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Status ’S’
What is Protection status ’S’ and what does it involve?
Under protection status ‘S’, the persons concerned receive an S permit. This is limited to a maximum of one year, but can be extended. After five years, persons in need of protection may receive a B residence permit, which is valid until the temporary protection is lifted (Art. 74 AsylA).
Persons who are granted protection status S may travel abroad and return to Switzerland without a travel permit. They may engage in gainful employment (including self-employment) without a having to wait a certain period to do so.
Persons with protection status S are assigned to a canton after registration. What applies in which canton? You will find the most important information here (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022).
There is no quantitative limitation for protection status S.
Who is eligible for protection status S?
Protection status S applies to the following:
- Ukrainian citizens seeking protection and their family members (partners, minor children and other close relatives who were fully or partially supported at the time of flight) who were resident in Ukraine before 24 February 2022.
- Persons of other nationalities and stateless persons seeking protection and their family members as defined in para a, who held international or national protection status in Ukraine before 24 February 2022.
- Those seeking protection of another nationality and stateless persons as well as their family members as defined in para a, who can prove by means of a valid short-term residence permit or residence permit that they have a valid right of residence in Ukraine and cannot return to their home countries in safety and on a permanent basis.
If third-country nationals who do not fall under the abovementioned categories apply for Swiss protection, an asylum procedure is carried out. This ensures that all persons who need Switzerland’s protection are able to receive it.
If a person has already been granted protection status in another Schengen state, he or she will not be granted protection status S in Switzerland.
What does someone fleeing Ukraine need to do to obtain protection status S in Switzerland?
We recommend all those seeking protection who have already entered Switzerland and have not yet registered to submit their application online via the RegisterMe web portal.
Groups of 30 or more and groups with vulnerable people are requested to contact the authorities by sending an email to gruppen-ukraine@sem.admin.ch a few days before arriving in Switzerland so that the registration process and sufficient accommodation can be organised.
During registration at a federal asylum centre, SEM records the personal data and fingerprints of persons seeking protection and examines each application individually (security check and examination as to whether it belongs to the group of persons in need of protection). For persons who do not yet have a place to stay in Switzerland, accommodation is organised. The person seeking protection then has to wait (a few days) for the decision as to whether protection status S has been approved.
You will find important information about the various types of accommodation and about the procedure in this Fact sheet (PDF, 146 kB, 09.06.2022).
What should a person do if they no longer wish to claim protection status S in Switzerland – for example because they are leaving the country again?
Persons who no longer wish to claim protection status S in Switzerland (i.e. either by withdrawing their application for protection status in Switzerland or by revoking protection status already granted) can communicate their change of status in writing in a signed and dated statement sent to the following address, quoting their N-number (see Art. 79 let. b AsylA):
State Secretariat for Migration SEM
Quellenweg 6
3003 Bern-Wabern
SEM will review their statement and subsequently terminate their protection status S. This means that the individuals concerned are no longer subject to the Asylum Act but to the provisions for foreign nationals in general.
If a place of residence was already established, the person must also deregister with the relevant commune.
How many people from Ukraine is Switzerland prepared to take in?
Anyone who was resident in Ukraine before 24 February will receive protection status S – there is no quantitative limitation! At the moment, it is difficult to predict how many will seek refuge in Switzerland. If the EU decides to introduce a relocation programme, Switzerland will show solidarity and participate in the project.
How come protection status S was not applied for refugees from Syria or Afghanistan, for example?
A large proportion of the world's displaced people find refuge in neighbouring countries - including many people from Syria and Afghanistan. These refugees are often dependent on humanitarian aid. The number of asylum applications in Switzerland from people from these countries has so far remained within a range that SEM can handle within the framework of existing processes. The focus is therefore on assistance on the ground, but persons under threat can of course apply for asylum in Switzerland.
The situation with the war in Ukraine is different. Switzerland is faced with an unprecedented influx of refugees. In the first six weeks after the activation of protection status S, over 40,000 people from Ukraine seeking protection due to the war were registered in Switzerland. With protection status S, this large number of war refugees arriving at the same time can be granted the necessary temporary protection quickly and without an in-depth individual examination of the reasons for flight, without overburdening the Swiss asylum system.
