For the first time in modern history, Switzerland’s population has surpassed the 9 million mark. We’ve seen the same phenomenon happen throughout the West. Populations are rapidly growing despite low birth rates, all due to immigration.
Over 27% of Switzerland’s population is now composed of migrants, with immigration increasing by 11.7% in 2023. Foreigners in Switzerland composed a mere 10% of the population a decade ago. Switzerland has not seen such a drastic uptick in immigrants since the end of the Second World War when Italian and German immigrants sought to flee their war-torn countries. Under European Union guidelines, Switzerland first opened its borders to foreigners in 2002. The People’s Party unsuccessfully attempted to curtail newcomers in 2014. Then the EU stepped in and forced all member states to adopt open border policies. Now, workers from the European Free Trade Association composed 72% of all new arrivals in 2023.
In 2022, data revealed that 40% of permanent residents were migrants (nearly 3 million people), but a third did have some Swiss nationality. Around 52,000 instances of illegal immigration was on record for 2022, but of no surprise the majority of illegal migrants are nowhere to be found within the data. The number of foreigners have been steadily increasing year after year, with immigration rising 14.8% from 2021 to 2022. Switzerland has seen people entering its borders from both the Balkan route and Mediterranean crossings.
There is a steep cost associated with a boom in the population. No one dares to question how this drastic change in the population will change society itself as many of these newcomers do not share the same traditions and values as the native Swiss population.
