The epidemic has led to a decline in asylum-related migration. Last year, Switzerland filed 11,041 asylum applications, 22.6% less than the previous year.

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Eritrea remained the country of origin for asylum seekers in 2020, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) said in a statement on Monday. Other important countries of origin are Afghanistan, Turkey, Algeria and Syria. This year, SEM hopes to deal with approximately 15,000 new asylum requests () 1,500).

Last year, SEM processed 17,223 asylum applications for the first time. 5,409 people received asylum at a refugee recognition rate (asylum-seekers) of 33.3% (as against 31.2% in 2019). The rate of protection (granting asylum or temporary entry after the decision of the first instance) was thus 61.8% (compared to 59.3% in 2019).

Less to leave Switzerland

Also associated with the epidemic, fewer migrants left Switzerland last year. Thus, 1,051 people left voluntarily (against 1,631 in 2019). 1,518 were either returned to their original state or returned to a third state (compared to 2,985 in 2019); 715 others were transferred to a Dublin state (compared to 1,521 in 2019).

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Switzerland has also made a commitment to the United Nations High Commissioner, to welcome a contingent of 1,600 particularly vulnerable refugees for refugees (UNHCR), most of whom come from Syria. The program, which was also hampered by the epidemic, eventually allowed only 330 people to benefit from it last year.