Switzerland

DEMOGRAPHICS

Total Asylum Applicants

In 2019, 2,722,000 people, or just under 38%, of the permanent resident population aged 15 and over had a migration background.

*Data source: State Secretariat for Migration Overview (Staatssejretaruat für Migration SEM)

Total Settlements

Switzerland ranks between the UK and Canada for the number of refugees granted legal asylum.

*Data source: State Secretariat for Migration Overview (Staatssejretaruat für Migration SEM)

DIVERSITY CONTRIBUTIONS

Numbers from Asylum applicants and temporary admission granted.

*Data source: European Council on Refugee & Exiles

Languages Spoken

English
Spanish
Portuguese
Bosnian
Pashto & Dari
Turkish

40.8% of the incoming populations speak English and 70% speak one of the three languages spoken in Switzerland (German, French, or Italian.)

*Data source: Federal Statistics Office

70%

Speak Host Country's Language

40.8% of refugees speak English.

ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS

Top 4 Fields of Labor*

Academic Professions

26%

Service Occupations or Sales

16%

Equipment and Machinery Operations

12%

Auxiliary Workers

10%

*Shown as a % of immigrants in the field of labor.

**Data source: Swiss Labor Statistics

1st Generation Immigrant Unemployment

2nd Generation Immigrant Unemployment

SOCIO-FAMILIAL CONTRIBUTION

Unaccompanied Children Released to Sponsors

*Data source: Stastik - Switzerland

45%

Asylum Applications submitted by Minors

*Data source: Save the Children

93%

Children Accompanied by Family

Rahim, an Afghan currently living in Switzerland — After fleeing Afghanistan. spending years in refugee camps, and being separated for periods of time, Rahim and his family were finally able to restart a new life together in Switzerland. "I didn’t come to Switzerland in order to just eat or sleep or be dependent on charity organizations or on the government. No. I’m educated. I can learn the language quickly. I can find a job, and I will pay my taxes and make a real life and a real contribution here."

May 4, 2022

Switzerland stands with Ukraine

For a small corner of the world, in Switzerland, what has happened in Ukraine has opened a door I didn’t think I would ever see.

More blog posts

Partners

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Volunteers

Darien Laird

Director of External Media

Darien is passionate about storytelling and made it her career. She has a BA in Broadcast Journalism and an MA in International Affairs. Her opportunities to report and tell stories have taken her from Cape Verde, Guatemala, Mexico, Spain, across the United States from Washington D.C. to Seattle, and now Switzerland. Darien is a mother of four children, all of whom are deeply rooted in the Swiss way of life and love it! When she is not telling stories to the world or her children, she is busy teaching dance classes or hiking in the Swiss Alps.

Sarah Smart

Community Liaison, Switzerland

Sarah's interest in refugee stories is rooted in her historical and professional work--but most deeply in her personal experiences. She wrote her dissertation on the immigration and integration of Polish exiles into post-war Great Britain and has worked on many projects that serve refugee populations in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa with the global foundation, Mankind is my Business (MIMB). Yet, her most impactful experiences were during her time living in Bangkok, Thailand, where many of her friends were displaced persons and asylum seekers. Now living in Switzerland she is dedicated to continuing the work of listening to those who have had different lived experiences and amplifying the voices of the marginalized. She works as the director of strategic programming for MIMB and loves to be in nature and eat ice cream.