Switzerland recorded more than 7,000 returns of asylum seekers in 2024, an increase of 18% – rts.ch

How can we explain this increase in referrals? By better work from the cantons, specifies Federal Councilor Beat Jans, who also welcomes the work of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). This would also have ensured that the necessary documents were obtained for the return of rejected asylum seekers.

With a return rate of almost 60%, Switzerland now holds the European record. This is a good development, according to Beat Jans, who nevertheless concedes that the pressure on the cantons remains strong.

Develop agreements with countries of transit and origin

For the head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP), we must now develop agreements with different countries to be able to send people back to the right place, but also to avoid departures.

“Fewer refugees are arriving in Switzerland, because we have negotiated better agreements with transit countries, but also with countries of origin to ensure that fewer people put themselves in danger by fleeing. is a path that Switzerland has traced with its 66 migration agreements. It is a good thing for the people concerned, but also for us as a country”, explains Beat Jans in the 12:30 p.m. of the RTS, also specifying that. ‘he expected unless there are fewer arrivals this year.

>> Reread: The number of returns to Algeria increased sharply in 2022

The socialist federal councilor does not go into details about the countries to which these rejected refugees were sent back. According to the Aargauer Zeitung, a large number of them were sent back to Algeria, a country with which Switzerland concluded a readmission agreement in 2006.

For several years, the right-wing majority in Parliament has demanded that returns to other countries speed up. Parliament has also just accepted a motion requesting a readmission agreement with Morocco.

Gabriela Cabré/lan