzerland. However, some also believe that an increasingly negative perception of immigrants from the Swiss public could also be impacting the numbers. A number of referendums held in the country over the past few years have led to calls for the country’s government to introduce immigration quotas.

If this year’s immigrant intake trend continues, then immigration in Switzerland during 2017 will be the lowest for more than ten years.

According to the latest figures from the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), there are now 2,047,684 foreigners living permanently in Switzerland.

Article published 10th November 2017