State Secretariat for Migration SEM

What State Secretariat for Migration SEM does

The State Secretariat for Migration SEM (Staatssekretariat für Migration SEM) is the Swiss federal government agency with exclusive statutory authority over migration, asylum, residence, work authorization, naturalization, integration, and return policy in Switzerland. Established in 2007 by reorganizing the former Federal Office for Migration (BFM) and operating under the Federal Department of Justice and Police (EJPD/DFJP), SEM is headquartered in Bern/Wabern and serves the full Swiss national territory through direct coordination with the 26 cantonal migration authorities, Swiss embassies and consulates abroad, and federal asylum centers. The agency processes approximately 9,734 asylum applications in H1 2026 (a 16% year-over-year decline) and serves a diversified beneficiary base spanning EU/EFTA nationals, third-country nationals, asylum seekers, refugees, citizenship applicants, and cantonal and municipal authorities.

SEM's technology stack is built around government information systems for immigration management, including biometric residence permit issuance with facial and fingerprint data, Eurodac fingerprint database integration for Dublin procedure coordination with EU/EFTA partners, and Interoperability (IOP) connections into the EU-wide migration data infrastructure. Its digital service portfolio comprises citizen-facing self-service tools — the Naturalisation Self-Check (eligibility assessment for simplified citizenship), the Integration Info App (mobile guidance for newly arrived migrants), RegisterMe (Ukrainian refugee registration), a Job Platform for Ukraine Refugees, and a Visa Application Form — alongside administrative and reporting platforms including the Asylum Statistics Portal, the annual Migration Report (Migrationsbericht), and the ELEK e-learning platform for cantonal officials. The Data Media Analysis (Datenträgerauswertung) capability supports identification and security verification workflows.

As a government state entity, SEM is funded entirely through the Swiss federal budget and does not operate a commercial revenue or pricing model. Its go-to-market is non-commercial: services are delivered through cantonal authorities implementing federal policy, Swiss foreign representations processing visa and entry applications, federal asylum centers handling initial reception, and digital self-service portals for end users. Strategic partners include UNHCR, IOM, the Council of Europe, ICMPD, IIHL, EUAA, Frontex, all 26 Swiss cantons, fedpol, and the Federal Chancellery, reflecting a deeply embedded position within both domestic federal administration and international migration governance frameworks.

Name

State Secretariat for Migration SEM

Legal name

Staatssekretariat für Migration SEM

Website

https://sem.admin.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The State Secretariat for Migration SEM is the Swiss federal agency with exclusive statutory authority over migration, asylum, residence permits, work authorization, naturalization, and integration policy in Switzerland, serving EU/EFTA nationals, third-country nationals, asylum seekers, and the 26 cantons through centralized digital and administrative systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Migration Services

NAICS

International Affairs (92812)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigration, Work Authorization & Global Mobility Compliance (THACALAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Visa, Immigration & Compliance Travel Services (THAKACAJ)

Keywords

• Migration management services
• Asylum processing systems
• Residence permit administration
• Naturalization procedures
• Immigration policy coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SEM is the Swiss federal authority that manages migration, asylum, residence permits, work authorizations, naturalization, and integration for Switzerland. It operates under the Federal Department of Justice and Police and coordinates with cantonal authorities, EU/EFTA partners, and international organizations. Its offering includes digital self-service tools (RegisterMe, Integration Info App, Naturalisation Self-Check), operational systems for biometric permits and Dublin procedures, and statistical publications such as the Migration Report and Asylum Statistics Portal.

