The number of people seeking asylum in Switzerland dropped to a 12-year low of 14,269 in 2019. The Swiss migration office explained the 6.5% drop in numbers from 2018 by the decrease in asylum seekers from the Mediterranean zone and a migration treaty between Turkey and the European Union.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/mga
Most asylum seekers (2,899) came from Eritrea, with Afghanistan (1,397), Turkey (1,287) and Syria (1,100) also featuring prominently among applicants.
In March of last year, Switzerland introduced new laws dealing with asylum seekers, speeding up the majority of requests from 400 days to 140 days. Most of the simpler asylum cases are now dealt with in new bigger federal reception centres that can take up to 5,000 people. Asylum seekers are also granted free legal aid.
Of the 19,140 cases processed last year (some cases dated back from applications in previous years), some 5,837 were conducted using the new procedures, the State Secretariat for MigrationExternal link (SEM) reported on Friday.
In total, 5,551 people were accepted for asylum in 2019, while a similar proportion of people to 2018 left Switzerland voluntarily, were returned to their home country or a third nation. The number of cases pending fell by 3,000 to 8,377.
SEM expects around 15,000 asylum applications this year. Switzerland intends to accept 180 further victims of the Syrian conflict to meet its commitment to take in 2,800 refugees from this region.
More
More
How well does the new Swiss asylum system work?
This content was published on
The Swiss asylum policy was streamlined in last March to accelerate the procedure, but critics have raised serious objections.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Speedier asylum process voted in
This content was published on
On Sunday, 66.8% of voters backed a legal amendment to reform asylum procedures, which was passed by parliament last year but challenged by the conservative right Swiss People’s Party. Nationwide turnout was 46%. Under the proposal, most asylum requests should be decided within 140 days of being submitted, including time for appeals – compared with…
This content was published on
The Swiss asylum policy was streamlined in last March to accelerate the procedure, but critics have raised serious objections.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.