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Overview of statistical practice
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) publishes detailed statistics on the number of asylum applications and types of decisions on a monthly and a yearly basis. SEM statistics include figures on the application of the Dublin Regulation.[1]
Based on the yearly statistics provided by the SEM, the figures below, especially the asylum and temporary admission rates, are the result of a calculation methodology that differs from that used by the Swiss authorities. The Swiss Refugee Council calculates recognition rates based only on the number of decisions on the merits rendered by the SEM at first instance, without considering the inadmissibility decisions or the “radiations” cases for the total of decisions, insofar as these do not include an examination on the merits of these asylum claims.[2]
Applications and granting of protection status at first instance: 2022
| Applications in 2022 | Pending at end of 2022[3] | Asylum status | Temporary admission[4] | Rejection | Asylum rate | temporary admission rate | Rejection rate | |
| Total | 24,511 | 12,239 | 4,816 | 4,454 | 1,943 | 45% | 36% | 18% |
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Breakdown by countries of origin of the total numbers
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| Afghanistan | 7,054 | 3,837 | 573 | 2,780 | 77 | 19% | 79% | 3% |
| Türkiye | 1,830 | 3,229 | 1,743 | 142 | 250 | 82% | 6% | 12% |
| Eritrea | 1,830 | 260 | 1,168 | 329 | 148 | 72% | 19% | 9% |
| Algeria | 1,362 | 228 | 7 | 6 | 169 | 4% | 1% | 95% |
| Syria | 1,252 | 436 | 530 | 350 | 43 | 59% | 36% | 5% |
| Burundi | 1,191 | 988 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 45% | 55% | 0% |
| Georgia | 735 | 280 | 4 | 28 | 143 | 3% | 5% | 92% |
| Iran | 551 | 433 | 89 | 109 | 120 | 31% | 28% | 42% |
| Irak | 504 | 337 | 66 | 100 | 115 | 26% | 28% | 46% |
| Somalia | 484 | 180 | 98 | 160 | 12 | 42% | 52% | 5% |
Source: SEM, asylum statistics (7-20), available at: https://bit.ly/418U0Yk.
* Statistics on decisions cover the decisions taken throughout the year, regardless of whether they concern applications lodged that year or in previous years.
* “Rejection” only covers negative decisions on the merit of the application.
* “Applicants in year” refers to the total number of applicants, and not only to first-time applicants.
Gender/age breakdown of the total number of applicants: 2022
| Number | Percentage | |
| Total number of applicants | 24,511 | 100% |
| Men | 18,017 | 74% |
| Women | 6,494 | 26% |
| Children | 9,513 | 39% |
| Unaccompanied children | 2,450 | 10% |
| Accompanied children | 7,063 | 29% |
Source: SEM, asylum statistics (7-20), available at: https://bit.ly/418U0Yk and statistics on unaccompanied minors, available at https://bit.ly/3VDzMF7; and data provided by the SEM, 1 May 2023.
[Note: The gender breakdown (Men/Women) applies to all applicants, not only adults.]
Comparison between first instance and appeal decision rates: 2022
Statistics on second instance were not available at time of publishing.
[1] SEM, asylum statistics, available at: https://bit.ly/413SYgk.
[2] This calculation method is also used by the Organisation ‘Vivre Ensemble’, available at: https://bit.ly/3LSeGws.
[3] SEM, asylum statistics (6-10), available at: https://bit.ly/44rdaeN.
[4] Subsidiary protection status as such does not exist in Switzerland, the numbers here are the numbers of persons receiving temporary admission (as refugee or foreigner).