- Immigrant Times
- Oct 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 26
Switzerland has become a European role model with its pragmatic approach to integrating immigrants
Swiss writer Max Frisch: “We asked for workers; we got people instead.”
By The Immigrant Times
Some 10,000 people with more than 115 nationalities work for Nestlé in Switzerland (Photos: Nestlé and Denis Balibouse / REUTERS)
October 2025: Switzerland, often perceived as insular and conservative, quietly hosts one of Europe’s highest proportions of foreign residents. Nearly 30 per cent of its population is foreign-born, a figure that rivals Canada and Australia. Yet unlike many European countries, Switzerland has managed to integrate immigrants into its economy and society with a pragmatic, if understated, approach.
Switzerland’s integration model is less about sweeping national narratives and more about local pragmatism. Cantonal governments, with significant autonomy, tailor integration programmes to their communities. Language acquisition, vocational training, and civic education are often delivered at the municipal level, allowing for more responsive and culturally sensitive support.
While citizenship remains difficult to obtain, requiring years of residency, language proficiency, and community approval, immigrants are actively included in the labour market. Bilateral agreements with the EU facilitate mobility for skilled workers, and Switzerland’s economy, especially in banking, healthcare, and tech, depends heavily on foreign labour.
“I came from Slovenia to work in IT,” said one migrant. “The process was very smooth, with minimal bureaucracy. The people are polite, everything is clean, the infrastructure is good, the public services really serve people”
Unlike many European states, Swiss immigration policy is shaped through referendums. This direct democracy mechanism forces public engagement and often tempers extreme shifts. While some initiatives have sought to cap immigration, many have been rejected, reflecting a nuanced public view: economic necessity balanced against cultural preservation.
This tension was famously captured by Swiss writer Max Frisch in 1965: “We asked for workers; we got people instead.” The quote still resonates today, as Switzerland grapples with the social dimensions of its economic reliance on migrants.
In contrast, countries like Britain, France and Italy have struggled with top-down integration models that often clash with local realities. France’s assimilationist approach, for instance, has faced criticism for ignoring cultural pluralism, while Italy’s fragmented system leaves many immigrants in legal limbo. Switzerland’s decentralised, employment-driven model avoids these pitfalls by embedding immigrants in the workforce and community from the outset.
Case study: The Rahmani family building a life in Bern
When the Rahmani family arrived in Bern from Kosovo in 2012, they spoke little German and had no Swiss contacts. But within months, their daughter Elira was enrolled in a local school, and both parents had begun vocational language courses offered by the canton.
“We didn’t know what to expect,” said Arben Rahmani, who now works as a bus mechanic. “But the local integration office helped us with everything, housing, school registration, even finding a job.”
His wife, Luljeta, joined a community gardening project that connects migrant women with Swiss neighbours.
“It’s not just about learning the language,” she said. “It’s about feeling part of something.”
Today, Elira is preparing for university, fluent in Swiss German and French. The family still celebrates Kosovo holidays, but their daily life is deeply rooted in Swiss rhythms, from recycling routines to weekend hikes. “We are Kosovars, yes,” Arben added. “But we are also Swiss now. Not on paper, maybe, but in how we live.”
Further reading: Immigrants create wealth || Immigrant workers are a major contributor to Spain’s economic growth || Britain's immigration policies || Immigrants in Italy ||
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