Information on non-Swiss individuals residing in Zurich, Geneva, and Vaud who become Swiss citizens:
Getting the Lowdown on Naturalizations
Stepping into the Swiss hotspots, it's no surprise that cantons with notable foreign populations have seen a surge in naturalizations. Let's take a peek at the figures for 2023 in these cantons: Zurich, Geneva, and Vaud.
Zurich, boasting a 31% foreign population, welcomed 9,252 new Swiss citizens. Germany led the pack with 1,123 naturalizations, followed by Italians (250), French (131), and Spanish (102). The Portuguese accounted for 59 naturalizations, and interestingly, more Portuguese were naturalized in Geneva and Vaud. Individuals from Eritrea comprised the largest non-EU/EFTA group (78), while approximately equal numbers of US and UK nationals were naturalized (54 and 53, respectively).
Geneva, with a proportionally high naturalization rate, had 4,779 new Swiss citizens. French nationals once again topped the list (1,135), followed closely by Portuguese (505), Italians (363), Spaniards (289), and Germans (113). British nationals led the charge among third countries with 169 naturalizations. Brazilians (116) and US citizens (61) followed, with Canadians (30) trailing behind.
Lastly, Vaud, with a foreign population of 33%, welcomed 5,151 new Swiss citizens. French nationals dominated the list once more (2,587), with Portuguese (895), Italians (877), Spaniards (440), and Germans (349) trailing behind. Romanians came in at 131. UK nationals topped the list of third countries (421), followed by Kosovo (320) and Russia (146). Vaud naturalized more North Americans than the other two cantons, with 125 Canadians and 96 US citizens.
Leaving no stone unturned, it's essential to acknowledge that the data provided here represents a closely-knit snapshot from 2023. It is worth investigating the overall trends in naturalizations and their evolution over time by checking the annual migration reports from official sources such as the Federal Statistical Office.
- Switzerland saw a significant increase in naturalizations in cantons with high foreign populations, such as Zurich, Geneva, and Vaud, in 2023.
- In Zurich, the Portuguese had a notable presence with 59 naturalizations, while more Portuguese were naturalized in Geneva and Vaud combined.
- Politics and general news outlets often cite charts illustrating the migration patterns of various nations in Switzerland, with the largest non-EU/EFTA group of naturalized individuals being Eritreans in Zurich.
