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Switzerland has one of the highest proportions of expats in Europe
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Switzerland has one of the highest proportions of expats in Europe

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© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Apr 13, 2022
Jan de Boer

Editor at IamExpat Media

Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016. While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more

A new study by Our World in Data has revealed that 28,8 percent of Switzerland’s residents were born abroad. Globally, this means Switzerland has the 16th highest proportion of expats and internationals in its population, and the fourth-highest in Europe.

28,8 percent of Swiss population expats or internationals

The study found that 2,49 million people in Switzerland either hold a residence permit or gained Swiss citizenship later in life, out of a population of 8,7 million. 28,8 percent of the population of the country were born overseas, with most internationals living around Geneva and Zurich.

Globally, the United Arab Emirates had the highest proportion of foreign nationals, with 88,1 percent of the population being non-Emirati. This was followed by the Gulf states of Qatar and Kuwait, where over 70 percent of the population is born overseas.

Switzerland seen share of expats increase over 22 years

In Europe, the microstates of Liechtenstein, Monaco, Andorra and Luxembourg had the highest proportion of foreign nationals, with between 47,9 and 72,8 percent of residents being born overseas. Watson noted that if the ranking was only of nations with over 1 million inhabitants, Switzerland would be top of the list in Europe, followed by Sweden.

The proportion of expats to locals in Switzerland has increased by 8 percent since 2000, along with a population rise of 1,453 million. On the flip side, Cuba and China were found to have the lowest proportion of foreign nationals living within their borders, with 0,03 and 0,07 percent respectively. 

By Jan de Boer