Foreigners breach two million mark

The number of foreigners living in Switzerland has gone past two million for the very first time, according to the latest population figures. In 2015 there were 2,048,700 foreign nationals in the country, meaning they now account for 24.6% of the permanent resident population, the Federal Statistical Office said on Friday. The figure for 2014 was 1,998,500. Almost 400,000 of foreigners were born in Switzerland, with the rest immigrating from abroad. Of those foreigners born abroad, 44% have lived in Switzerland for at least ten years. The largest nationality groups were Italians, Germany, Portuguese, French and Kosovars, who between them accounted for 54% of foreigners permanently resident in Switzerland. Canton Geneva had the highest number of foreigners (41%), followed by Basel City (35%) and Vaud (34%). The central Swiss cantons of Obwalden, Nidwalden, Uri and Appenzell Inner Rhodes all have less than 15%, as does the Jura. In 2015 2.1% resident foreigners ...