In 2023, 43,055 existing businesses moved their head office locations within Switzerland. This represents 2.4% more relocations than took place in 2022, when 42,030 companies changed locations. 82.5% of all changes of domicile occurred within the same canton, while 7,519 businesses moved to a different canton.
Valais, Ticino and St Gallen report the highest level of net immigration
The highest level of net immigration from other cantons was reported by the Canton of Valais (at 118 businesses), followed by Ticino (72) and St Gallen (67).
Valais mainly attracted businesses from the Cantons of Vaud (113), Geneva (61) and Zug (14). Ticino benefited from relocations from Graubünden (39), Zurich (39) and Zug (35). The Canton of St Gallen reported that its highest number of inward-moving businesses came from Zurich (106), Appenzell Ausserrhoden (67), Thurgau (62) and Schwyz (50).
Vaud, Lucerne and Zurich report the largest net outflow
The highest net emigration figures were registered by the Canton of Vaud, at -73 businesses. Other cantons reporting a high level of net emigration are Lucerne (-63), Zurich (-54) and Zug (-41).
Most of the businesses relocating out of the Canton of Vaud were moving their headquarters to the Cantons of Geneva (128), Valais (113) and Freiburg (96). Companies from the Canton of Lucerne moved to the Cantons of Zug (98), Zurich (68) and Aargau (59). From the Canton of Zurich, most businesses relocations were to the Cantons of Zug (305), Aargau (206) and Schwyz (165).
About the survey process
We have taken into consideration all those businesses entered into the commercial register that relocated their head offices within Switzerland in 2023.
