How many prisoners in Switzerland are foreign citizens?

In 2024, 71.4% of prisoners in Switzerland held a foreign citizenship, while foreign citizens made up 27.0% of the population. That makes a foreign citizen 6.8× as likely to be in prison as a Swiss citizen (Eurostat).

How does Switzerland compare with the rest of Europe?

Switzerland ranks 4 of 31 European countries by how much more likely foreign citizens are to be in prison than citizens. The median across those countries in 2024 was 3.1×.

Does Switzerland publish crime or rape statistics by nationality?

Switzerland is not one of the four countries covered here (Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany) whose official sources publish rape, sexual offence or violent crime rates by country of birth or migrant background in a form that can be compared per capita. The comparable measure for Switzerland is Eurostat prison statistics by citizenship, shown on this page.

What are the crime statistics for illegal migrants in Europe?

No European country publishes a reliable per-capita crime rate for illegal migrants alone, because people without legal residence are not counted in the population figures needed to calculate a rate. Most official rates count registered residents by country of birth or citizenship. Germany comes closest: its police statistics (PKS) report an immigrant category (Zuwanderer) that includes asylum seekers, refugees, tolerated persons and people staying without permission. Foreign-citizen prison counts on the map can also include people without legal residence held on remand or awaiting deportation.

How are foreign prisoner rates calculated?

For each country, the share of prisoners holding a foreign citizenship is divided by the foreign share of the population, using Eurostat data. The result shows how many times as likely a foreign citizen is to be in prison as a citizen. Prison figures reflect sentencing, remand and deportation practice as well as offending.

Switzerland migrant crime and foreign prisoner statistics

How much more likely foreign citizens are to be in prison in Switzerland than Swiss citizens, year by year, from Eurostat prison and population statistics, and how Switzerland ranks against the rest of Europe.

Explore Switzerland on the interactive map

Foreign prisoners in Switzerland: 2008–2024

In 2024, foreign citizens in Switzerland were 6.8× as likely to be in prison as Swiss citizens and made up 71.4% of prisoners. That ranks Switzerland 4 of 31 European countries, against a median of 3.1×.

Foreign citizens in prison in Switzerland, times as likely as Swiss citizens, by year
Year	Times as likely	Prisoners foreign	Population foreign
2024	6.8×	71.4%	27.0%
2023	7.1×	71.4%	26.0%
2022	6.8×	70.3%	25.7%
2021	6.5×	69.2%	25.5%
2020	7.0×	70.2%	25.3%
2019	6.4×	68.2%	25.1%
2018	7.3×	70.9%	25.1%
2017	7.1×	70.3%	25.0%
2016	7.4×	70.7%	24.6%
2015	7.1×	69.5%	24.3%
2014	8.1×	71.7%	23.8%
2013	8.9×	73.0%	23.3%
2012	8.7×	71.9%	22.8%
2011	7.9×	69.5%	22.4%
2010	8.2×	69.9%	22.0%
2009	7.8×	68.3%	21.7%
2008	7.8×	67.5%	21.1%

Share of prisoners with a foreign citizenship divided by the foreign share of the population. Prison figures reflect remand, sentencing and deportation practice as well as offending. Source: Eurostat (crim_pris_ctz)

Foreign prisoner rates across Europe: where Switzerland ranks

Switzerland migrant crime: common questions

How many prisoners in Switzerland are foreign citizens?: In 2024, 71.4% of prisoners in Switzerland held a foreign citizenship, while foreign citizens made up 27.0% of the population. That makes a foreign citizen 6.8× as likely to be in prison as a Swiss citizen (Eurostat).
How does Switzerland compare with the rest of Europe?: Switzerland ranks 4 of 31 European countries by how much more likely foreign citizens are to be in prison than citizens. The median across those countries in 2024 was 3.1×.
Does Switzerland publish crime or rape statistics by nationality?: Switzerland is not one of the four countries covered here (Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany) whose official sources publish rape, sexual offence or violent crime rates by country of birth or migrant background in a form that can be compared per capita. The comparable measure for Switzerland is Eurostat prison statistics by citizenship, shown on this page.
What are the crime statistics for illegal migrants in Europe?: No European country publishes a reliable per-capita crime rate for illegal migrants alone, because people without legal residence are not counted in the population figures needed to calculate a rate. Most official rates count registered residents by country of birth or citizenship. Germany comes closest: its police statistics (PKS) report an immigrant category (Zuwanderer) that includes asylum seekers, refugees, tolerated persons and people staying without permission. Foreign-citizen prison counts on the map can also include people without legal residence held on remand or awaiting deportation.
How are foreign prisoner rates calculated?: For each country, the share of prisoners holding a foreign citizenship is divided by the foreign share of the population, using Eurostat data. The result shows how many times as likely a foreign citizen is to be in prison as a citizen. Prison figures reflect sentencing, remand and deportation practice as well as offending.

Switzerland migrant crime and foreign prisoner statistics

Explore Switzerland on the interactive map

Foreign prisoners in Switzerland: 2008–2024

Foreign citizens in prison in Switzerland, times as likely as Swiss citizens, by year
Year	Times as likely	Prisoners foreign	Population foreign
2024	6.8×	71.4%	27.0%
2023	7.1×	71.4%	26.0%
2022	6.8×	70.3%	25.7%
2021	6.5×	69.2%	25.5%
2020	7.0×	70.2%	25.3%
2019	6.4×	68.2%	25.1%
2018	7.3×	70.9%	25.1%
2017	7.1×	70.3%	25.0%
2016	7.4×	70.7%	24.6%
2015	7.1×	69.5%	24.3%
2014	8.1×	71.7%	23.8%
2013	8.9×	73.0%	23.3%
2012	8.7×	71.9%	22.8%
2011	7.9×	69.5%	22.4%
2010	8.2×	69.9%	22.0%
2009	7.8×	68.3%	21.7%
2008	7.8×	67.5%	21.1%

Foreign prisoner rates across Europe: where Switzerland ranks

Switzerland migrant crime: common questions

How many prisoners in Switzerland are foreign citizens?: In 2024, 71.4% of prisoners in Switzerland held a foreign citizenship, while foreign citizens made up 27.0% of the population. That makes a foreign citizen 6.8× as likely to be in prison as a Swiss citizen (Eurostat).
How does Switzerland compare with the rest of Europe?: Switzerland ranks 4 of 31 European countries by how much more likely foreign citizens are to be in prison than citizens. The median across those countries in 2024 was 3.1×.
Does Switzerland publish crime or rape statistics by nationality?: Switzerland is not one of the four countries covered here (Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany) whose official sources publish rape, sexual offence or violent crime rates by country of birth or migrant background in a form that can be compared per capita. The comparable measure for Switzerland is Eurostat prison statistics by citizenship, shown on this page.
What are the crime statistics for illegal migrants in Europe?: No European country publishes a reliable per-capita crime rate for illegal migrants alone, because people without legal residence are not counted in the population figures needed to calculate a rate. Most official rates count registered residents by country of birth or citizenship. Germany comes closest: its police statistics (PKS) report an immigrant category (Zuwanderer) that includes asylum seekers, refugees, tolerated persons and people staying without permission. Foreign-citizen prison counts on the map can also include people without legal residence held on remand or awaiting deportation.
How are foreign prisoner rates calculated?: For each country, the share of prisoners holding a foreign citizenship is divided by the foreign share of the population, using Eurostat data. The result shows how many times as likely a foreign citizen is to be in prison as a citizen. Prison figures reflect sentencing, remand and deportation practice as well as offending.