Switzerland sees a rise in asylum applications in May, with 2357 submissions, marking a significant increase from the previous year.

The number of asylum applications submitted in Switzerland increased in May. The State Secretariat for Migration registered 2357 applications, around three percent more than in the previous month and around 15% more than in May 2023.

The largest number of applicants in May came from Afghanistan, namely 840. Around 500 of these applications were submitted in connection with the change in practice, whereby Afghan women are generally granted asylum due to the worsening situation for women and girls in their country.

241 newly arrived Afghan nationals submitted an application for asylum in May. The second highest number of applications came from Turks. They were followed by the countries of origin Eritrea, Algeria and Morocco, as the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) announced on Monday.

In May, 3167 asylum applications were dealt with in the first instance. The authorities did not act on 1036. 873 people were granted asylum and 464 were granted temporary admission.

©Keystone/SDA