Switzerland Cuts 83 Migration Jobs Amid Drop in Asylum Claims
Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has reduced its workforce by 83 jobs this year. The move follows a drop in asylum applications and a significant cut in pending cases. Officials confirmed the staffing changes after a report by Blick. Between 2021 and 2025, the SEM steadily increased its staff to handle rising asylum claims. Full-time positions grew from 525 to 762 as applications climbed. Temporary roles were added to clear a backlog of cases.
In 2022, Switzerland received 30,223 asylum applications. By 2023, this number fell to 25,781, with a further seven percent drop expected in 2024. The SEM also reduced pending cases by 45 percent, bringing the total down from 15,600 to around 8,600. The recent job cuts include 60 positions in asylum processing and 23 in protection status S cases. The SEM adjusts staffing levels based on application numbers, and fewer claims have led to the current reduction.
The federal government now anticipates fewer asylum applications in the coming year. With pending cases at their lowest in years, the SEM has scaled back its workforce. The changes reflect a shift in migration pressures and processing demands.
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