The refugee stream is inundating the migration authorities

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The Secretariat of State for Migration (SEM) is overwhelmed. Even the Bundesrat has to admit this to parliament. “Since autumn 2022, the number of asylum applications submitted has increased to such an extent that it exceeds the processing capacity of the SEM,” he wrote in his message accompanying an addendum to the current year’s budget.

Last summer there were less than 2,000 asylum applications per month, in November there were almost 3,600. With consequences: the mountain of pending applications is rising and rising, from 8,000 applications in September to almost 13,000 at the end of January.

More and more applications are being processed

For the current year, the federal government now expects about 30,000 asylum applications. Some 16,000 applications were still expected in the budget. Since last spring, the federal government, cantons and municipalities have been “confronted with an extraordinary situation” anyway by the people seeking protection from Ukraine. It is therefore clear to the Federal Council: “In order to avoid a further increase in pending files, the SEM needs additional staff.”

The Federal Council is therefore requesting an additional loan of CHF 26.2 million from Parliament. This will create 180 additional temporary positions at the SEM, including interpreters and recorders. At the same time, it is not only necessary to expand capacity in federal asylum centers; it also needs additional places in military installations. That will cost an additional 139.9 million Swiss francs. Total: CHF 166 million.

Jobs disappear as soon as the number of applications drops

Since the SEM does not need the additional functions indefinitely, the Federal Council has linked their funding to the development of the number of asylum applications. “If the number of new applications decreases, the subsidy will also gradually disappear,” the government is trying to keep the ball flat.

With 180 extra employees, about 1,000 extra asylum applications per month could be processed. More than 2,600 new cases will be created. The Federal Council assumes that this will be sufficient to keep up with the expected 30,000 asylum applications.

And again: as soon as the number of applications decreases, it is also possible to wind down current affairs. The reduction of current applications to the target of around 4,000 units will probably not be possible until the end of 2024 at the earliest, even if the development is positive.

Source:Blick