Number of asylum seekers in Switzerland drops to eight-year low
The number of asylum seekers in Switzerland is decreasing and has dropped to levels last seen eight years ago, precipitating the closure of cantonal and communal asylum centres.
According to a Sunday report in the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEMExternal link) estimates about 16,500 new asylum requests for the year 2018. That’s less than half of the total recorded in 2015, at the height of the migration crisis. That year, about 40,000 requests were filed.
The decline is also reflected in the number of asylum seekers that the Swiss government distributes each month to the cantons. In view of the slow-down, many cantons and communes are in the process of closing their asylum centres.
The SEM first reported in July that asylum requests had decreased 14.3% in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2017, in a trend in line with other European countries. However, the SEM warned that despite the decrease, “the evolution of the situation in conflict regions and on the migration routes remains uncertain”.
More
More
Asylum requests drop in first half of 2018
This content was published on
The number of asylum requests filed in Switzerland was 7,820 in the first half of 2018, down 14.3% on the previous year.
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.
Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk
This content was published on
A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
This content was published on
The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
Dortmund’s Kobel is first Swiss goalie in Champions League final
This content was published on
Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel has achieved history by becoming the first Swiss goalkeeper to reach a Champion’s League final.
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
Drop in number of rejected asylum seekers on welfare
This content was published on
Just over 8,000 rejected asylum seekers received basic welfare benefits in Switzerland last year worth a total of CHF60 million ($60 million).
Call to speed up deportation of Eritreans rejected
This content was published on
The Swiss parliament stops short of forcing the government to open talks with the Eritrean authorities on a repatriation accord.
This content was published on
These are the main conclusions of the latest edition of the European Social Survey, published on Thursday. The survey covered 23 European countries, including 1,525 people in Switzerland interviewed between September 2016 and February 2017. In 2016, 36% of Swiss respondents backed a generous approach to asylum seekers, compared with only 22% in 2002. Around…
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.