PROUD MEMBER OF THE 11%

I recently realised something mildly unsettling.

I'm officially one of the 340,000 Swiss people who have emigrated since 1993.

That’s right. I’m not special. I’m a data point.

According to the latest figures, more than 838,600 Swiss nationals live abroad — about 11% of the population. Roughly one in nine Swiss people has looked at Switzerland, nodded politely, and said, “Lovely country. I’ll take it… but from a distance.”

Which made me wonder: Do I at least fit the typical Swiss expat profile?

Short answer: not really. Long answer: let’s analyse this properly — because if you’re going to be reduced to a statistic, you may as well enjoy it.

Geographic Reality Check

Almost two‑thirds of Swiss Abroad (64%) live in Europe.

No surprises there. Most simply hop across the border — France, Germany, Italy. Practical choices, especially when you suddenly feel the urge for proper bread or punctual trains.

The UK and Spain follow, with Spain booming since 2020. Apparently, sunshine, low costs, and tapas form a compelling argument.

Outside Europe, the United States leads, followed by Canada. Australasia gets a nod (hello Australia), while in Asia the largest community is in Thailand.

And then there’s me.

Japan.

Statistically… awkward.

Gender Balance

The Swiss diaspora is slightly female-dominated (54%).

The Vatican is the exception — thanks to the Pope’s Swiss Guard, an all-male institution proving that halberds and gender imbalance remain stubbornly traditional.

Age: Then vs Now

Most emigrants are 20–35. When I left Switzerland at 28, I was perfectly on trend.

At the time.

The fastest-growing group is 55–69, heading for Thailand, Portugal, and Spain — places where the sun allegedly never stops working.

Whether I like it or not, I'm now a proud member of that age demographic.

Where We Come From

Nearly half of all emigrants come from just three cantons: Zurich, Vaud, and Geneva.

I'm not entirely sure whether that says something about those places... or about the people living in them.

Possibly both.

I’m not from any of them.

But I left anyway.

Identity Crisis

Around three-quarters of Swiss Abroad hold multiple nationalities.

I don't.

Yet people assume that after 30 years in Japan, I must have gone fully local — spiritually and administratively.

So what would it take?

• Five years' residence ✅ After 30 years, I may have slightly overachieved.

• Age 18+ ✅ The distance between me and 18 keeps increasing at a mildly alarming pace.

• Clean criminal record ✅ Unless that one-way street traffic ticket resurfaces.

• Financial stability ✅ Yep.

• Tax compliance ✅ As a Swiss, this is basically encoded in my DNA.

• Japanese language ability (elementary school level) ✅ I might just scrape past that bar.

And then:

• Renunciation of your original nationality
  

  Ah. Japan doesn't officially allow dual citizenship, so I would theoretically have to put my Swiss passport through the shredder. And it still wouldn't make me a multiple-passport holder. I'd simply swap one red booklet for another.

  On the plus side: voting rights in Japan.

  On the minus side: none in Switzerland.
  

  Every upgrade has its trade-offs.

  
  

The Boomerang Effect

Interestingly, 57% of Swiss who emigrated in 2015 were back in Switzerland by 2024.

More than a third return within three years.

It would seem that homesickness is a feeling not to be underestimated. Or it's for far more pragmatic reasons, such as an excellent healthcare system and reliable infrastructure.

So Where Do I Fit?

I left decades ago. I didn’t move next door. I didn’t move back.

I chose Japan.

Statistically, I’m an outlier.

But that’s the point. The Swiss diaspora isn’t one story — it’s hundreds of thousands of variations on the same question:

What happens if I live somewhere else… just to see?

The answer, it turns out, is this:

You become a footnote in a very well-organised spreadsheet.

Which, frankly, feels extremely Swiss.