Switzerland to close 9 centers for asylum-seekers as fewer people arrive than expected
GENEVA — Swiss authorities said Tuesday they will shut nine temporary centers for asylum-seekers because the number of people seeking asylum recently has been below expectations.
Switzerland has been building up refugee accommodation since 2022, putting in place 36 centers for asylum-seekers across the country. The State Secretariat for Migration said that just over half the places are currently occupied.
It said that, unlike in previous years, there hasn't been a rise in new asylum-seekers in the summer and fall. In August, there were 23% fewer applications than a year earlier, and there was a 40% drop in September. “The situation on the migration routes toward Western Europe does not point to a dramatic increase in the coming months,” the secretariat said in a statement.
The nine centers being shut can accommodate 1,735 people. It said that, following their closure, the remaining ones will be able to put up about 7,000 people from March onward — a number that could be increased again if there is a sharp increase in new arrivals.
NewsdayTV's Spring Break special From the Long Island Aquarium and beyond, NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano has your look at Spring Break activities.
NewsdayTV's Spring Break special From the Long Island Aquarium and beyond, NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano has your look at Spring Break activities.
