From grey skies to heatwaves: climate drives Swiss abroad

Following the cold and rain, hot summers – such as here in August 2026 on the shores of Lake Maggiore – are featuring ever higher on the list of reasons why the Swiss are choosing to emigrate. Keystone / Jean-Christophe Bott

Every year, many Swiss choose to settle abroad for a better climate. In the past the main motivation was often to escape the country’s long grey winters. But increasingly severe heatwaves, such as that of summer 2026, may encourage more Swiss citizens to leave.

“I live on the central coast of California. When someone asks us why we chose to live here, we always say there are three reasons: the climate, the climate, the climate. No, I’ll never go back to Switzerland,” says Gabrielle Robbins-Essig, as part of a debate launched among Swissinfo readers across our platforms.

In the past, people fled the grey weather

For many years, the typical Swiss emigrant was someone fed up with the long winters and damp weather of the Swiss Plateau, in search of a pleasant, predictable climate all year round.

“We emigrated to Southern California ten years ago because we’d had enough of the bad weather in Switzerland. San Diego has one of the best climates in the world, with glorious sunshine for over 300 days a year,” writes Mike Vetter.

Also based in Southern California, Marianne Shintaku did not leave her home country for climatic reasons. But she admits it has now become one of the main reasons she chooses to stay: “I hate the damp and the cold, so the Californian climate has clearly become the reason I stay here.”

In Costa Rica, Agnès Vetsch is delighted with the decision she made 20 years ago: “I’m never cold anymore. And I don’t regret my choice.” “I don’t miss the fog and winter slush of the Aargau plateau,” adds Pascal Leutwyler, who now lives in Ontario, Canada.

Heat as a new reason for leaving

Escaping the grey Swiss weather may soon no longer be the primary motivation for all those seeking a more pleasant climate. With Switzerland ranking among the ten countries in the world that are warming the fastest, rising temperatures could well become a major reason for emigration within a few years.

For Norbert Roth, this is already a reality. Climate change is one of the main reasons that prompted him to leave Switzerland: “The heat, the frequent thunderstorms, the heavy hailstorms…” He now lives on the North Sea coast.

Andrea Wildi has come to the same conclusion. Unable to bear the summer temperatures in Switzerland any longer, she chose to settle in Ireland. “I moved to a more temperate climate. I only go to Switzerland during the summer months if it’s absolutely necessary,” she says.

Countries better equipped

Paradoxically, some people living in parts of the world where temperatures are significantly higher say they cope better with the heat than they did in Switzerland, largely thanks to suitable infrastructure.

“In Florida, we’re used to the heat, but also to air conditioning. It surprises me a bit to see how much people complain about the summer heat in Switzerland, which seems perfectly bearable,” says Ruth Härri.

In Sicily, a region that has nevertheless been hit hard by climate change, Monique Staehli has no plans to leave either: “Sicily is suffering greatly from climate change (wildfires, water shortages)… But here, I have the sea on my doorstep and we’ll soon have air conditioning in every room, powered by solar panels. We also have a shaded garden. In Switzerland, it would be difficult for me to put such solutions in place and I’d suffer more from the heat,” she explains.

Retiring to a warm country where the cost of living is cheaper undoubtedly enables some Swiss Abroad to better protect themselves against periods of extreme heat. This allows them to invest in suitable equipment and facilities – a level of comfort they might not otherwise afford in Switzerland.

Some regions are more affected than others

Of the approximately 840,000 Swiss Abroad, nearly two-thirds live in Europe, a continent particularly affected by global warming. However, this does not yet seem to be having a massive impact on the lifestyle choices of the Swiss Abroad worldwide.

Speaking from Canada, Kati Lyon-Villiger puts the scale of the phenomenon into perspective: “Climate change is much less noticeable here than in Switzerland. The snow simply takes a bit longer to arrive.”

The weather isn’t everything

Despite the appeal of a milder climate, nostalgia and family ties sometimes matter more than the weather.

“I emigrated to Australia 28 years ago to escape the fog and the grey, dreary winters. Climate-wise, it was an excellent decision: the climate in Western Australia is exceptional. But as the years go by, I miss my brothers and sisters more and more,” says Verena Edmondson-Siegenthaler.

Edited by Samuel Jaberg; adapted into English by Patrick Julian Huwyler/sb