Why no asylum procedure (instead of status S)?
The granting of protection status S to Ukrainian refugees is intended to prevent the Swiss asylum system from becoming overstretched. This ensures that the asylum system continues to function and that refugees from Ukraine receive the protection they need quickly, with a minimum of bureaucracy and with a solid legal basis.
Since the refugee movements from Ukraine pose enormous challenges for Europe as a whole, a coordinated approach at the European level is also crucial. Protection status S corresponds in large part to the temporary protection afforded to persons from Ukraine under the EU's Temporary Protection Directive, which was adopted by the EU, but is not directly applicable to Switzerland.
How does the system of subsidy payments work?
The cantons receive subsidy payments from the federal government in the form of global lump-sum funding for the social assistance costs they have incurred (see. Art 88 para. 2 AsylA).
The level of global lump-sum funding corresponds to that paid to asylum seekers and temporarily admitted persons (see Art. 22 AsylO 2). The total amount of subsidies payable is calculated on the same basis as for temporarily admitted persons (see Art. 23 AsylO 2).
The global lump-sum funding is payable from the point at which a person is allocated to a canton or from the start of the following month (see Art. 20 AsylO 2); payments are made quarterly (see Art. 5 para. 1 and 2 AsylO 2). As allocation to a canton is retroactive to the point at which an application for protection is submitted, the cantons effectively receive the global lump-sum funding from that point or from the beginning of the following month.
In addition, the cantons receive a lump-sum payment to cover their administrative costs within the meaning of Art. 91 para. 2bis AsylA, which is calculated in accordance with Art. 31 AsylO 2.
What is SEM's asylum and removal practice for Ukrainian citizens?
In view of the war in Ukraine, SEM has postponed the processing of pending asylum applications of Ukrainian citizens since 24 February 2022. This is because the asylum practice cannot be updated or adjusted on account of the war. SEM is monitoring the situation on the ground very closely. For the time being, however, nobody will be returned to Ukraine.
Entering and leaving the country
How can refugees from Ukraine enter Switzerland?
Switzerland is showing solidarity and will grant exemptions to Ukrainian citizens who do not have a biometric travel document and visa, unless there are compelling reasons in an individual case for refusing entry.
For persons who are outside the Schengen area and contact a Swiss representation there, the normal rules of entry apply.
People who have fled from Ukraine may use public transport free of charge (2nd class) to travel to their destination in Switzerland or to transit through the country.
Further information (Alliance SwissPass)
Are people with protection status S allowed to travel abroad?
Persons who are granted S status in accordance with the Federal Council decision of 11 March 2022 may travel abroad and return to Switzerland without a travel permit. The entry regulations of the respective countries of entry apply.
Travel within the Schengen area: This is possible in principle if the trip does not exceed 90 days within a period of 180 days. Those travelling should have a valid travel document and hold an S permit. SEM recommends clarifying the entry requirements with the representation of the destination country before the planned trip abroad:
Address of foreign representations in Switzerland
Travel outside the Schengen area: SEM recommends clarifying the entry requirements with the representation of the destination country before the planned trip abroad:
Address of foreign representations in Switzerland
Under the following circumstances, a stay abroad may result in protection status S being rescinded: if the focal point of a person in need of protection’s living arrangements shifts abroad, temporary protection status in Switzerland expires (see Art. 79 let. a AsylA). SEM examines each case individually. A shift in the focal point of a person’s living arrangements is presumed to have occurred if the stay abroad exceeds two months, but the presumption can be challenged rebutted (for example in the case of temporary study stays of more than two months or work-related assignments abroad).
Are Ukrainian nationals with protection status S allowed to travel to Ukraine?
Protection status S may be revoked if a person returns to their home country or country of origin for more than 15 days in a quarterly period.
The rule will not apply to persons who can prove that their return was to make preparations for a definitive return to Ukraine or that there were other compelling reasons for their prolonged stay, such as visiting a seriously ill close family member.
SEM examines each case on an individual basis. A check will be carried out if SEM receives information from a canton or a host family that a Ukrainian refugee has been absent for a prolonged period.
How does family reunification work?
