Federal jurisdiction
The decision whether or not to grant asylum rests exclusively with the federal authorities (Secrétariat d’État aux migrations and Tribunal administratif fédéral). The cantons have no competence to intervene in the asylum procedure.
Criteria
The integration criteria are not used to assess the asylum application.
To recognise refugee status and grant asylum, the federal authorities base themselves on whether or not the person needs protection. They assess whether or not the person is in danger in their country. The integration criteria in Switzerland are therefore not used to assess the asylum application.
People who are granted asylum receive a residence permit (B permit). Those who only have refugee status or who cannot be returned receive a “Provisional Admission” (F permit). All others must leave Switzerland.
Regularisation of people rejected from asylum
Under certain conditions, in particular if they have been in Switzerland for at least 5 years, without having committed an offence, and if the authorities have always known their domicile, a person who has been refused asylum can ask the Canton to submit a proposal for regularisation to the federal authorities (Art. 14, para.2 AsylA).