Around 40 percent of Switzerland’s total population of 9 million have a migration background.

The Federal Statistical Office’s (FSO) Demography and Migration Section analysed how well (or not) these people live in Switzerland.

The results, published on Tuesday, indicate that in general, immigrants have “worse living and economic conditions” than the Swiss, especially in terms of housing as well as finances.

However, the report emphasised that “under no circumstances can migration status be considered as the only explanatory factor for the differences found between various population groups. Other variables, such as age, nationality, and education may also explain these differences.”

For instance, people coming from the EU / EFTA countries (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein) typically do better than those from third nations.

Also, there are marked differences in the standard of living between the first and second generation of immigrants, with the latter (already born in Switzerland) usually enjoying better living conditions.

Let’s look at some of the specifics

In terms of finances, 14 percent of foreigners have trouble making ends meet at the end of each month, while that proportion is 5 percent for people without the migration background.

By the same token, 6 percent of foreign nationals depend on social assistance, against 2 percent of Swiss people.

As far as housing is concerned, 20 percent of immigrants live in accommodation that are considered inferior (for instance, in terms of noise), versus 14 percent of non-migrant population.

There are, however, positives as well

“Over the last decade, the population with a migrant background has nevertheless seen an improvement in its situation for certain indicators, such as the difficulties in making ends meet and the poverty rate,” the FSO report states.

“Their median annual disposable income has also increased.”

It is important to note, too, that these figures concern primarily low-income people; living conditions and financial situation of those who are highly qualified and / or are university graduates and specialists in their field, is much better.

Within that group, in fact, foreigners sometimes earn higher wages than the Swiss.

READ ALSO: In which jobs in Switzerland do foreign workers earn more than the Swiss? 

Higher immigration

An increased number of foreign nationals have settled in the country in the past years, fuelling forecasts of population growth exceeding the 10-million mark in the near future.

In 2023, for instance, a total of 181,553 people immigrated to Switzerland, of which nearly 72 percent came from an EU or EFTA member state.

Given the above data — that is, lower living standards than non-immigrants — you may be wondering why so many people choose to come to Switzerland in the first place. 

The answer comes from another FSO study.

It indicated that about 40 percent move here for professional reasons, that is, because Swiss wages are higher (and sometimes by a lot) than nearly everywhere else in Europe.

That study also found that almost two-thirds of immigrants — more than 60 percent — want to stay in Switzerland permanently, with as many planning to obtain Swiss citizenship.