The State Secretariat for Migration SEM determines under what circumstances a person may enter Switzerland to live and work. It also decides who is granted protection from persecution. In collaboration with the cantons, SEM organises the accommodation of asylum seekers and the return of people who do not need protection to their country of origin. It also coordinates the integration of foreign nationals into Switzerland, is responsible at federal level for naturalising foreigners and works actively at international level to control migration movements.
On 1 January 2005, the former Federal Office for Refugees FOR and Federal Office for Immigration, Integration and Emigration IMES merged to become the Federal Office for Migration FOM. Its name was changed to State Secretariat for Migration SEM on 1 January 2015 to reflect its growing importance and broader range of tasks.
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Organisation chart SEM (PDF, 364 kB, 01.10.2024)
Last update 1 November 2024
Last modification 05.09.2024