Persons seeking protecting who do not require a visa (e.g. Ukrainian nationals with biometric passports) may enter Switzerland and apply for protection status S themselves. Persons seeking protection who require a visa should contact a Swiss mission abroad.
If the requirements for independent entry are not met, it is possible to submit a written application to SEM for family reunification. Spouses, persons living together in a permanent relationship, registered partners and minor children who are abroad will be granted entry to Switzerland, provided that the family has been separated by events in Ukraine and there are no special circumstances to the contrary.
What do you need to be aware of if you want to bring pets with you?
Cats and dogs brought from Ukraine may be brought into Switzerland in exceptional cases. You can find out about the procedure here:
Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office
(application form in English and Ukrainian).
Due to the high risk of disease, entry with poultry, hoofed and cloven-hoofed animals is prohibited. Animal owners are requested to contact the veterinary authorities immediately.
Accomodation
What accommodation options does Switzerland offer for refugees from Ukraine?
The federal government, cantons, communes and private initiatives are working together to deal with the challenging task of accommodating refugees from Ukraine.
Federal Asylum Centres FAC: These are usually the first point of contact for refugees – and offer up to 9,000 accommodation places. Registration takes place here. Refugees are then assigned to a canton, which assumes responsibility for their care from that point on. Until they leave the canton of registration, refugees are accommodated in a FAC (usually for a few nights).
Cantons: Registered refugees are allocated to the cantons in proportion to the size of their population. SEM compensates the cantons with a global lump sum of around CHF 1,500 per person per month (including for health insurance premiums).
What applies in which canton? You will find the most important information here (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022).
Private accommodation: The Swiss Refugee Council in cooperation with partner organisations (Swiss Church Aid, Caritas, SRC, Salvation Army, SAH and Campax) coordinates the accommodation of Ukrainian refugees with private host families. In each case, the canton responsible decides on any compensation to be paid to providers of private accommodation.
Further initiatives: Hotels can report free capacity for accommodating Ukrainian refugees on the website of the Swiss Refugee Council or Camapx. If the hotel booking was ordered by the federal government, the federal government will bear the costs incurred for overnight stays until another accommodation option can be found (until the person seeking protection is assigned to a canton). The Federal Office of Housing has also called on a number of real estate associations to report vacant apartments.
Important information on the various accommodation options for refugees can be found in this
fact sheet (PDF, 146 kB, 09.06.2022).
Who can I contact if I want to offer accommodation to someone who has fled from Ukraine?
If you wish to offer private accommodation to people who have fled Ukraine, please contact the following organisations: the Swiss Refugee Council and Campax Organisation.
Do you have to meet certain conditions in order to accommodate refugees?
The Swiss Refugee Council (working in cooperation with Campax) assesses on a case-by-case basis whether basic conditions for first-time occupancy of private accommodation are met. According to the SRC, the host should be able to provide a bedroom that can be locked, as well as access to a bathroom and kitchen.
Further information (Swiss Refugee Council)
Are private individuals compensated if they host people who have fled Ukraine?
As is the case for recognised refugees and temporarily admitted persons, the cantons receive a global lump sum from the federal government to accommodate and look after those who have been admitted. It is for the cantons to decide whether or how much they wish to compensate private individuals for providing accommodation.
Cantonal allocation
What is meant by cantonal allocation?
Your application to obtain protection status ‘S’ is handled by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). As part of this procedure, SEM will allocate you to one of Switzerland's 26 cantons. From then on, that canton will be responsible for your living accommodation and other care. This may include the payment of social assistance benefits, if necessary, to cover your basic daily needs in Switzerland.
What canton will I be allocated to and how will I be informed?
Asylum seekers and persons in the ‘S’ procedure are allocated to cantons according to a distribution ratio. Each canton will receive a number of persons with protection status ‘S’ in proportion to its population. On the day you register at one of the six federal asylum centres, SEM will decide which canton you are allocated to, based on the distribution ratio, and tell you in person. You will also receive written notification of your cantonal allocation decision together with your ‘S’ decision either directly at the centre or later by post.
Do I have a say in the cantonal allocation?
SEM decides which canton you are allocated to. As a rule, this decision is based on the cantonal distribution ratio. Only in the following cases are you entitled to be allocated to the same canton as your relatives or close contacts:
- Extended nuclear family: spouses; parents and their minor children; parents and their adult children if these are seeking protection without their own families; grandparents.
