The latest data from authorities in Zurich, reported by NZZ am Sonntag, has shown that an all-time record number of expats and internationals moved to the city this year. Along with those seeking higher-paid jobs in the Swiss metropolis, the data showed that a large number of Ukrainian refugees have chosen to settle in Zurich.
In the last year alone, 30.000 people have come to Zurich to apply for a residence permit - a population nearly the size of Uster. The high level of migration seen in 2022 eclipses the previous record set in 2007, when 28.500 people moved to the city from abroad.
According to the local statistics office, immigration from overseas accounts for two-thirds of Zurich's population growth. Today around 1,5 million people call Canton Zurich home, with the population having grown by 12 percent in the last 10 years. Of that population, around 25 percent are not Swiss citizens but expats from around the world.
Of those who arrived in Switzerland in 2022, the majority of the newcomers were German citizens. This was followed by Ukrainian nationals - the majority of whom were fleeing Ukraine after the Russian invasion - Italians, Spanish and French people.
Notable for this year is the fact that three-quarters of the new population is under the age of 40 and the vast majority are looking to work - essential given the significant skills shortage in the Swiss economy. Finally, NZZ concluded that the majority of new arrivals in Zurich have a degree from a university.