Moving to Switzerland from Eritrea

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Eritrea to Switzerland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Eritrea to Switzerland, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bern averages 55°F vs 74°F in Asmara, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Eritrea to Switzerland, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
1,364 ↑ 8% vs 2022

people moved from Eritrea to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Switzerland?

Top countries of origin for Switzerland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Eritrea to Switzerland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ER
14.6
CH
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ER
17.7
CH
2.4

Switzerland performs significantly better than Eritrea across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ER
$87
CH
$10,602
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ER
0.7
CH
44.4

Eritrea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ER
78.0
CH
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ER
0.2t
CH
3.7t

Eritrea generally does better on environment, though Switzerland leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ER
0.2
CH
47.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ER
11.2%
CH
6.5%

Switzerland performs significantly better than Eritrea across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ER
5.9%
CH
4.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ER
$1,600
CH
$82,900

Switzerland performs significantly better than Eritrea across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ER
66.8 yrs
CH
83.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ER
41.5
CH
3.6

Switzerland performs significantly better than Eritrea across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Asmara Rain: 20.9 in/yr (532 mm)
74° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

Bern Rain: 42.8 in/yr (1086 mm)
55° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Asmara Bern
Jan–Mar 75°/44°F (24°/7°C) 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/51°F (25°/11°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/51°F (22°/10°C) 70°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 71°/46°F (22°/8°C) 46°/36°F (8°/2°C)
View all months
Month Asmara Bern
Jan 73°/42°F (22.6°/5.6°C) 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C)
Feb 75°/44°F (23.9°/6.7°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C)
Mar 77°/47°F (25.1°/8.5°C) 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C)
Apr 76°/50°F (24.5°/9.9°C) 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C)
May 77°/52°F (25.2°/10.9°C) 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C)
Jun 77°/52°F (25.1°/11.2°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C)
Jul 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.4°C) 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C)
Aug 71°/53°F (21.6°/11.4°C) 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C)
Sep 74°/48°F (23.2°/8.7°C) 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C)
Oct 71°/48°F (21.8°/8.8°C) 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C)
Nov 71°/46°F (21.6°/7.5°C) 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C)
Dec 71°/43°F (21.7°/6.2°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C)

Data: Civil Aviation Authority Civil Aviation Authority, MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Eritrea and Switzerland. To live, work, or study long-term in Switzerland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Switzerland's immigration authority.

Eritrea passport

Eritrea passport holder visiting Switzerland

Visa Required
Eritrea passport holders need a visa to enter Switzerland.
Switzerland passport

Switzerland passport holder visiting Eritrea

Visa Required
Switzerland passport holders need a visa to enter Eritrea.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Switzerland?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Switzerland has 47.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Switzerland safe for expats?

Switzerland performs significantly better than Eritrea across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 14.6 in Eritrea.

How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Eritrea?

Eritrea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 0.7 in Eritrea. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Eritrea: 45).

What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Eritrea?

The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 74°F in Asmara. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Asmara gets 20.9 in.

What language do they speak in Switzerland?

The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Eritrea, the official languages are Arabic, English and Tigrinya.

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At a Glance

ER CH
Population 6,209,262 8,508,698
Currency Eritrean Nakfa (ERN) Swiss Franc (CHF)
Languages Arabic, English, Tigrinya French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +291 +41
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112