The number of European citizens immigrating to Switzerland has fallen by 3% compared to figures from the previous year.
Figures released by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) show that 647 less people from European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) nations moved to Switzerland between the months of January and September.
As of September 2018, there is roughly 2,075,400 foreigners living permanently in Switzerland. Of this number, more than 1.4 million come from EU/EFTA nations.
Since Swiss immigration numbers peaked in 2008, the net immigration of EU and EFTA nationals has steadily fallen - resulting in a decrease of nearly two-thirds (63.6%) since then.
However, the number of people immigrating to Switzerland in general has actually grown by 1% during this same period (January-September 2018). This percentage is equivalent to 1057 people.
In total, some 103,893 people moved to Switzerland for professional reasons and some 31,971 moved here to reunite with family.
Emigration, as in people leaving Switzerland to live elsewhere, has also increased by 2.8% (1696) during this period.
SOURCE: The Local
