icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
15 Feb, 2019 09:50

Immigration takes Switzerland’s foreign population above 2mn

Immigration into Switzerland rose again last year, taking the foreign population further above 2 million. Statistics released on Friday showed net immigration of citizens from the EU and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) rose by nearly 31,000 people in 2018, marginally more than in 2017. Overall immigration – which is steered by quotas for other foreigners and temporary limits on some Balkan members of the EU – increased 2.9 percent to nearly 55,000 people, Reuters reports. The Swiss People’s Party and anti-EU AUNS group are readying a new binding referendum under the Swiss system of direct democracy. It would cancel the free-movement accord with the EU if talks to end the practice do not bear fruit within a year.