- Vulnerable persons with close contacts outside of the extended nuclear family, e.g. unaccompanied minors, persons with disabilities, serious health problems or age-related condition.
Requests for allocation with/to more distant relatives or close friends can only be considered if the distribution ratio can be maintained.
I am already living in private accommodation. Can I stay there and be allocated to my hosts’ canton?
The distribution ratio also applies for those who have arranged private accommodation by themselves. This means that your existing private accommodation can only be taken into account for cantonal allocation if the distribution ratio can be maintained. Otherwise you will be allocated to another canton, which will then find new accommodation for you. On the day you register at a federal asylum centre, SEM will decide which canton you are allocated to, based on the distribution ratio, and tell you in person.
Important: Your current private accommodation can only be taken into consideration if you bring a printed copy of the ‘Confirmation of private accommodation (PDF, 321 kB, 08.06.2022)’, signed by your host, to the federal asylum centre on the day you register. You must have this ready to present.
If someone does not agree with their allocation decision, what can they do?
Refugees can appeal against an allocation decision to the Federal Administrative Court (FAC). Their allocation to a canton can only be challenged on the grounds that it violates the principle of family unity.
Refugees wishing to change their allocated canton can also write to SEM (PDF, 64 kB, 09.06.2022), stating which canton they would like to transfer to and why. They should clearly indicate both their allocated and requested canton of residence and name all persons to be included in the change of canton. The application must be signed by the persons concerned or an authorised representative and sent to the following address:
State Secretariat for Migration SEM
Taskforce Kantonswechsel Ukraine
Quellenweg 6
3003 Bern-Wabern
Before the decision on allocation to a canton becomes legally binding (30 days from the date of the decision on protection status S), the application will be processed according to the same criteria as for the initial allocation.
Once the allocation decision has become legally binding, an application to change canton may be approved only in certain cases:
- Reunification of close family members: spouse; parents and their minor children; parents and their adult children, provided these are not in Switzerland with their own family; grandparents.
- Reunification of vulnerable persons with close contacts other than family members (e.g. unaccompanied minors, persons with disabilities, serious health problems or an age-related condition) if this can secure better care arrangements.
In all other cases, a change of canton is only possible if the cantons concerned give their consent, for example in the following situations:
- Moving to suitable private accommodation
- Staying with a distant relative or an acquaintance
- Relocation for employment in another canton
Medical matters
Do people in need of protection have access to medical care?
Ukrainian nationals can stay in Switzerland for 3 months without a visa or permit, for example by staying with relatives or private individuals. In this case, the person is not required to have compulsory health insurance. They may however have travel insurance or their hosts may have taken out guest insurance.
Persons in need of protection submit an application for temporary protection (S status) at a federal asylum centre or via RegisterMe. If they are dependent on social assistance, they are then retroactively registered for compulsory health insurance by the canton from the date on which the application was submitted. The cost to the cantons of premiums and co-payments (deductibles and retention fees) are subsidised by the federal government with the payment of global lump sums.
Persons who are not dependent on social assistance must fulfil the health insurance obligation independently by taking out insurance with a health insurance company within 3 months of submitting the application - with retroactive effect to the date of the application. These persons pay the premiums and co-payments themselves.
If a person in need requires immediate medical assistance even before applying for protection status S and has no health insurance, the costs will be covered by the cantons or the cantonal welfare assistance and emergency aid.
If you have any questions about cancer therapies, medication or cancer in general, contact the Cancer League's advice and information helpline.
What applies in which canton? You will find the most important information here (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022).
A lot of information on health matters in Switzerland can be found on the migesplus.ch website – as well as important information specifically relevant for refugees from Ukraine.
What healthcare services are covered by health insurance?
Health insurance entitles those in need of protection to basic medical care. However, the choice of medical practitioner is limited and they are requested to follow the instruction provided by the relevant authorities in the allocating canton. The authority will indicate whom they should turn to in the event of illness, accident, mental health issues or pregnancy.
Accident insurance: As long as persons seeking protection are not gainfully employed in Switzerland, their health insurance also covers them against accidents. If a person is in work, the employer must insure the person against accidents.
