Just over 8,000 rejected asylum seekers received basic welfare benefits in Switzerland last year worth a total of CHF60 million ($60 million), the Swiss authorities have reported. This represents a 20% drop compared to 2016.
This content was published on
2 minutes
SEM/sb
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) reported on Tuesday that last year 8,022 rejected asylum seekers received emergency support in the form of accommodation, food, clothing or basic medical care worth CHF56.9 million – down 9% compared to 2016. A total of 785 people who filed multiple requests for asylum also received emergency support.
Of the rejected asylum seekers, 31% were from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Algeria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Four out of ten were aged 18-29 and 70% were male. Last year, 3,068 were considered long-term beneficiaries.
While the total number of people and the amount of welfare fell last year, the average time a rejected applicant received benefit increased from 122 days to 137.
A total of 18,088 migrants filed for asylum in Switzerland in 2017, a decline of 33.5%. It is the lowest number of applications since 2010.
According to the SEM, the decline in applications is largely due to two factors. First, a drop in migration along the central Mediterranean route from mid-July onwards. Second, fewer migrant arrivals from conflict zones like Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, which were quite significant at the beginning of 2016.
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
The CHF1,000 dance of death and other unforgettable Swiss banknotes
Sixteen-day Swiss campaign against gender-based violence ends
This content was published on
The 16-day campaign against gender-based violence came to an end on Tuesday. Several hundred organizations mobilized across Switzerland during this period, after kicking off with a mobilization attended by 10,000 people.
Swiss parliament wants CHF15 million for women’s Euro 2025
This content was published on
Parliament wants Switzerland to support next year's European Women's Football Championship with CHF15 million ($17 million).
Rare Roman coin auctioned for almost CHF2 million in Geneva
This content was published on
A rare Roman coin with a portrait of Brutus, the assassin of Julius Caesar, was sold at a Geneva auction on Monday for CHF1.89 million ($2.15 million), according to the organiser of the sale.
Swiss Senate approves federal budget without opposition
This content was published on
The Swiss army will receive an additional CHF530 million in 2025, and no cuts will be made to direct payments for agriculture. What is unclear is how much will be saved on foreign aid.
Swiss suspend decisions on asylum-seekers from Syria
This content was published on
Asylum procedures and decisions for asylum-seekers from Syria will be suspended with immediate effect until the situation can be reassessed, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) said.
This content was published on
Potentially toxic arsenic compounds can form in the human body when seafood is consumed. This is caused by arsenobetaine, which is often found in seafood. It can be converted into partially toxic substances by intestinal bacteria.
This content was published on
Swiss retailer Coop is expanding its programme to avoid meat waste. A corresponding pilot project is gradually being extended to the entire store network.
This content was published on
Women and foreign nationals are rarely found on the boards of directors of Swiss small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
Almost 700,000 people moved house in Switzerland in 2023
This content was published on
In Switzerland, 9.3% of the population moved in 2023. This was the lowest rate in over ten years, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) said on Monday.
Eritrean military service no grounds for asylum, rules Swiss court
This content was published on
Rejected Eritrean asylum seekers may still be deported to their home country even if they face being called up for compulsory national service.
Switzerland says no to relocation of migrants from Italy and Greece
This content was published on
According to the SonntagsBlick paper, a spokesperson from the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has confirmed that currently Switzerland has no plans to renew its commitment to accept asylum seekers from southern European countries. The Alpine nation had participated in the first such relocation programme in 2015, pledging to take in 1,500 asylum seekers from Italy and…
Asylum applications drop by a third in Switzerland
This content was published on
According to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) the decline in applications is largely due to two factors. First, a drop in migration along the central Mediterranean route from mid-July onwards. Second, fewer migrant arrivals from conflict zones like Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, which were quite significant at the beginning of 2016. The majority of…
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.