|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Return of former applicants |
The Federal Council modified the assessment for fitness to travel of persons who are returned or expelled. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
Amendments to the Swiss Federal Act on Foreigners and Integration were adopted, imposing a general travel ban on persons with temporary admission as of 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
An amendment from 2018 to the Asylum Act entered into force on 1 April 2020, which enables the State Secretariat for Migration to pronounce a general travel ban for a group of refugees from a certain country of origin (particularly to neighbouring countries of that country of origin), if there is a well-founded doubt that the travel ban to the country of origin is not respected. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) decided that the granting of free legal advice should also apply to persons who file an asylum application from detention. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Resettlement and humanitarian admissions |
Resettled refugees were temporarily hosted in cantonal reception facilities due to a lack of accommodation in Swiss federal reception centres. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
A draft amendment would explicitly include that applicants are under a general travel ban and they could only travel if this is necessary for the asylum procedure or for their removal. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) started to assign some applicants for international protection to cantons at an earlier stage to alleviate overcrowding in federal reception centres. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Institutional |
|
Content of protection |
The Federal Council approved financial support for integration measures, including contributions to cantonal programmes which promote employment. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
Switzerland launched a pilot programme for the employment integration of refugees and persons with temporary admission and concluded subsidy contracts with 14 cantons. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
A draft amendment to the Asylum Act would allow the State Secretariat for Migration to access and analyse data from applicants' mobile phones, in order to verify their identity, with full respect of the principle of necessity and proportionality, and in compliance with the right to respect for private and family life. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
The Federal Council announced that it will not create a legal basis in the Law for Foreigners and Integration for the introduction of electronic bracelets as an alternative to administrative detention. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Switzerland introduced specific policies for the vaccination of asylum applicants, specifying that vaccines are free of charge, on a voluntary basis and by registration to receive an appointment |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The State Secretariat for Migration presented the results of the first evaluation of the law that reformed the asylum procedure in 2019. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
An amendment to the ordinance on implementation of return and expulsion of foreigners settles access rights, data security and data retention of the new information system, eRetour. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
A number of legislative changes were adopted in the area of asylum and return, including compulsory COVID-19 tests for a person subject to a return, expulsion measure or a Dublin transfer, even against their will. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
An amendment to the ordinance on delivering travel documents for foreigners clarified when refugees under a travel ban can still receive an exceptional authorisation to travel to a country falling under that travel ban. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
A new financing system in the asylum sector entered into force to coordinate optimally the tasks of care, social assistance and integration support for refugees, provisionally admitted persons and persons in need of protection. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The provisions concerning the new accelerated asylum procedures entered into force on 1 March 2019, following the adoption of the new Asylum Law in September 2015, the national referendum in June 2016 and the pilot projects carried out in Zurich, Boudry and Giffers. |
CH LEG 01 2019 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The SEM underlined that addressing the issue of violence against women would remain a priority in 2021 and the authority planned to hold information and training sessions for asylum and reception staff to raise awareness of all forms of violence against women. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
An amendment to Ordinance 2 on asylum settled the funding of security costs of federal reception centres when they are temporarily closed. The confederation pays a lump sum for a year, even when the centre is closed. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The military offered temporary support in the establishment and operation of federal reception centres, pending the arrival of newly-recruited, qualified State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) staff. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
A parliamentary initiative was adopted on the obligation to cooperate in the asylum procedure, which includes the possibility of checking an applicant’s mobile phone. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Sweden |
2020 |
Policy |
|
The Dublin procedure |
The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal position on the applicability of the Dublin III Regulation vis-a-vis the United Kingdom after 31 December 2020. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Sweden |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
Legal position on residence permit for studies at upper secondary level. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Sweden |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Interpretation services |
The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal position on the requirements for interpreters and translators to work in the asylum context. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |