Dersim Avdar came to Switzerland as a refugee 22 years ago. After completing a bachelor’s and a master’s degree at the University of St. Gallen, including studies in Madrid and Beijing, he now works in the investment industry in Zurich. Evangeline de Macedo interviewed him to get his story. When did you come to Switzerland? […]
First refugees from Greece arrive in Switzerland
Tribune de Genève. Switzerland welcomes the first 28 refugees from Greece, as part of the EU programme to resettle refugees across nations party to the EU agreement on refugees, known as the Dublin Regulation. According to Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), they were moved from Greece to Switzerland late last week. 112 asylum seekers from […]
Migration crisis: 2,000 soldiers to cover Switzerland’s borders
Tribune de Genève. In the event of a large increase in migrants flowing to Switzerland, around 2,000 soldiers must be ready to help border control staff, said Switzerland’s federal council, or cabinet, on Wednesday. The federal council has asked the Swiss department of defense to prepare for such an event. Last Thursday, Bern, the cantons, towns and communes […]
Switzerland turns away hundreds of Afghan refugees
Tribune de Genève. Around 1,800 refugees have been intercepted trying to cross into Switzerland over the last four weeks, and almost a quarter have been sent back to Germany, which has a policy of favouring Syrians. Swiss border guards have stopped around 1,800 refugees along Switzerland’s northern border over the last four weeks. 444 have been […]
Airlines to face big fines for transporting illegal immigrants
Le Matin. Airlines that bring foreigners to Switzerland without valid travel documents, will be fined under new rules from 1 October 2015. The new rules, which were ratified by the Swiss federal council on 2 September 2015, are designed to reduce the number of asylum requests. The new measures apply to all flights landing in […]
Fewer migrants expected in Switzerland in second half of 2015
More refugees are arriving at Switzerland’s Eastern borders daily, yet Switzerland is not the primary destination for refugees travelling via the Balkans. According to the State Secretariat for Migration, the number of people seeking Swiss asylum is even expected to drop in the second half of the year. The State Secretariat for Migration projects that […]
