Switzerland
This content was last updated in March 2024.
The rate of immigration in Switzerland is among the highest in Europe. With more than one-fifth of the total population consisting of non-citizens, Switzerland has one of the largest resident foreign populations in the world.
The federal government has been gradually adapting its policy on foreign nationals and immigration to a more modern standard, taking into account international developments. Its policy is embodied in the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals (FNA), in force since January 2008, and in the Bilateral Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons concluded with the EU, which came into force on 1 June 2002.
Please click the links in the left sidebar for a detailed analysis of this jurisdiction.