As countries across Europe tighten immigration rules and lock the doors, Switzerland is reportedly pushing to enact a law that would cap the population at 10 million. Switzerland's current population is estimated at about 9 million.
According to Bloomberg on the 10th, Switzerland is expected to put a bill to maintain the population at 10 million to a national referendum. If the bill passes, new entries could be sharply restricted regardless of status, including refugees, skilled workers, and high-income managers. Switzerland is a direct democracy that decides major policies by referendum, and the vote could take place as early as next year.
The bill was first proposed in 2023 by the ruling, hard-right Swiss People's Party (SVP). During the general election, the party defined Swiss citizenship as a "privilege," made curbing immigration a key pledge, and highlighted the population cap as a solution to protect the way of life and ease environmental burdens.
The bill centers on curbing population growth under step-by-step scenarios. If the total population exceeds 9.5 million before 2050, entry by refugees and the families of foreign residents would be restricted first, and residence and settlement permits and the granting of citizenship to those admitted temporarily would be suspended. If the population exceeds 10 million, Switzerland would withdraw from international treaties that "could spur population growth," and if the number does not fall below 10 million within two years thereafter, Switzerland would end its free-movement cooperation with the EU.
According to a poll conducted on Jul. in 2025, Swiss respondents favored the measure 48% to 41%, with support slightly ahead. Still, some note that given the nature of direct-democracy votes, the final outcome is hard to predict.
Complaints over population growth have steadily accumulated. Switzerland is a hub of the European economy, home to the headquarters of global corporations such as UBS, Nestlé, and Novartis and clustered with foreign corporations including Google, IBM, and Walt Disney. With low corporate tax rates and a high standard of living, it attracts a strong inflow of overseas talent. Over the past decade, Switzerland's population has risen about 10%, far outpacing the European Union average growth rate of about 2%. In particular, since 2023 the influx of Ukrainian refugees has accelerated population growth, which is seen as amplifying public discontent.
The Swiss business community, however, has expressed strong concern that restricting immigrants could hurt the economy. According to the business group Economiesuisse, Switzerland faces an estimated labor shortfall of about 430,000 by 2040, and filling it without immigrants is impossible. Swissmem, the manufacturing association, also says that in export-dependent industries, taking in skilled workers from immigrant backgrounds is unavoidable.