What applies in which canton? You will find the most important information here (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022).
How does SEM ensure that those seeking protection who have been traumatised by the war have access to the necessary psychological care?
SEM ensures that those seeking protection who have been traumatised by their experiences and who are accommodated at federal asylum centres have access to psychological care via Medic-Help, then to partner doctors and ultimately psychiatrists. Once assigned to a canton, the cantonal authorities are responsible for providing this service. The costs of psychological care is covered by compulsory health insurance.
What applies in which canton? You will find the most important information here (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022).
What rules apply to persons in need of protection regarding COVID-19?
The rules currently applicable in Switzerland can be found here:
Coronavirus: current rules
SEM offers those seeking protection in the Federal Asylum Centres (FAC) the possibility of being vaccinated against COVID-19 with the vaccines approved in Switzerland..
If a person in need of protection is found to have symptoms (e.g. during the registration process) that indicate infection with coronavirus, or if the person reports health problems to SEM staff or support staff, SEM staff will carry out a COVID-19 test and take any necessary further measures.
Given that persons in need of protection are usually only accommodated at one of the six Federal Asylum Centres (FAC) for a few days, or often only for registration, SEM only provides emergency medical consultations and treatment at the FAC. Responsibility for the provision of medical treatment for persons with protection status S who are dependent on social assistance rests with the canton to which they are assigned. This canton also takes out health insurance with retroactive effect from the date on which the application was submitted.
Persons who are not dependent on social assistance must fulfil the health insurance obligation independently by taking out insurance with a health insurance company within 3 months of submitting the application – with retroactive effect to the date of the application. These persons pay the premiums and co-payments themselves.
What applies in which canton? You will find the most important information here (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022).
Protection against human trafficking and prostitution
What is Switzerland doing to protect refugees from human trafficking, prostitution and exploitation?
The federal government and the cantons as well as their partner agencies are aware of these risks. SEM has been raising awareness of this issue among its staff for years and distributing information material in the federal asylum centres. In the current context, an information campaign (Protect yourself! Human trafficking and other forms of abuse) has also been launched - in Ukrainian, Russian, English, French, Italian and German. These PDFs can be downloaded and may gladly be used and distributed.
On behalf of SEM and in close cooperation with the cantons, the Swiss Refugee Council arranges accommodation for Ukrainian refugees. Swiss Refugee Council staff are present in the federal asylum centres and also raise awareness of these risks among those staying there.
SEM is also in close contact with fedpol, the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security and the Conference of Cantonal Police Commanders of Switzerland to raise awareness among Ukrainian nationals of the risks of human trafficking and exploitation.
Flyer in English (PDF, 6 MB, 30.03.2022)
Flyer in Ukrainian (PDF, 6 MB, 05.04.2022)
Flyer in Russian (PDF, 6 MB, 05.04.2022)
Integration, work and school
How can Ukrainian nationals seeking protection fund their stay in Switzerland?
All persons with protection status S may take up work (incl. self-employment) without having to wait. Persons with protection status S receive social assistance from the canton to which they have been assigned if they cannot support themselves independently. Social assistance covers the basic needs of daily life in Switzerland. Social assistance can take the form of benefits in kind (accommodation, food, hygiene articles, etc.) and/or money. The canton is responsible for organising social assistance.
What applies in which canton? You will find the most important information here (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022).
Can persons with protection status S exchange their Ukrainian cash for Swiss francs?
Adults with Protection Status 'S' may exchange one amount of up to 10,000 hryvnia at selected branches of UBS and Credit Suisse. The exchange rate is set by the National Bank of Ukraine.
Are people with protection status S allowed to work?
Yes, but the employer must first apply for a work permit from the cantonal authorities at the place of work (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022). This application can only be made after protection status S has been granted. The persons receive a confirmation letter and the S work permit is sent a short time later. The canton periodically checks whether the applicable wage and working conditions are complied with.
Are people with protection status S allowed to be self-employed?
Yes, but people with S status must apply for a work permit from the cantonal authorities at the place of work (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022) before taking up work regardless of whether they are employed or self-employed. The cantonal authorities then assess whether the financial and operational conditions for the activity in question are met. The authorities take into account the special situation of people in need of protection.
