Feasibility Study for New Federal Asylum Centre in Allschwil BL

Press release Published on 23 April 2026

Feasibility study launched for a new federal asylum centre in Allschwil (BL)

Bern-Wabern, 23.04.2026 — In consultation with the commune of Allschwil and the Canton of Basel-Landschaft, SEM is exploring the possibility of building a new federal asylum centre on the existing site. The current temporary accommodation, which provides 150 places, dates from 1992 and now only partially meets current requirements in terms of building service, energy efficiency and operational requirements. A comprehensive feasibility study commissioned by the Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics (FOBL) is being conducted to determine whether and how a new FAC could be built on the commune's works depot site in Allschwil.

SEM has been operating a temporary 150-place federal asylum centre without processing facilities at the former ‘Atlas’ communal accommodation building at Vogesenweg 9 since 2012. Whenever possible, the building, which resembles a chalet, has been used to accommodate families or unaccompanied women. The commune-owned building, which dates from 1992, is showing its age and will need to be replaced in the near future.

The federal government, the canton and the commune have agreed to carry out a thorough review of the proposed site for a new 240-place FAC without processing facilities. An in-depth feasibility study commissioned by the FOBL and conducted in collaboration with the commune is expected to provide clarity on this matter over the coming months.

Plans for a new building in the immediate vicinity of the existing FAC are currently being considered. A preliminary assessment concluded that, in principle, a 240-place FAC without processing facilities could be built there. However, the shared use of the site by the communal works depot presents various challenges. As an alternative to the new build, the continued use of the plot occupied by the existing FAC should also be considered. An in-depth feasibility study is to address these outstanding issues before a decision on the site can be made.

In the view of the commune of Allschwil, the new project would allow the continuation of a solution that has been working well since 2012. In return for hosting a federal asylum centre (without processing facilities), the commune receives fewer asylum seekers under the extended procedure, in proportion to the capacity of the accommodation. In the canton of Basel-Landschaft, the maximum number of places available at an FAC is counted towards the host commune’s quota – currently 2.6% of the respective resident population. In addition, the commune receives financial compensation under the cantonal compensation scheme.

The North-Western Switzerland asylum region needs 840 permanent accommodation places

As part of the restructuring of the Swiss asylum system, SEM divided Switzerland into six asylum regions in March 2019. The restructuring, which is supported by all three levels of government, provides for a total of 840 accommodation places in the North-Western Switzerland asylum region. SEM currently operates two permanent FACs in the region, with a total capacity of 600 places: an FAC with processing facilities in Basel on Freiburgerstrasse (350 places) and one without processing facilities in Flumenthal, Solothurn (250 places). A second permanent 240-place FAC without processing facilities is currently lacking. As an interim solution, SEM has therefore been operating the FAC Allschwil with 150 places in the canton of Basel-Landschaft since 2012.