Administrative Detention of Foreign Nationals in Figures

in a nutshell #12
Christin Achermann, Anne-Laure Bertrand, Jonathan Miaz, Laura Rezzonico
January 2019

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Messages for Decision-Makers

The enforcement of administrative detention of foreign nationals varies widely between cantons.

The average duration of detention is 22 days. Half of all detentions are for less than 10 days, but there are also cases of detention for long periods (between 9 and 18 months).

81% of detentions end with the person’s deportation. The proportion of detainees leaving the country is lower for detentions lasting more than 30 days.

Most of the detainees are young men originating from Africa or the western Balkans. Two-thirds of detainees have applied for asylum in Switzerland.