General information about Switzerland


Immigration of foreigners to Switzerland

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Switzerland is now a country of immigrants, but it hasn't always been so. For centuries, it was the Swiss who left their country to find work and make their fortunes abroad. During the Renaissance, the Swiss were considered to be the best mercenaries in Europe, hence the famous Swiss Guards of the Vatican, who to this day wear the ceremonial uniforms designed for them by Michelangelo. Others, like Chevrolet,  took the boat to places like America and Brazil to seek their fortune and make a name for themselves.

But now Switzerland is a rich country and many people would like to immigrate here. In some cantons like Geneva, foreigners make up 30% of the population and that's not counting second generation immigrants. This situation has led to the introduction of laws and regulations that restrict immigration and make it particularly difficult to obtain Swiss citizenship. However, you should not be too concerned about this if you want to live in Switzerland. Swiss law   favors educated professionals and the rich, and even provides incentives for them to live and set up businesses in Switzerland. Click here if you want to know more about immigrating to Switzerland.

Nowadays, there are three kinds of immigrants coming to Switzerland:

  1. Well-educated, skilled professionals such as engineers and consultants, who come to Switzerland   to work as   highly-skilled employees or start their own business; and the rich who come to live off their wealth. These immigrants are advantaged by Swiss immigration laws.
  2. Political refugees who come to seek asylum. Over the years, Switzerland has welcomed hundreds of thousands of political refugees from the world's trouble spots, and we continue to do so. However, Swiss law prevents us from allowing in persons who try to exploit our social system.
  3. Low-skilled workers, especially from Portugal, Northern Spain and Southern Italy, who come here to offer their work for our excellent wages. The law severely restricts this category of immigrants who are already in Switzerland in large numbers.

We specialize in assisting only the first category of immigrants. If you would like to live in Switzerland and qualify for that category, we have a full range of services to offer you. Contact us or go to our immigration section.


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