1.1. Contact organisation
State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Switzerland
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Section Finance, Official Planning, Controlling and Statistics
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
State Secretariat for Migration SEM
Statistics Service
Sägestrasse 77
3038 Köniz
Switzerland
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
29 July 2024
2.2. Metadata last posted
29 July 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
1 April 2025
3.1. Data description
Enforcement of immigration legislation data (EIL statistics) contain statistical information based on Article 5 and 7 of the Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 as amended by the Regulation (EU) 2020/851 with reference to third-country nationals:
- refused entry at the external border,
- found to be illegally present,
- ordered to leave,
- returned following an order to leave.
3.2. Classification system
See table 3.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Migration and asylum – Enforcement of Immigration Legislation statistics
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
3.5. Statistical unit
Number of persons
3.6. Statistical population
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
3.7. Reference area
Switzerland
3.8. Coverage - Time
See table 3.8. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of persons
Calendar quarter and calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The Ordinance on the execution of federal statistical surveys (Ordonnance sur les relevés statistiques) provides the comprehensive legal framework for the collection, processing, and dissemination of federal statistics in Switzerland. This ordinance regulates the execution of statistical surveys and the treatment of collected data, ensuring adherence to national and international statistical principles, including professional independence, objectivity, and confidentiality.
Under Article 3b, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) coordinates cooperation with the statistical service of the European Commission (Eurostat), approving the annual EU-Switzerland statistical program in agreement with relevant federal bodies, as per the Agreement of 26 October 2004 between the Swiss Confederation and the European Community on cooperation in the field of statistics.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Data sharing is governed by the Ordinance concerning the execution of federal statistical surveys (RS 431.012.1). The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) collects data on migration according to uniform rules throughout Switzerland. This data is sent to the SEM, where it is controlled and verified monthly.
The SEM coordinates with Eurostat in accordance with European Regulation (EC) No 862/2007, which outlines the rules for the collection and compilation of Community statistics on migration and international protection. This ensures that data sharing and exchange are consistent and comply with both national and European standards.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) ensures the confidentiality of data through legislative measures and formal procedures. According to the Ordinance concerning the execution of federal statistical surveys (Ordonnance sur les relevés statistiques, RS 431.012.1), Article 3a stipulates that responsible agencies must observe recognized national and international statistical principles, including professional independence, objectivity, and statistical confidentiality. Furthermore, Article 7 mandates that all persons and services involved in executing surveys must treat the collected data confidentially, ensuring data security and preventing unauthorized disclosure. Regarding demands for access to confidential data for scientific purposes, these are subject to European regulations ((EC) No 831/2002).
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
The SEM applies specific rules to treat data and ensure statistical confidentiality, which prevents unauthorized disclosure. For aggregate outputs, any data about persons (e.g., gender, sex, nationality, residence status) is not published if the total or an intermediate total contains only 1, 2, or 3 observations, thereby maintaining individual confidentiality.
8.1. Release calendar
SEM does not release/publish/disseminate EIL statistics in any form.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable, see 8.1.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Not applicable, see 8.1.
Not applicable, see 8.1.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
There is no press release by SEM on EIL statistics.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
There is no publication by SEM on EIL statistics.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
No data are disseminated online.
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Not applicable.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
No microdata are disseminated.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
There are no dissemination formats by SEM on EIL statistics
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not applicable.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Not available
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not applicable.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not available
11.1. Quality assurance
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) ensures data quality through a systematic process involving the collection, verification, and correction of data. Data are collected according to uniform rules throughout Switzerland by the police and then sent to the SEM. The SEM conducts monthly controls and verifications of these data. If any discrepancies are identified, the data are sent back to the source for correction. Each person has a Personal Identification Number (PIN), which allows for the linkage of data within our database. This continuous monitoring, correction mechanism, and data linkage ensure the integrity and reliability of the statistical data.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
The data validation process at the SEM includes several key procedures to maintain data quality. Totals are checked for consistency to ensure that the figures match across different data sets. Visual validation techniques are employed to verify the accuracy of tables and graphs, allowing for the identification of any anomalies. Each step of data processing includes checks to maintain data integrity, ensuring that errors are prevented. Additionally, procedures are in place to exclude any double counting, ensuring that the final data are accurate and reliable. The use of PINs for data linkage further enhances the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the data. These validation processes confirm that the data collected and processed by the SEM meet high standards of quality.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The statistics produced by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) are used by a wide range of users at national, European, and international levels.
