A Swiss MP called this week for foreign entrepreneurs based in Switzerland to be given access to a simplified naturalisation procedure.
The proposal, made to Switzerland's Federal Council by Deputy Andreas Gafner, is described on the Swiss parliament website as a "simplified naturalisation for foreign shareholders or owners of companies liable for tax in Switzerland".
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The focus of this measure are company owners from the EU states who, during their residence in Switzerland, have created jobs, paid taxes, and generally contributed value to Swiss economy and society, Gafner said.
Under current rules, citizenship is granted after a minimum of 10 years residence as well as fulfilment of other criteria, including language proficiency and integration.
However, as the proposal notes: "until now, all foreigners wishing to become naturalised have been treated equally, regardless of whether they have already made a contribution to Switzerland or not."
The move would benefit some foreigners over others on a contributory basis. One such example would be "an EU citizen who founded a company in Switzerland as a partner and ran it for more than 10 years, but remained registered in his home country, has paid cantonal and federal taxes for at least 10 years. They have supported the Swiss state financially and contributed his expertise and know-how to Switzerland."
Gafner's intervention is anchored on the idea that a streamlined naturalisation process "could strengthen the willingness of high-performing entrepreneurs with a high level of innovation to set up a business in Switzerland (and create jobs)".
The proposition comes amid wider debate in Switzerland over immigration and population growth.
In 2026, Swiss voters will head to the ballot box to vote on a controversial anti-immigration proposal by the hard right Swiss People’s Party (SVP) that stipulates that Switzerland’s permanent resident population must not exceed ten million people before 2050.
If the permanent resident population does exceed 9.5 million people before the year 2050, the proposal says the Federal Council and the parliament would have to take measures to limit immigration, such as restricting access to permanent residency or Swiss citizenship.
The policy was recently rejected by lawmakers in Switzerland's upper chamber, the Council of States, who stated that the population cap "would only cause damage" to Switzerland.
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