Zurich sees drop in asylum seekers from North Africa

Since the introduction of the 24-hour procedure in Zurich’s asylum region, there has been a 62% reduction in the number of asylum seekers from North African countries – commonly referred to as the Maghreb – at federal asylum centres. Nationwide, the number of North African asylum seekers has dropped by 42% since last April, according to the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox This procedure was launched as a pilot project in Zurich in November 2023. Since April 2024, the SEM has been processing asylum applications from individuals from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya under the 24-hour procedure. The average time to reach an initial asylum decision has decreased from 52 days to 17 days due to the new procedures. This will significantly ease the pressure on federal asylum structures. A standard asylum procedure in 24 hours The 24-hour procedure is a standard asylum process in which the procedural steps are ...