Many migrants arrived illegally in Switzerland across the borders with Austria and Italy, the Federal Office of Customs and Border Protection said on Thursday. The increase was mainly due to the influx of migrants from Afghanistan and Morocco.
According to information from border guards, many of those entering the country were in possession of an Austrian asylum procedure card. Most of them were young Afghans who had already been in Europe or Turkey for some time. They mostly want to travel on to France or the UK.
A total of 476 people smugglers were arrested in 2022.
Cooperation with Austria
There had already been a sharp increase in illegal entries in 2021. Since that summer, more and more Afghan migrants have been entering eastern Switzerland illegally by train from Austria. To handle the administrative procedures, the canton of St. Gallen opened a migrant processing centre in Buchs at the beginning of 2022.
Last September, Switzerland and Austria agreed on a bilateral action plan to reduce illegal migration. Among other things, the two countries agreed on additional cross-border searches and operations to combat smugglers. Joint patrols are to be carried out in cross-border rail traffic.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Abroad
Heimatort, sweet Heimatort: the unique Swiss concept of home
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
This content was published on
French and Swiss armoured and artillery units will train together to strengthen the defence capabilities of the Swiss army.
Harmful substances in particulate matter underestimated: Swiss research
This content was published on
Measurements significantly underestimate the amount of harmful substances in particulate matter, says an international research team under Swiss leadership.
Switzerland reopens its humanitarian office in Kabul
This content was published on
Switzerland opened its humanitarian office in Kabul in mid-March to provide targeted aid to the Afghan population in distress.
This content was published on
From Wednesday, a Swiss passport will no longer be sufficient to enter the UK - Swiss travellers will also need an electronic travel authorisation.
This content was published on
A German security expert could imagine Swiss soldiers being part of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine after an eventual ceasefire.
Leading Swiss politician favours closer EU defence ties
This content was published on
Co-president of Swiss centre-left Social Democratic Party calls on Switzerland to step up security cooperation in Europe.
This content was published on
Besides geography, politics and the solidarity of the population play a decisive role in determining which countries people flee to.
Aiding illegal immigrants remains a crime in Switzerland
This content was published on
People who help undocumented immigrants in Switzerland risk running afoul of the law, even if they are acting purely for humanitarian reasons. Parliament has refused to introduce an exception to the law for ‘honourable motives’.
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.