Fall in irregular migration to Switzerland in 2023
The number of irregular migrants who entered Switzerland decreased slightly last year. The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security reported a total of 50,185 cases - almost 2,000, or 3.6% fewer than in 2022.
There was a significant drop in the number of people who entered the country without authorisation between October and December last year compared to 2022.
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Migrants from Afghanistan represented the lion’s share of the figures published on Wednesday – almost one in three of those stopped at Switzerland’s borders. They were followed by nationals from Morocco and Turkey, each accounted for one in eight undocumented stays.
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According to the Swiss federal government, most crossings occurred at Switzerland’s southern border with Italy.
The number of suspected smuggling cases decreased in 2023 compared to the previous year. In all, 388 suspected smugglers were stopped, according to Swiss government figures.
As a rule, these persons were handed over to the relevant cantonal police force or public prosecutor’s office.
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