More Swiss citizens moved abroad in 2022, taking the total number of people living abroad to 800,000.
According to a press release by the Federal Council, the number of Swiss citizens residing abroad increased by 1.5 per cent between 2021 and 2022, and a total of 34 per cent during the 2002-2022 period, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
The authority reveals that Europe remained a preferred destination for Swiss citizens, but more people are showing interest to move to Asia.
On the other hand, Switzerland is a popular destination for migrants seeking to start a better life. The number of asylum applications in the country is high – 1,681 of those were recorded in February alone.
The main nationalities seeking protection in Switzerland were Turks, Afghani, Moroccans, Algerians as well as Eritreans. More people are reaching the country also due to the Dublin agreement, which obligates signatories to take in a certain number of migrants.
“Switzerland asked another Dublin country to take over 949 people, and 161 people were transferred to the responsible Dublin country in the same period. At the same time, Switzerland was asked by other Dublin states to take over 398 people, and 41 people were transferred to Switzerland,” the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) explains.
However, the migration rates to Switzerland are also among the highest in Europe as between 2012 and 2021, the share of the permanent resident population above the age of 15 that has a migration background has surged from 35 to 39 per cent. This shows that 39 per cent of the country’s population has ties to migration; was born abroad, and has a non-native parent or grandparent.
According to the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the permanent resident population of Switzerland has reached 8.7 million, showing an increase of 0.8 per cent between 2020 and 2022.
The Swiss population of Switzerland is expected to reach 8.8 million, scoring an increase of 1.16 per cent in the upcoming years, accounting for 101,277 more people.
FSO also pointed out that one woman in five and one man in six were over 64 years of age. Moreover, over 162 people are over one hundred years old – more than last year.
In 2021, a natural increase in population was evident, as the number of births surpassed the number of deaths by 18,581. Growth was also a result of out-migration, with the population being up by 82,697 more inhabitants. The number of people obtaining Swiss citizenship is also on the rise, reaching 30,166 in 2021.
Source: schengenvisainfo
