The Western Mediterranean route consists of two major sub-routes. One leads across the westernmost part of the Mediterranean – the Strait of Gibraltar – from Morocco and Algeria to the Spanish mainland (including the Balearic Islands). This sub-route is used primarily by Algerian and Moroccan migrants. The second sub-route stretches from Morocco, Western Sahara and Mauritania to the Canary Islands and is used by Moroccan migrants and citizens of various West African states.

Migration from North Africa to Spain (directly or via Ceuta, Melilla or the Canary Islands) fell significantly in 2022, with around 31,800 people reaching Europe via this route, compared with 43,200 in 2021. The relative distribution in numbers between the sub-routes was largely the same as in the previous year. About 15,700 persons arrived on the Canary Islands (2021: 23,050), and 14,200 on the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands (2021: 18,930), while 1,900 persons arrived in the two exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, that is 650 more than in the previous year.

Spanish-Moroccan relations improved significantly in 2022, which is probably one of the reasons for the decline in crossings to the Canary Islands and in particular for the fall in the number of landings in the months of November and December. This route is of secondary importance for migration towards Switzerland.

Figures and further information are available on the UNHCR Operational Data Portal: Mediterranean Situation (unhcr.org).

Since the peak of the migration crisis in 2015, the number of irregular entries into the Schengen area has decreased significantly.

In 2022, 155,700 irregular entries were registered. The breakdown by migration route is as follows:

• Central route: 105,100 arrivals
• Eastern route: 18,800 arrivals
• Western routes: 31,800 arrivals

Figures and further information are available on the UNHCR Operational Data Portal: Mediterranean Situation (unhcr.org).

The Central Mediterranean route consists of several sub-routes that all end in Italy or in the maritime area south of Italy. Tunisian and Ivorian nationals sail primarily from Tunisia, while migrants from West and East Africa, Egypt and Bangladesh leave from Libya. Turkey is the main route used by Afghan, Iranian, Iraqi and Syrian migrants.

Migration on the Central Mediterranean route increased again significantly in 2022: 105,100 people arrived in southern Italy, that is around 37,700 people more than in 2021 (67,500) and the highest number since 2017 (119,400 persons).

The most important sub-route in 2022 was via Libya, with over 52,500 people. While practically all migrants sailed from western Libya in 2021, arrivals from eastern Libya increased in the course of 2022. As in the previous year, the sub-route from Tunisia was the second most important route to Italy (32,800 persons). Migration on the sub-route from Turkey also increased again (18,000 persons), probably as a result of the continuing close surveillance of the Turkish-Greek maritime border, which led to the rerouting of part of the migration to Italy. In 2022, more people landed in Italy from Turkey than reached Greece by sea from Turkey. Other migrants who reached Italy had their point of departure in Lebanon (1,600 persons) and Algeria (1,200 persons).

Until a few years ago, there was a clear correlation between the number of landings in southern Italy and the number of asylum applications in Switzerland. If the number of landings increased, the number of asylum applications in Switzerland rose; if fewer people arrived in southern Italy, the number of applications fell again. This is not the case at present. However, the development of migration across the Central Mediterranean route remains of great long-term significance for Switzerland.

Since the peak of the migration crisis in 2015, the number of irregular entries into the Schengen area has decreased significantly.

In 2022, 155,700 irregular entries were registered. The breakdown by migration route is as follows:

• Central route: 105,100 arrivals
• Eastern route: 18,800 arrivals
• Western routes: 31,800 arrivals

Figures and further information are available on the UNHCR Operational Data Portal: Mediterranean Situation (unhcr.org).

The Eastern Mediterranean route consists of the sea and land route from Turkey to Greece and the sub-routes via Bulgaria and Northern Cyprus. In 2022, around 18,000 people arrived in Cyprus, a significant increase over the previous year and almost the same number as reached Greece by sea and land (18,800).

Migration from Turkey to Greece came to a virtual standstill in April 2020. Until May 2022, rarely more than 1,000 people per month arrived in Greece. After that, the number increased, and from August until the end of December 2022 it ranged from 2,000 to 2,800 people per month.

Migration on the land route from Turkey to Greece rose by around 1,200 people in 2022, with 6,000 reaching Greece this way. However, it must be assumed that a significant number of cases went unreported so that the figures may be higher.

Around 12,800 migrants landed on the Greek islands in 2022, around 8,400 more than in the previous year. However, the figures remain low.

The accommodation situation on the Aegean islands remains stable: at the end of 2022, 4,700 people were staying there despite a capacity of more than 15,000 places.

The Eastern Mediterranean route and onward migration via the Balkans remained of great significance for migration to Switzerland in 2022.

Since the peak of the migration crisis in 2015, the number of irregular entries into the Schengen area has decreased significantly.

In 2022, 155,700 irregular entries were registered. The breakdown by migration route is as follows:

• Central route: 105,100 arrivals
• Eastern route: 18,800 arrivals
• Western routes: 31,800 arrivals

Figures and further information are available on the UNHCR Operational Data Portal: Mediterranean Situation (unhcr.org).

The Balkan route changed several times in 2022, whereby Serbia remained the actual migration hub throughout the entire period. In the course of the year, the sub-route from Serbia via Bosnia and Croatia to Slovenia and Italy became significantly more important and in the course of November probably became the most important route for onward migration from the Balkans.

Over the course of the summer, there were increasing signs that migration across the Turkish-Bulgarian border was on the rise.

The Eastern Mediterranean route and onward migration via the Balkans remained of great importance for migration to Switzerland in 2022.

Figures and further information are available on the UNHCR Operational Data Portal: Situation South Eastern Europe (unhcr.org).

On 24 February 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine. As a result, many Ukrainians as well as third-country nationals who had been living there legally fled the country. The EU activated the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) on 4 March, and Switzerland followed with protection status S on 12 March. By the end of April, around 3 million people from Ukraine had sought protection in the EU and Schengen area. In the course of the spring, it became clear that a quick end to the war was unlikely. The volume of refugee movements out of Ukraine declined. By the end of 2022, around 4.9 million refugees from Ukraine had been granted temporary protection status in the Schengen area. Another 5.9 million or so found temporary protection within Ukraine.

The exact extent of the refugee flow out of Ukraine is difficult to estimate. Many people have probably applied for protection status in more than one country or have travelled to countries outside the Schengen area after receiving the S status. In addition, a large number of people have returned to Ukraine. Estimates on the number of people who have left Ukraine or who have received temporary protection in the Schengen area therefore vary considerably.

Ukraine Refugee Situation (unhcr.org)

The route via Belarus, which gained in significance in 2021, was no longer of any great importance in 2022. Not only had measures already been taken in late 2021 to stem migration on this route, but the importance of the Belarus route continued to decline in 2022 following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

Migration from France across the English Channel to Britain has increased significantly since 2020. Whereas around 9,000 persons sailed to Britain from France in 2020, this figure rose to more than 28,000 in 2021 and then to over 45,000 in 2022. Britain and France have concluded several agreements to try and stem migration along this route, but with little success up to now. Even the hefty anti-immigration rhetoric of the UK government, including its Rwanda Plan, has failed to halt the flow of migrants.

Following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions on intercontinental air travel, the number of people from Latin America seeking asylum in Europe, especially in Spain, increased significantly in 2022. Most people from Latin American can fly to Europe with a valid travel document and enter without a visa.