Proportion of Ukrainian men seeking protection in Switzerland grows

"The increase in the number of male asylum-seekers could be related to the fact that Ukraine has intensified mobilisation since the spring of 2024," said the State Secretariat for Migration. Keystone-SDA

Fewer people are fleeing to Switzerland from Ukraine, but the proportion of men is increasing, according to a report in the SonntagsZeitung.

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In 2024, the gender ratio of applications for protection filed by Ukrainians has almost balanced itself out: so far this year, 52% of applications were made by women and 48% by men, data from the State Secretariat from Migration (SEM) cited by the Sunday paper shows.

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The change could be a result of choices being made by those who, by moving to Switzerland, want to avoid military service.

“The increase in the number of male asylum-seekers could be related to the fact that Ukraine has intensified mobilisation since the spring of 2024,” the SEM indicated to the Zurich-based newspaper.

Since March 2022, Switzerland has granted temporary protection to people fleeing the war in Ukraine, a policy similar to that of the European Union.

Adapted from Italian with DeepL/gw

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