National Level:
The main users are national administrations, academic researchers, civil society groups, and the media. These users rely on the statistics for various purposes, including the integration of immigrants, the development and monitoring of national asylum and immigration procedures, and the projection of future population and labor force. Politicians and cantonal authorities also frequently request specific statistics, which SEM provides as much as possible to meet their needs.
European and International Level:
The primary users include Eurostat, the European Commission, and international organizations such as UNHCR and OECD. These organizations use the statistics in several publications, regular reports, policy proposals, and analyses.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No information available.
12.3. Completeness
See table 12.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not applicable.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Overall high accuracy: The reported statistics measure accurately the target population because the database includes all cases. The use of the ZEMIS number and regular checks for duplicates ensure data consistency.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3.1. Coverage error
See table 13.3.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not applicable.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not applicable.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Data is loaded into the data warehouse every morning, providing access to data up to the previous day. This daily data is used for internal purposes. For external, public, and official purposes, we use "historised data," which are finalized and more precise data available after each month is complete. While the time lag between the event and data availability is one day, we wait until the start of the next month to publish them to ensure accuracy and consistency. This time lag cannot be reduced due to technical reasons and the need for reliable data.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
See table 14.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
The delivery of data has experienced a delay of approximately four months due to internal changes. This has affected our ability to meet the originally scheduled release dates. Efforts are being made to address these changes and ensure timely delivery in the future.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Statistics are comparable between all regions of Switzerland. State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is in charge of accumulating and processing data related to migration for the national territory.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Not applicable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
See table 15.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Statistics are
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Statistics are consistent within a given dataset.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Not applicable.
17.2. Data revision - practice
See table 17.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Compilations of the data for Eurostat are made on an annual basis.
18.3. Data collection
A national systematic process is followed to gather data for official statistics.
18.4. Data validation
The following checks are performed to ensure data validity :
- Checks of totals consistency
- Using visual validation (visual verification of the tables or the graph resulted)
- Checking the data integrity over each processing step
- Checking if the double counting cases are excluded
18.5. Data compilation
Not applicable.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
No statistical technique applied.
As of 2023, following the implementation of the new case management system (eMap), the statistical coverage of order to leave decisions (Y5.1) was narrowed to include only those issued in the context of the asylum procedure. Orders issued under the general law on foreign nationals are no longer captured. This methodological change leads to lower figures compared to previous years and affects data consistency across quarters and in relation to Y6.1 (returns). A broader review of return statistics is ongoing and should be finalised in the second half of 2025. It aims to align national reporting more closely with the Eurostat technical guidelines, including all categories of orders to leave and their disaggregations.
Enforcement of immigration legislation data (EIL statistics) contain statistical information based on Article 5 and 7 of the Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 as amended by the Regulation (EU) 2020/851 with reference to third-country nationals:
- refused entry at the external border,
- found to be illegally present,
- ordered to leave,
- returned following an order to leave.
1 April 2025
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
Number of persons
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
Switzerland
Calendar quarter and calendar year.
Overall high accuracy: The reported statistics measure accurately the target population because the database includes all cases. The use of the ZEMIS number and regular checks for duplicates ensure data consistency.
Number of persons
Not applicable.
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
Not applicable, see 8.1.
Data is loaded into the data warehouse every morning, providing access to data up to the previous day. This daily data is used for internal purposes. For external, public, and official purposes, we use "historised data," which are finalized and more precise data available after each month is complete. While the time lag between the event and data availability is one day, we wait until the start of the next month to publish them to ensure accuracy and consistency. This time lag cannot be reduced due to technical reasons and the need for reliable data.
Statistics are comparable between all regions of Switzerland. State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is in charge of accumulating and processing data related to migration for the national territory.
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EIL 2024’.
