{"id":3655,"date":"2019-08-19T17:53:25","date_gmt":"2019-08-19T15:53:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indicators.nccr-onthemove.ch\/?p=3655"},"modified":"2025-09-25T12:16:51","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T10:16:51","slug":"for-what-reasons-do-people-migrate-to-switzerland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nccr-onthemove.ch\/indicators\/for-what-reasons-do-people-migrate-to-switzerland\/","title":{"rendered":"For what reasons do people migrate to Switzerland?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Across all countries of origin, people migrated to Switzerland mainly for professional reasons, and to a lesser extent for family reasons<\/strong>. In fact, a little over half (55%) of the Migration-Mobility Survey participants said they moved to Switzerland for work or to study (whereas 11% indicated both work and family reasons). In total, 45% migrated for family reasons, either to start a family or to join a family member already settled in Switzerland. Only 11% of participants cited solely considerations other than these two reasons as the motive for their migration.<\/p>\n

To be more specific,\u00a0around 68% of German nationals, 70% of Italians, \u00a0and 74% of French nationals come to Switzerland for professional or educational purposes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On the other hand,\u00a0migration for family reasons is cited by a majority of arrivals from African states (59%)\u00a0<\/strong>and South America (69%)<\/strong>, <\/strong>whereas this is more rarely the case for nationals of EU countries.<\/p>\n

A clear gender difference can be seen, with <\/strong>60% of women citing family reasons as the motive (or one of the motives) for their migration, compared to only 30% of the men<\/strong>.<\/strong>\u00a0Conversely, men are more likely to migrate for professional reasons (67% vs. 43% of women). Migration for professional reasons is also more common among highly qualified migrants (66% compared to 35% of those who do not hold a tertiary educational qualification).<\/p>\n

For what administrative reason are migrants admitted in Switzerland?<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2013<\/p>\n

Source: <\/strong>Migration-Mobility Survey 2024, nccr \u2013 on the move<\/p>\n

Note on methodology: <\/strong>These figures are taken from the Migration-Mobility Survey, conducted in the fall of 2024 on a population of persons born abroad and with foreign citizenship who have moved to Switzerland in the last 18 years. To be included in the sample population, respondents had to be between 24 and 64 years of age at the time of the survey, and at least 18 years of age on their arrival in Switzerland. 6,971 people replied to the full questionnaire, either online or by telephone.<\/p>\n

The question asked:<\/strong> Why did you migrate to Switzerland?<\/p>\n

\u2013 Professional reasons
\n\u2013 Educational and\/or study reasons
\n\u2013 To start a family
\n\u2013 To accompany family
\n\u2013 To follow one\u2019s partner
\n\u2013 Lifestyle reasons
\n\u2013 Gain new experiences
\n\u2013 Social network in Switzerland
\n\u2013 Tax reasons
\n\u2013 Political reasons
\n\u2013 Health reasons
\n\u2013 Other reasons<\/p>\n

Respondents were allowed to give positive replies for any of the above. We then reconstituted the following categories:<\/p>\n

\u2013 Professional and\/or educational reasons
\n\u2013 Family reasons (includes those giving positive responses to the questions on \u201cstarting a family\u201d and\/or \u201cto accompany family members\u201d)
\n\u2013 Family and professional reasons (includes those who declared arriving in Switzerland for professional, family and other reasons)
\n\u2013 Other reasons (positive reply to one or more of the other questions)<\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong> The \u201ccountry of origin\u201d is based on the \u201cofficial\u201d nationality attributed in the strata of the Federal Statistical Office of Switzerland, and not on the respondents\u2019 self-declared nationality or country of origin.<\/p>\n

Terms of use<\/strong>: The Migration-Mobility Indicators are made available free of charge for non-commercial use. We ask the users to acknowledge the source.<\/p>\n

Suggested citation<\/strong>: nccr \u2013 on the move, Migration-Mobility Indicators. Neuch\u00e2tel: nccr \u2013 on the move, 2025.<\/p>\n

For more information about the data sets used, please click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Last update<\/strong>: 5 September 2025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Across all countries of origin, people migrated to Switzerland mainly for professional reasons, and to a lesser extent for family reasons. In fact, a little over half (55%) of the Migration-Mobility Survey participants said they moved to Switzerland for work or to study (whereas 11% indicated both work and family<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mobilities"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t