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 asylum applications came from Eritrea with 3,375 requests. However, this represents a decline of nearly 35% over one year. Syria came next with 1,951 applications (-9%), followed by Afghanistan with 1,217 requests (-62%), Turkey with 852 requests (+62%), Somalia with 843 (-46.7) and Sri Lanka with 840 (-38.8%).
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Swiss need more asylum detention places, say authorities
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Switzerland must increase its number of administrative detention spots by 50%, according to judicial and police authorities.
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?
An atomic ‘tick-tock’ with Swiss technology heads to space to test the Einstein effect
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On Monday, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the ACES set of atomic clocks to measure the effect of gravity on the passage of time.
Swiss Guard swearing-in ceremony postponed following Pope Francis death
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The swearing-in ceremony of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, which usually takes place on May 6 each year, has been postponed to a date to be announced next autumn.
Swiss medical device maker Ypsomed to sell diabetes business
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Bern-based injection device manufacturer Ypsomed announced on Tuesday that it was selling its diabetes-related activities.
Award-winning Swiss author and scholar Peter von Matt dies aged 87
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The Alemannic writer and former professor of German literature Peter von Matt died on Monday in Zurich at the age of 87, following a long illness.
Swiss foreign minister spoke with Iranian counterpart about US dialogue
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Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has spoken with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi about the current dialogue between the US and Iran.
Swiss foreign minister appeals for cohesion and dialogue at Expo in Japan
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Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis called for cohesion and dialogue at the opening of the Swiss National Day at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, on Tuesday.
Switzerland postpones launch of emergency number for domestic violence victims
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The launch of the “142” emergency number, which aims to help victims of domestic violence in Switzerland, has been postponed to May 2026.
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Germany deports more asylum seekers back to Switzerland
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The last few years has seen a rising number of people transiting through Switzerland in order to claim asylum in Germany. But the German authorities appear to have had enough. In the first eight months of this year, the number of deportation requests (1,875) back to Switzerland has risen 70% on 2016. Switzerland is also…
Hundreds of young asylum seekers disappear in Switzerland
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Over 500 unaccompanied minors dropped off the radars of official Swiss agencies last year – a major increase on the previous year.
Swiss need more asylum detention places, say authorities
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Switzerland must increase its number of administrative detention spots by 50%, according to judicial and police authorities.
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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.