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.