Switzerland’s Political Institutions Committee of the National Council dealt a blow on 24 January 2026 to campaigners who want to shorten the wait for a Swiss passport. By 17 votes to 8, the committee recommended that the full lower house reject the popular initiative “In favour of modern civil rights (democracy initiative)”, which seeks to make the federal government – rather than the cantons – the sole authority on citizenship and to allow most foreign residents to apply for naturalisation after just five years of lawful residence.
The initiative’s sponsors argue that Switzerland’s current naturalisation system is expensive, unpredictable and anachronistic. Today, foreigners must usually reside for ten years, pass cantonal language and integration tests, and secure approvals from communal, cantonal and federal bodies. Because each canton sets its own fees and procedures, costs can range from a few hundred to several thousand Swiss francs and processing times differ widely. Reformers say the patchwork deters globally-mobile talent who might otherwise embed themselves – and their companies – in the Swiss economy for the long term.
If you’re grappling with Switzerland’s multilayered immigration rules, VisaHQ can lighten the load. Through its Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/), the service consolidates application forms, cantonal guidelines and fee information, offering clear, up-to-date support for visas, residence permits and more—helping both individuals and HR departments streamline paperwork long before the question of citizenship arises.
![Swiss parliamentary committee blocks fast-track naturalisation initiative]()
The committee’s majority countered that citizenship is a matter of regional sovereignty anchored in the federal constitution. Critics of the initiative also contend that a five-year waiting period is too short to demonstrate durable integration and knowledge of Swiss civic life. They fear an abrupt change could trigger a surge in applications that would swamp migration offices and spark political backlash in a country where immigration remains a sensitive issue.
For employers and global mobility managers, the vote signals that a rapid path to citizenship is unlikely in the near future. That means highly-skilled foreign staff will continue to rely on residence and work-permit renewals for at least a decade before enjoying the travel freedoms and EU labour-market access a Swiss passport confers. HR teams should continue to plan expatriate assignments around existing B- and C-permit timelines and maintain clear communication with assignees about the hurdles to permanent settlement.
The full House of Representatives will debate the initiative later this spring. Unless the parliamentary mood changes, observers expect the proposal ultimately to be put to a nationwide referendum – a process that could push any reform well into 2027 or beyond.
The initiative’s sponsors argue that Switzerland’s current naturalisation system is expensive, unpredictable and anachronistic. Today, foreigners must usually reside for ten years, pass cantonal language and integration tests, and secure approvals from communal, cantonal and federal bodies. Because each canton sets its own fees and procedures, costs can range from a few hundred to several thousand Swiss francs and processing times differ widely. Reformers say the patchwork deters globally-mobile talent who might otherwise embed themselves – and their companies – in the Swiss economy for the long term.
If you’re grappling with Switzerland’s multilayered immigration rules, VisaHQ can lighten the load. Through its Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/), the service consolidates application forms, cantonal guidelines and fee information, offering clear, up-to-date support for visas, residence permits and more—helping both individuals and HR departments streamline paperwork long before the question of citizenship arises.
The committee’s majority countered that citizenship is a matter of regional sovereignty anchored in the federal constitution. Critics of the initiative also contend that a five-year waiting period is too short to demonstrate durable integration and knowledge of Swiss civic life. They fear an abrupt change could trigger a surge in applications that would swamp migration offices and spark political backlash in a country where immigration remains a sensitive issue.
For employers and global mobility managers, the vote signals that a rapid path to citizenship is unlikely in the near future. That means highly-skilled foreign staff will continue to rely on residence and work-permit renewals for at least a decade before enjoying the travel freedoms and EU labour-market access a Swiss passport confers. HR teams should continue to plan expatriate assignments around existing B- and C-permit timelines and maintain clear communication with assignees about the hurdles to permanent settlement.
The full House of Representatives will debate the initiative later this spring. Unless the parliamentary mood changes, observers expect the proposal ultimately to be put to a nationwide referendum – a process that could push any reform well into 2027 or beyond.
