Switzerland’s Federal Council confirmed on 12 February 2026 that voters will decide on 10 June whether to back the Swiss People’s Party’s (SVP) popular initiative “No to a 10-million Switzerland”. The measure would force Bern to act as soon as the permanent resident population tops 9.5 million and to withdraw from the EU–Swiss free-movement agreement if numbers reach 10 million. Switzerland’s population stood at 9.1 million at the end of Q3 2025, of whom roughly 27 % are foreign nationals.
Business groups led by Economiesuisse and the Swiss Bankers Association warn that the proposal would jeopardise more than 120 bilateral accords that give Swiss exporters preferential access to the EU single market. Multinationals such as Roche, UBS and Nestlé, which depend on EU engineers, nurses and researchers, say they would be forced to shift high-value functions abroad if recruitment pipelines are cut. The Federal Council and both chambers of parliament have already recommended that citizens reject the initiative.
In this uncertain environment, specialised visa services can help firms stay agile. VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) offers real-time guidance on Swiss entry rules, tracks quota availability and prepares the paperwork for work permits and business visas, allowing mobility teams to keep assignments on schedule even if new caps are introduced.
![Swiss Sets Summer Referendum on SVP Plan to Cap Population at 10 Million]()
Free movement has been a cornerstone of corporate mobility planning since 2002, enabling employers to move EU staff into Switzerland within days on the basis of a simple online notification. A cap would re-impose quotas, labour-market tests and—in a worst-case scenario—full visa requirements, adding weeks to assignment lead-times and undermining Switzerland’s appeal as a European headquarters location.
For global mobility managers the political timetable is tight: if the initiative passes on 10 June the Federal Council would have just twelve months to table implementing legislation. HR teams are already mapping critical roles filled by EU nationals and considering contingency plans such as dual-contract models or relocation to neighbouring France or Germany. Companies running graduate-rotation or short-term assignment programmes should also prepare communication lines for affected assignees.
The vote will be a bell-wether for Swiss–EU relations after last year’s draft framework agreement. A rejection would strengthen Bern’s hand in finalising that deal; approval could unravel two decades of labour-mobility integration and trigger retaliatory measures from Brussels, such as tighter market-access rules for Swiss-based service providers.
Business groups led by Economiesuisse and the Swiss Bankers Association warn that the proposal would jeopardise more than 120 bilateral accords that give Swiss exporters preferential access to the EU single market. Multinationals such as Roche, UBS and Nestlé, which depend on EU engineers, nurses and researchers, say they would be forced to shift high-value functions abroad if recruitment pipelines are cut. The Federal Council and both chambers of parliament have already recommended that citizens reject the initiative.
In this uncertain environment, specialised visa services can help firms stay agile. VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) offers real-time guidance on Swiss entry rules, tracks quota availability and prepares the paperwork for work permits and business visas, allowing mobility teams to keep assignments on schedule even if new caps are introduced.
Free movement has been a cornerstone of corporate mobility planning since 2002, enabling employers to move EU staff into Switzerland within days on the basis of a simple online notification. A cap would re-impose quotas, labour-market tests and—in a worst-case scenario—full visa requirements, adding weeks to assignment lead-times and undermining Switzerland’s appeal as a European headquarters location.
For global mobility managers the political timetable is tight: if the initiative passes on 10 June the Federal Council would have just twelve months to table implementing legislation. HR teams are already mapping critical roles filled by EU nationals and considering contingency plans such as dual-contract models or relocation to neighbouring France or Germany. Companies running graduate-rotation or short-term assignment programmes should also prepare communication lines for affected assignees.
The vote will be a bell-wether for Swiss–EU relations after last year’s draft framework agreement. A rejection would strengthen Bern’s hand in finalising that deal; approval could unravel two decades of labour-mobility integration and trigger retaliatory measures from Brussels, such as tighter market-access rules for Swiss-based service providers.
