Switzerland is set to close nine temporary asylum-seeker centers due to a recent decline in the number of individuals applying for asylum. This decision was announced on Tuesday by Swiss authorities, highlighting that the current wave of asylum applications has not met anticipated levels.

Since 2022, the Swiss government has been enhancing its capacity to accommodate refugees, establishing a total of 36 centers nationwide. However, data from the State Secretariat for Migration indicates that just over half of these available spots are currently filled.

Furthermore, the agency reported that, in contrast to the trends seen in previous years, there has been no significant spike in new asylum applications during the summer and autumn months. Specifically, August witnessed a 23% decrease in applications compared to the same month last year, while September recorded an even sharper decline of 40%. The secretariat noted that migration routes leading to Western Europe do not appear to indicate an impending surge in asylum-seeker numbers in the near future.

The nine centers slated for closure have the capacity to house 1,735 individuals. After their shutdown, the remaining centers will still be able to accommodate roughly 7,000 people, starting in March. Additionally, authorities mentioned that they have the ability to scale up capacity again should a sudden increase in new arrivals occur.