Product overview

The State Secretariat for Migration SEM operates a comprehensive digital service portfolio comprising self-service assessment tools (Naturalisation Self-Check), mobile applications (Integration Info App), registration systems (RegisterMe), online application portals (Visa Application Form), statistical reporting platforms (Asylum Statistics, Migration Report), e-learning resources (ELEK Training Videos), and international coordination systems (Dublin Procedure, Eurodac). These digital services support the SEM's core mandate of managing Swiss migration, asylum, integration, and return policies, with offerings spanning citizen-facing self-service tools for immigrants and refugees, administrative systems for cantonal authorities, and international cooperation platforms with EU/EFTA partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Naturalisation Self-Check Digital self-service tool that allows long-term foreign residents to check their eligibility for Swiss citizenship against federal criteria.
• Integration Info App Mobile application providing migrants and newcomers with curated information on integration, residence, and living in Switzerland.
• RegisterMe Online registration platform for EU/EFTA nationals to register their residence in Switzerland and obtain required permits.
• Visa Application Form Official application form used by non-EU/EFTA nationals to apply for Swiss visas through Swiss embassies and consulates.
• Migration Report Annual federal report consolidating migration statistics, analysis, and policy context for Switzerland.
• Asylum Statistics Portal Online portal providing up-to-date statistical data on asylum applications, decisions, and processing in Switzerland.
• ELEK Training Videos Training video resources offered by SEM to support cantonal authorities and partners in operating migration procedures and electronic systems.
• Dublin Procedure System Operational case management system used by SEM to administer Dublin Regulation procedures, including responsibility determination and transfers.
• Biometric Residence Permits Biometric residence permit production and issuance service for foreign nationals legally residing in Switzerland.
• Job Platform for Ukraine Refugees Online platform connecting Ukrainian refugees with employers and job opportunities in Switzerland to support labor market integration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,734 asylum applications processed in H1 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization providing refugee protection; SEM collaborates on resettlement programs, country-of-origin information, and asylum procedure standards
• IOM (International Organization for Migration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN migration agency; cooperation on migration management, return assistance programs, and international migration dialogues
• Europarat (Council of Europe)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean human rights organization; collaboration on migration policy standards and human rights frameworks
• ICMPD (International Centre for Migration Policy Development)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational migration policy organization; participation in migration dialogues and capacity building programs
• IIHL (International Institute for Humanitarian Law)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumanitarian law research and training institution; cooperation on international humanitarian and migration law standards
• EU/EFTA (Schengen and Dublin Cooperation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilateral cooperation framework including Schengen Area participation and Dublin asylum procedure coordination with EU member states and EFTA countries
• European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU asylum agency; cooperation on asylum procedure standards, training, and capacity building
• FrontexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Border and Coast Guard Agency; cooperation on border management and forced return operations
• Swiss CantonscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner26 Swiss cantons implement federal migration policy at cantonal level; coordination through cantonal integration programs and migration authorities
• Federal Office of Police (fedpol)coreTechnology or IntegrationSwiss federal police; cooperation on identification, security checks, and document verification systems
• Federal Chancellery (admin.ch)coreTechnology or IntegrationCentral government portal; integration with federal digital services and cross-agency information systems

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA): EU-level agency supporting EU+ states on asylum — a partner and ecosystem peer to SEM, providing operational standards, training, and capacity building that SEM participates in.
• Frontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency): EU agency coordinating border management and return operations — a direct cooperation partner of SEM and a functional complement in the European migration management ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF): German federal office for migration and refugees, responsible for asylum procedures, integration programs, and EU/Dublin coordination — a direct peer in function and Schengen context.
• Migrationsverket (Swedish Migration Agency): Swedish government agency handling asylum, residence permits, and citizenship — operationally equivalent to SEM and a fellow Schengen/Dublin participant.
• UK Home Office (Immigration Enforcement / UK Visas and Immigration): British government department responsible for immigration, asylum, and border policy — directly comparable in mandate, scale, and political exposure to SEM.
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): U.S. federal agency within DHS that adjudicates immigration benefits including asylum, naturalization, and work authorization — the closest functional analogue to SEM among major Western migration agencies.
• Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND, Netherlands): Dutch agency within the Ministry of Justice processing asylum, naturalization, and residence permits — closely comparable in mandate, digital services, and EU cooperation intensity.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): Canadian federal department managing immigration, refugee protection, and citizenship — comparable in scope, digital service orientation, and integration program management.
• Office français de protection des réfugiés et apatrides (OFPRA): French agency responsible for refugee status determination and asylum protection — a Schengen/Dublin partner with a directly comparable mandate to SEM.

Broad incumbents

• Department of Home Affairs (Australia): Australian government department responsible for immigration, border management, and citizenship — comparable in mandate breadth and operational scale, though with a distinct geographic and policy context.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SEMIGRATION
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/EJPDBFM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sem-sem
• Instagraminstagram.com/semigration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about State Secretariat for Migration SEM