Switzerland

The main migration policy instruments in Switzerland:

Non-exhaustive list of key policy documents in the area of migration:

• National legislation in Switzerland:
• 2005: Foreign Nationals Act of 1 January 2008 and subsequent amendments.
• 1998: Asylum Act of 26 June 1998 and subsequent amendments.
• Consult the database of federal law for the latest migration-related legal texts and amendments.
• Ratified international treaties:
• 1955/1968: ratification of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol.
• 2006: ratification of the 2000 Protocols on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants.

The main ministries in charge of migration affairs in Switzerland:

• Federal Department of Justice and Police: Together with its subordinate authorities (State Secretariat for Migration and the Federal Office of Police) this Ministry is the main body in charge of migration affairs, including immigration (entry, residence, citizenship); the reception of asylum seekers and the asylum procedure; border management and irregular migration; migration cooperation with countries of origin and transit; integration.
• Federal Department of Foreign Affairs: In charge of visas and consular affairs; foreign policy and development cooperation aspects of migration.

Sources:

• State Secretariat for Migration: Organisation (last accessed: 9/12/18). https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/ueberuns/organisation.html
• United Nations DESA-Population Division and UNICEF (2014): Migration Profiles - Common Set of Indicators. https://esa.un.org/MigGMGProfiles/Indicators/indicators.HTM
• Website of the Swiss Government (2018): Swiss Asylum Act of 26 June 1998. Status as of 1 October 2016. (last accessed: 9/12/18) https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/19995092/201610010000/142.31.pdf 

Last update: December 2018