The Federal Customs and Border Security service said 7,891 people had been found living in Switzerland without authorisation. This is a monthly increase of more than 2,000 since September. In October 2021, border guards found 2,090 illegal immigrants.
Most of these people had arrived across Switzerland’s eastern and southern borders and mainly originated from Afghanistan and Tunisia.
Police are investigating 385 cases of suspected people smuggling in the first 10 months of year, of which 50 were reported in October.
Switzerland is already struggling to accommodate the rising numbers of refugees who properly register with the authorities when they enter the country.
The army has been forced to construct temporary accommodation while cantons have been asked to take care of a more refugees than in normal times.
The State Secretariat for Migration expects to handle 22,000 refugee applications by the end of the year, which is 7,000 more than during 2021.
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North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
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The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
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The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
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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
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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
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St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
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Foreign children forced to grow up ‘in the closet’ call for apology
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Thousands of children of seasonal workers were not allowed to live with their parents in Switzerland – or did so illegally.
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Migration is one of the leading issues in the programmes of Swiss political parties as the country heads towards parliamentary elections in the autumn. Migration was also a major topic in debates at the World Social Forum which has just ended in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. The recent political turbulence in Tunisia has made the…
Swiss minister defends approach towards transiting migrants
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Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter has rejected criticism that Swiss authorities are simply “waving migrants through” on the asylum route.
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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.