Is citizenship worth it?

Naturalisation attitudes among Swiss migrants to Germany and German migrants to Switzerland

Abstract

Citizenship and naturalization seem to play vital roles in the integration and social inclusion of
migrants within host societies. This paper aims to investigate the factors influencing the decision-
making process of acquiring citizenship among Swiss migrants in Germany and Germans in
Switzerland. A majority of participants in this study opt not to pursue citizenship despite being
eligible. While political participation, representation, and a sense of belonging are relevant, they do
not drive the desire to become citizens. The benefits of citizenship are pragmatically and individually
evaluated and weighed against the costs, leading only a few to pursue naturalisation. This study
offers valuable insights into the motivations and barriers that shape highly-skilled lifestyle migrants'
decisions and contributes to a deeper understanding of citizenship acquisition dynamics in cross-
border migration within Europe.