Federal Councillor Jans expects a “challenging year” in the asylum system
Published: Friday, Jan 19th 2024, 19:01
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In his first weeks in office, the new Minister of Justice Beat Jans is gaining an initial overview of the asylum system. He expects a "challenging year". His priority is to find additional accommodation for refugees.
On Friday, SP Federal Councillor Jans met for the first time with the Board of Cantonal Directors of Social Affairs (SODK) to discuss the current situation in the asylum system. He then visited the Federal Asylum Center in Basel.
"I saw on site what it means to carry out a procedure and to meet many different needs," said Jans in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency. It was his first visit to a federal asylum center. More would follow in the coming weeks and months, including in Ticino.
One of his initial findings was that there are no simple solutions to migration, Jans noted. However, there are ways to improve the situation. Asylum is a joint task between the federal government, cantons and municipalities. "We have to solve this together," said the new Minister of Justice.
Rapid asylum decisions
At the moment, capacity utilization in the federal asylum centers is high, Jans continued. "But the situation is not critical." However, a significant increase in asylum applications is expected from the summer onwards. Additional places are therefore needed again. "Everything indicates that 2024 will also be a challenging year."
The aim remains to provide everyone with a roof over their heads and not to make any premature allocations to the cantons, Jans stated. "We are working hard to complete the procedures quickly."
In this context, it is also a constant challenge to find enough qualified employees - especially social education workers to look after unaccompanied minor asylum seekers (Uma).
Refugees in the labor market
Jans mentioned the integration of refugees into the labor market, including people with S status from Ukraine, as another important topic this year. "I will soon be making concrete proposals to the Federal Council," said Jans.
Jans' predecessor in the Department of Justice, the current Minister of the Interior Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, had a difficult time with the asylum dossier last year. Parliament rejected a planned project to house refugees in so-called container villages. The new Minister of Justice took on a large mountain of pending issues.
Jans is optimistic about the future. "We are in talks with the cantons and the army to find solutions together." Communication will take place when solutions have been found.
Avoid emergency mode if possible
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) expects the number of asylum applications in Switzerland in 2024 to be similar to last year's forecast, i.e. 28,000 to 30,000 applications - not including refugees from Ukraine. However, it is difficult to make precise predictions due to the current trouble spots in Ukraine, the Middle East and various African countries.
Migration pressure is unlikely to decrease in the short to medium term. Accommodation for asylum seekers has been stretched to the limit at times in recent months. There was criticism from the cantons because the federal government had to allocate asylum seekers to them prematurely. Civil defense and military facilities were hastily put into operation last autumn.
According to the SODK, after the meeting with Federal Councillor Jans "in a constructive atmosphere", the decision was made to immediately start planning for the lack of asylum beds in the summer and fall. The aim is to avoid having to operate in crisis mode again in the event of a high volume of asylum applications. "We must work together and creatively to find solutions that benefit both sides," SODK President Nathalie Barthoulot (JU) was quoted as saying in a press release.
©Keystone/SDA
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