Refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland
Switzerland: Refugees by country of asylum was 196,167 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland, 1951–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland is 196,167 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 213.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland peaked at 196,167 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9,200 people, in 1955.
Switzerland ranks 33rd of 183 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 10,000 people | — |
| 1952 | 9,800 people | -2.0% |
| 1953 | 9,500 people | -3.1% |
| 1954 | 9,400 people | -1.1% |
| 1955 | 9,200 people | -2.1% |
| 1956 | 20,700 people | +125.0% |
| 1957 | 20,500 people | -1.0% |
| 1958 | 20,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1959 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 20,500 people | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 21,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 26,000 people | +23.8% |
| 1969 | 30,000 people | +15.4% |
| 1970 | 31,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 30,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1972 | 35,000 people | +16.7% |
| 1973 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 30,000 people | -14.3% |
| 1978 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 32,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1981 | 40,000 people | +25.0% |
| 1982 | 33,404 people | -16.5% |
| 1983 | 32,312 people | -3.3% |
| 1984 | 31,201 people | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 30,726 people | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 31,343 people | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 31,707 people | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 31,949 people | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 36,763 people | +15.1% |
| 1990 | 40,943 people | +11.4% |
| 1991 | 45,622 people | +11.4% |
| 1992 | 51,930 people | +13.8% |
| 1993 | 56,586 people | +9.0% |
| 1994 | 75,295 people | +33.1% |
| 1995 | 82,943 people | +10.2% |
| 1996 | 84,413 people | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 83,205 people | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 81,875 people | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 82,273 people | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 57,624 people | -30.0% |
| 2001 | 58,471 people | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 54,081 people | -7.5% |
| 2003 | 50,126 people | -7.3% |
| 2004 | 47,654 people | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 48,010 people | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 48,508 people | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 45,642 people | -5.9% |
| 2008 | 46,131 people | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 46,204 people | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 48,813 people | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 50,401 people | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 50,733 people | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 52,448 people | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 62,596 people | +19.3% |
| 2015 | 73,326 people | +17.1% |
| 2016 | 82,668 people | +12.7% |
| 2017 | 93,030 people | +12.5% |
| 2018 | 104,011 people | +11.8% |
| 2019 | 110,162 people | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 115,798 people | +5.1% |
| 2021 | 118,829 people | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 182,474 people | +53.6% |
| 2023 | 192,507 people | +5.5% |
| 2024 | 196,167 people | +1.9% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 196,167 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,077 people, 19.5× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 196,167 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 68,603 people, 2.9× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | +125.0% | 9,200 people | 20,700 people |
| 2022 | +53.6% | 118,829 people | 182,474 people |
| 1994 | +33.1% | 56,586 people | 75,295 people |
| 2000 | -30.0% | 82,273 people | 57,624 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 14,344 people | 9,200 people | 20,700 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 21,750 people | 20,000 people | 30,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 32,600 people | 30,000 people | 35,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 33,140 people | 30,726 people | 40,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 68,508 people | 40,943 people | 84,413 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 50,245 people | 45,642 people | 58,471 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 72,819 people | 48,813 people | 110,162 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 161,155 people | 115,798 people | 196,167 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More reference data data for Switzerland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5507 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2683 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.272 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland was 196,167 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 196,167 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,200 people in 1955.
- How does Switzerland rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Switzerland ranks 33rd out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 213.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.