SEM: 108 jobs cut from 2027 (cross-border guide)
The State Secretariat for Migration is reducing its workforce as asylum backlogs are cleared and savings are imposed by the Federal Council and Parliament.
Contesto
In brief - 108 SEM jobs cut from early 2027 - Most are fixed-term contracts for asylum backlog - 83 posts already eliminated in early 2026 - ~1280 full-time posts remaining in 2027 ## Key facts - What: 108 job cuts at the SEM - When: From early 2027, staff informed in June 2025 - Where: State Secretariat for Migration, Bern (national level) - Who: SEM, on decision of Parliament and Federal Council - Amount: 108 posts total, 83 already cut in early 2026, ~1280 posts remaining in 2027 - Cause: Clearance of asylum backlog + federal financial relief package - Asylum trend: 45% drop in backlogs, around 8,600 pending applications at end of March 2025 ### The decision and the numbers The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has announced 108 job cuts effective from early 2027. Most of these positions involve fixed-term contracts, originally funded to clear the accumulated backlog of asylum cases. The SEM confirmed the news, reported by SonntagsBlick, specifying that in the coming months the work tied to these contracts will be completed. At the same time, the financial relief package adopted by the federal authorities requires cuts to some permanent positions. These reductions are compounded by the average increase in personnel costs, a factor that further squeezes the federal office's spending capacity. Affected employees will be informed during June 2025. Already in early 2026, 83 posts had been eliminated, pointing to a structural downsizing trend rather than an isolated cut. At the end of this reorganisation, in 2027 the SEM will have around 1,280 full-time posts, a level significantly lower than during the peak years of the asylum emergency. ### The context of falling applications The SEM emphasised that human resources in the asylum sector depend closely on the n...
Dettagli operativi
Analysis of Implications for the Federal Labor Market The cut of 108 positions at the SEM is part of a broader dynamic of containing federal public spending, with tangible impacts on those working or aspiring to work within the Swiss administration. The overlap between expiring fixed-term contracts and permanent positions being eliminated for budgetary savings creates a situation of employment uncertainty that deserves attention at the national level. For federal employees, the message is twofold: on one hand, the end of emergency contracts was predictable and linked to the completion of the work; on the other, the elimination of permanent positions for budget reasons introduces an element of volatility in public employment, which traditionally enjoyed greater stability. Affected workers, informed in June 2025, will need to evaluate options for reallocation within the federal administration or seek placement in the private labor market, in a context where the cost of living in Switzerland continues to exert significant pressure. ### Comparison with the Previous Cycle: 2022-2024 vs 2025-2027 The three-year period 2022-2024 represented an extraordinary expansion phase for the SEM, with massive hiring to cope with the backlog of asylum cases. The downside is now becoming apparent: the staff reduction is not proportional to the decline in applications but is amplified by budget constraints. The following table summarizes the dynamics: | Indicator | Peak Period (2022-2024) | Current Situation (2025) | Forecast 2027 | |------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------| | New asylum applications | High peak | Significant drop | Low expected | | Pending backlog | Very high | ~8,600 (-45%) | Decreasing | | SEM workforce | Expansion with em...
Punti chiave
What this means for those working in or aspiring to work in federal public administration The SEM reorganisation provides operational guidance for those employed in federal administration or considering this career path. The first element to consider is the distinction between fixed-term contracts and permanent positions: the former, especially when tied to emergency funding, have an intrinsic expiry date that must be monitored from the moment of signing. The latter, while more stable, are not immune to the savings packages approved by the Federal Council and Parliament. For SEM employees informed in June 2025, the concrete options depend on the type of contract: 1. Fixed-term contract expiring: check whether there are possibilities for conversion or reallocation to other federal offices with vacancies; consult the Confederation's internal recruitment portal. 2. Permanent position eliminated for savings: assess the right to re-employment support measures provided for under the federal personnel law; request information from SEM's human resources service on internal mobility procedures. 3. Reintegration into the private labour market: update the professional profile considering the skills acquired in administrative procedure, multilingual case management, migration law; check alignment with the job opportunities available in the Swiss market. ### Monitoring deadlines and procedures For those directly affected, the immediate deadlines are: June 2025 for individual communications, early 2027 for the actual termination of employment relationships. This roughly 18-month timeframe allows for relatively structured planning, unlike more abrupt dismissals. However, competition with other federal employees affected by reorganisation — the financial lightening package hits...
Punti chiave
[{"q":"When will the SEM cuts take effect?","a":"The 108 cuts at the State Secretariat for Migration will take effect from the beginning of 2027. The affected employees will be informed individually during June 2025. A further 83 positions had already been eliminated at the beginning of 2026."},{"q":"Which types of contract are affected by the cuts?","a":"Most of the 108 cuts concern fixed-term contracts, funded to clear the backlog in the asylum sector. Some permanent positions will be eliminated due to the savings measures decided by Parliament and the Federal Council, with further reductions resulting from the average increase in personnel costs."},{"q":"How many positions will remain at the SEM after the cuts?","a":"At the end of the downsizing process, in 2027 the SEM will have approximately 1,280 full-time positions. This figure includes the cuts already made at the beginning of 2026 (83 positions) and those planned for the beginning of 2027 (108 positions)."},{"q":"Why is the SEM reducing its workforce right now?","a":"The reduction stems from two concurrent factors: the completion of the work for which the fixed-term contracts had been hired (clearance of asylum backlogs, down 45%) and the financial relief package adopted by the federal authorities, which also requires cuts to permanent positions."},{"q":"What is the current situation of asylum applications in Switzerland?","a":"After the peak of 2022-2024, 2025 saw a significant drop in new applications, and a low number is also expected for 2026. The backlogs have decreased by 45%: at the end of March 2025, approximately 8,600 asylum applications were pending."}]
Frequently Asked Questions
- When will the SEM cuts take effect?
- The 108 cuts at the State Secretariat for Migration will take effect from the beginning of 2027. The affected employees will be informed individually during June 2025. A further 83 positions had already been eliminated at the beginning of 2026.
- Which types of contract are affected by the cuts?
- Most of the 108 cuts concern fixed-term contracts, funded to clear the backlog in the asylum sector. Some permanent positions will be eliminated due to the savings measures decided by Parliament and the Federal Council, with further reductions resulting from the average increase in personnel costs.
- How many positions will remain at the SEM after the cuts?
- At the end of the downsizing process, in 2027 the SEM will have approximately 1,280 full-time positions. This figure includes the cuts already made at the beginning of 2026 (83 positions) and those planned for the beginning of 2027 (108 positions).
- Why is the SEM reducing its workforce right now?
- The reduction stems from two concurrent factors: the completion of the work for which the fixed-term contracts had been hired (clearance of asylum backlogs, down 45%) and the financial relief package adopted by the federal authorities, which also requires cuts to permanent positions.
- What is the current situation of asylum applications in Switzerland?
- After the peak of 2022-2024, 2025 saw a significant drop in new applications, and a low number is also expected for 2026. The backlogs have decreased by 45%: at the end of March 2025, approximately 8,600 asylum applications were pending.