More refugees are arriving in Switzerland via the Balkans and other routes. The need for civil defence facilities and multi-purpose halls to accommodate them is therefore increasing.
The government assumes that 19,000 asylum applications will have been received by the end of the year and that an additional 80,000-85,000 people from Ukraine will be in Switzerland. The Federal Office for Migration (SEM) has reacted by temporarily re-opening closed shelters and opening new facilities, an SEM spokesperson told Swiss public radio, SRFExternal link on Friday.
More
More
Ukrainian refugees still welcome in many private Swiss homes
This content was published on
The commitment of Swiss citizens who took in Ukrainian refugees is proving more persistent than expected, according to a media report.
In canton Aargau, in northern Switzerland, a shelter for refugees from Ukraine is scheduled to open on Monday. The head of the St Gallen migration office, Jürg Eberle, said the accommodation facilities in his canton were currently at around 75% capacity.
The cantonal directors of social affairs have an overview of vacant places in cantons and say the number has dropped from 9,000 at the beginning of summer to 7,000. Further centres are to be opened in the coming months, depending on demand.
External Content
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
This content was published on
The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
This content was published on
Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
Swiss martyr beatified in Barcelona by Catholic Church
This content was published on
François-Benjamin May (1870-1909), a member of the Marist Brothers congregation, has been recognised as a 'blessed' by the Catholic Church.
Prevention and tech could help save billions on Swiss healthcare costs, says Deloitte
This content was published on
By focusing on prevention and technology, it would be possible to reduce Switzerland's healthcare bill by CHF30 billion a year by 2040, according to Deloitte Switzerland.
Environment director warns of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland
This content was published on
The director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) has warned of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland in an interview with SonntagsBlick on Sunday.
Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season
This content was published on
The start of the summer holidays saw a long traffic jam in front of the Gotthard tunnel on Saturday. Traffic jams between Erstfeld and Göschenen in canton Uri were up to 11 kilometres long early in the morning.
Almost 10% of eligible Ukrainian refugees in Switzerland have a job
This content was published on
A total of 9.4% of adults in possession of a special “S” permit are in work, with most employed in the restaurant sector.
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.