Decrease in Italian border crossers in Ticino: UST DATA (cross-border guide)

Context

In a nutshell

• Frontier workers in Ticino: decrease of 0.6% on an annual basis
• Italian workers: decrease of 1.1% between April and June
• Significant increase in border crossers from France
• Causes: new tax agreement and better conditions in Italy

Key facts

• What: Change in frontier numbers
• When: Second quarter 2026
• Where: Switzerland and Canton Ticino
• Who: Federal Statistical Office (FSO)
• Amount: 414,262 total border crossers in Switzerland

The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) published data for the second quarter of 2026, highlighting a mixed picture for cross-border work. Domestically, 414,262 border crossers arrived in Switzerland for work, marking a slight increase of 0.5% compared to the previous quarter and 1.3% year-on-year. However, this positive trend does not affect the Canton of Ticino, where there has been a decrease.

Territorial analysis and national flows

The figures show that in the last three years the only significant growth has been recorded among workers from France. In contrast, flows from Italy, Germany and Austria remained broadly stable. Specifically, between April and June, the number of people who crossed the border from Italy fell by 1.1% compared to the same period in 2025.

The geographical distribution of the increases on an annual basis sees the highest values in the Geneva region

Operational details

Implications for the Ticino labour market

The drop in numbers recorded by the UST is not an isolated figure, but is combined with the observations of GastroTicino. At the beginning of the year, the Federation of Merchants and Hoteliers reported a sharp decrease in applications from Northern Italy. A critical aspect concerns the most qualified profiles, which today would show less interest in employment in the Canton of Ticino.

# Bending factors

To understand why Italian workers are less likely to move, it is necessary to analyse two main drivers cited by the source:

1. The tax impact: the new tax agreement between Switzerland and Italy, which came into force in July 2023, is indicated by the Ticino unions as a cause of greater economic burden for those who work on the border. This directly affects the net profitability of the permesso G. 2. Italian competitiveness: trade unions in Italy have achieved an improvement in working conditions, especially in the catering sector, making the option of staying in their country more attractive than in the past.

Comparative Scenario

If we compare the current situation with that prior to the 2023 agreement, it emerges that the attractiveness of the Swiss market is no longer automatic. While in the past the wage differential was the only driver, today the tax burden and the quality of the employment contract at home weigh more heavily. Despite this,

Recommended tools

For an updated estimate, use the net salary calculator and the CHF-EUR exchange comparator.

Key points

Practical guide for the worker and the company

Faced with a market where applications decrease and the tax burden increases, it is essential that the border worker constantly monitors their net income. The 0.6% drop in Ticino suggests that many workers are recalculating the convenience of their daily commute.

How to check your convenience

For those who are already active or considering an offer in Ticino, it is advisable to follow these steps to assess the impact of the new tax agreement:

• Net analysis: calculate the tax at source and verify the impact of the new tax agreement on your pockets.
• Contractual comparison: compare the Swiss offer with the new standards obtained by Italian trade unions in the sector of reference (e.g. catering).
• Cost assessment: consider transport costs and journey times at crossings.

Support Tools

To navigate this transition phase, it is essential to use accurate calculation tools that take into account up-to-date regulations. Knowing exactly how much will remain on the payroll after deductions is the only way to decide if employment in Ticino remains competitive with respect to new opportunities in Italy.

If you want to know the real impact of taxes on your salary or simulate your monthly net based on your specific situation, we invite you to use our calcolatore fiscale to get an accurate estimate and

Source: tvsvizzera.it