migration.swiss 2022

At the end of 2022, there were

foreign nationals living in Switzerland, 51,561 more than in the previous year.

0 %

of foreign nationals came from EU/EFTA countries, primarily Italy, Germany, Portugal, France and Spain. These five countries account for more than 50% of the permanent foreign resident population.

The number of people receiving the Swiss passport through naturalisation reached

in 2022. In 2021 it was 37,129.

The Federal Council activated protection status S for the first time on 12 March 2022. By the end of the year,

people had applied for this status. Status S was granted in 72,611 cases.

Asylum requests were filed by

people in Switzerland. More than half of applicants were from Afghanistan, Turkey or Eritrea.

SEM handled

asylum requests, an increase of 2,135 over the previous year.

The Year as Seen by the SEM

Editorial

SEM looks back on an eventful 2022. State Secretary Christine Schraner Burgener puts the year into perspective.

The SEM introduces itself

The State Secretariat for Migration SEM determines under what circumstances a person may enter Switzerland to live and work.

Chronology

Major dates and events on the timeline.

Asylum and Protection Status S

Title image migrationswiss asylstatistik

Asylum statistics for 2022

In 2022 Switzerland was impacted by one of the largest waves of refugees in decades. Nearly 100,000 people in total sought protection in Switzerland.

Migration routes in 2022

Migration routes to Europe are influenced by changing circumstances. In 2022, the main route used by people seeking asylum in Switzerland was the Balkan route.

Extra accommodation

Finding and preparing extra accommodation to cope with the flow of refugees in 2022.

Ukrainians in Switzerland

When Oleksandr Partyshev came to Switzerland from Kiev as a 16-year-old in mid-April 2022, he had to leave his loved ones behind in the war.

Ukrainian orphans

On 9 August 2022, SEM participated in the evacuation of 36 Ukrainian children whose orphanage in Mariupol had been completely destroyed by the war.

Immigration and Integration

Immigration statistics

In 2022, year-on-year net migration of the permanent foreign resident population was 81,345 persons, an increase of 19,819 compared to the previous year.

Karlen Manzala

A year ago, the SBW House of Learning launched an integration project called 'Coubertin meets Dunant' at the Talent-Campus Bodensee, a private school for young refugees with an affinity for sport.

Integration into the Swiss Labor Market

Around 15 per cent of Ukrainian refugees in Switzerland have a job. That is significantly more than for other migrant groups.

SwissSkills Winner

The story of young Afghan Habibollah Hashemi is like a fairy tale.

International Affairs

25 years of return assistance

Asylum seekers who cannot or do not want to stay in Switzerland are entitled to return counselling and assistance. These days, return assistance mainly means local project support.

Second Swiss contribution

SEM has a budget of CHF 190 million for 2022 to 2029 to implement the migration framework credit. In 2022, first steps were taken.

Migration partnerships

In 2022, Switzerland strengthened its cooperation with a number of countries of origin and transit. This included new migration partnerships with Georgia and North Macedonia.

Inside the State Secretariat

Fellow Philip – Innovating at SEM

Philip Urech works at SEM as an 'innovation fellow'. He has developed a prototype that foreigners living in Switzerland can use to clarify their options for obtaining Swiss nationality.

Diversity & Inclusion

Liliane Meyer Pitton was appointed SEM's Diversity & Inclusion Officer on 1 August 2022.

FAC Kreuzlingen: Wall painting

Jango Mousa fled to Switzerland to escape the Syrian civil war almost ten years ago. Today he lives with his family near Kreuzlingen.

Support pool

When Ukrainian refugees queued up in front of the federal asylum centres in the spring, colleagues from across the Federal Administration helped to cope with the rush.