Statistics

Switzerland

Country Report: Statistics Last updated: 10/07/24

Author

Swiss Refugee Council Visit Website

Overview of statistical practice

The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) publishes detailed statistics on the number of asylum applications and types of decisions on a monthly and a yearly basis. SEM statistics include figures on the application of the Dublin Regulation.[1]

Based on the yearly statistics provided by the SEM, the figures below, especially the asylum and temporary admission rates, are the result of a calculation methodology that differs from that used by the Swiss authorities. The Swiss Refugee Council calculates recognition rates based only on the number of decisions on the merits rendered by the SEM at first instance, without considering the inadmissibility decisions or the “radiations” cases for the total of decisions, insofar as these do not include an examination on the merits of these asylum claims.[2] The State Secretariat for Migration has not yet been able to collect or provide the authors of the report with some figures for 2023. As such, for some specific areas, the report is based on 2022 figures.

 

Applications and granting of protection status at first instance: figures for 2023

  Applicants in 2023[3] Pending at

end of 2023[4]

Total decisions in 2023[5] Asylum status[6] Temporary admission[7]
Total 30,223 15,567 26,667 5,991 6,690
Afghanistan 7,934 2,682 7,794 1,369 4,706
Turkey 6,822 5,626 4,722 2,057 176
Eritrea 2,109 421 1,959 1,168 395
Algeria 1,810 225 1,914 9 5
Morocco 1,606 156 1,618 4 6
Syria 1,417 577 1,326 581 485
Somalia 637 361 485 85 182
Georgia 589 255 639 0 22
Tunisia 572 136 543 5 8
Iran 565 622 481 84 81

 

Applications and granting of protection status at first instance: rates for 2023

  Overall rejection rate In merit rejection rate Overall protection rate In merit protection rate Asylum status Temporary admission rate
Total 39.9% 21.6% 47.6% 78.4% 39.3% 39.3%

Breakdown by countries of origin of the total numbers

Afghanistan 19.7% 0.7 77.9% 99.3% 24.3% 75%
Türkiye 46.7% 34.3% 47.3% 65.7% 60.9% 4.9%
Eritrea 17.2% 11.8% 79.8% 88.2% 66.3% 21.9%
Algeria 49.5% 94% 0.3% 5.9% 3.8% 2.1%
Morocco 63.2% 95.5% 0.6% 6.5% 3.3% 3.3%
Syria 15% 5.4% 80.4% 94.6% 52.2% 42.5
Somalia 35.7% 5% 55% 95% 32.6% 62.5%
Georgia 70.7% 97% 3.4% 3% 0% 3%
Tunisia 64% 84.7% 2.4% 15.3% 5.9% 9.4%
Iran 56.8% 46.6% 34.3% 53.4% 32% 21.4%

 

Gender/age breakdown of the total number of applicants: 2023

  Adults Children
Accompanied Unaccompanied
Number 16,689 10,263 3,271
Percentage 55.2% 34% 10.8%

 

  Men Women
Number 21,433 8,790
Percentage 70.9% 29.1%

Source: SEM, asylum statistics (7-20), available at: https://bit.ly/418U0Yk and statistics on unaccompanied minors, available at https://bit.ly/3VDzMF7 and data provided by the SEM.

 

Comparison between first instance and appeal decision rates: 2023

  First instance Appeal
  Number Percentage Number Percentage
Total number of decisions 26,667 100% N/A N/A
Positive decisions 12,681 47.6%
  • Asylum status
5,991 22.5%
  • Temporary admission
6,690 25%
  • Other
N/A N/A
Negative decisions 3,315 (10,626 incl. non-entry decisions) 12.4% (39.8% incl. non-entry decisions)

 

 

 

[1] SEM, asylum statistics, available at: https://bit.ly/413SYgk.

[2] This calculation method is also used by the Organisation ‘Vivre Ensemble’, available at: https://bit.ly/3LSeGws.

[3] SEM, asylum statistics (7-20), available at: https://bit.ly/413SYgk.

[4] SEM, asylum statistics (6-10), available at: https://bit.ly/413SYgk.

[5] SEM, asylum statistics (7-20), available at: https://bit.ly/413SYgk.

[6] SEM, asylum statistics (7-20), available at: https://bit.ly/413SYgk.

[7] SEM, asylum statistics (7-20), available at: https://bit.ly/413SYgk.

Table of contents

  • Statistics
  • Overview of the legal framework
  • Overview of the main changes since the previous report update
  • Asylum Procedure
  • Reception Conditions
  • Detention of Asylum Seekers
  • Content of International Protection