Immigration pushes Swiss population to new high

The number of people residing permanently in the country rose by 81,200, or 1.1 percent during the year, said the Federal Statistics Office.

GENEVA, February 25, 2010 (AFP) - Immigration fuelled population growth in Switzerland last year, raising the country's total permanent resident population to a record 7.78 million, official data showed Thursday.

The number of people residing permanently in the country rose by 81,200, or 1.1 percent during the year, said the Federal Statistics Office in a statement.

"While we observe a fall of 33 percent in net migration between 2008 and 2009, the demographic growth was 81 percent due to migration," it said.

This suggests that natural growth comprising of births minus deaths progressed at a much slower pace.

Births were up two percent to 78,200 in 2009 compared to 2008, bringing Switzerland's fertility rate to 1.49 compared to 1.48 a year ago.

Deaths were also up 2.2 percent to 62,600 cases.

The country registered record immigration in 2008 after the European Union and Switzerland implemented a treaty allowing EU citizens to take up jobs here without being subject to work permits.