Are people with protection status S allowed to work outside their canton of residence?
Yes, that is possible. The employer has to apply for a work permit from the cantonal authorities at the place of work (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022).
Do people with protection status S have access to services offered by public regional employment centres RAV?
Yes, the services of the employment centres are available to all persons entitled to work who are looking for a job and who are in Switzerland. Registration is possible as soon as protection status S has been granted; this is confirmed by letter.
Further information can be found on the Unemployment Insurance and public employment service website or on the website of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
Are Ukrainian qualifications recognised in Switzerland?
Yes, but diploma recognition is only required for professions that are regulated in Switzerland. Where a profession is regulated, the situation must be examined in detail and on a case-by-case basis. Further information can be found on the website of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). From the point of view of immigration law, access to the labour market is possible for all professions; for regulated professions such as doctors, the necessary authorisation to practise the profession must be enclosed.
Can people with protection status S work from home for a foreign employer?
Yes. Working from home exclusively for a foreign employer (e.g. for the current employer in the home country) or the continuation of an existing self-employed activity with no influence on the Swiss labour market are not considered gainful employment subject to a work permit. Therefore, no work permit is required.
Can people with protection status S take on a traineeship?
Traineeships are always temporary employment relationships with a training element and are considered gainful employment. A work permit must therefore be obtained from the canton of the place of work before taking up employment. There must be a training programme as well as a fixed-term employment contract providing a level of pay customary for the location, industry and role and that corresponds to the person’s qualifications and experience.
Are people with protection status S allowed to receive vocational education and training (VET)?
Yes, they are. The training company is responsible for obtaining the necessary work permit. A basic requirement for embarking on a VET programme is B1 level language proficiency in German, French or Italian, depending on the location of the vocational school or training company. The cantons offer bridge-year courses in preparation for a VET programme. The purpose of these courses is to close gaps in a person’s education and provide support in choosing a vocation or career. A basic requirement for attending a bridge-year course is A2 level language proficiency. The cantonal careers advisory services can provide advice and guidance on choosing a vocation or career, what education and training is available and what preparatory courses are on offer: BIZ - berufsberatung.ch (German, French, Italian, Romansh)
Further information:
- Information on choosing a vocation or career: in English and in Ukrainian
Apprenticeship directory: Lehrstelle suchen - berufsberatung.ch (German, French, Italian, Romansh)
What rules apply for people from Ukraine who already have a temporary Swiss residence and work permit?
Existing temporary residence and work permits can be extended in accordance with the applicable provisions under the legislation on foreign nationals. Applications to convert a short-term residence permit (L) into an annual residence permit (B) will be examined by the cantonal authorities at the place of work (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022) in accordance with the regular provisions. In cases where no extension or conversion is possible, the persons can apply for protection status S.
Are there differences in terms of social assistance depending on whether someone is staying in private accommodation or in cantonal accommodation?
Yes, there are differences. As a rule, persons staying in private accommodation receive social assistance in the form of financial contributions, whereas persons in cantonal accommodation it is largely in the form of benefits in kind. The canton to which they have been assigned is responsible for social assistance arrangements.
What applies in which canton? You will find the most important information here (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022).
Is financial support available for those who work?
Social assistance is intended to secure a person’s livelihood. Consequently, persons who can fully cover their living expenses through paid work do not receive social assistance. However, if the amount they earn is not sufficient to cover living expenses, they receive supplementary social assistance.
Further information can be found on the Website of the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Social Services, the website of the Swiss Conference for Social Welfare, and from the relevant cantonal authority (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022).
Do people with protection status S have access to support measures such as language classes and counselling?
Courses and programmes to support migrants and to inform them about life in Switzerland are available in all cantons, large towns and in many smaller communes, and these are also open to people with protection status S. People with protection status S who are registered with asylum social assistance usually receive information there directly.
Please ask for information in your commune or consult the official website of your canton of residence (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022) (in German).
The contact points for integration in the cantons and towns (in German) will also be able to help.
You will find detailed information about cantonal integration programmes here (in German).
Are interpreters available to help with communication (e.g. in schools)?
This is arranged by the cantons, in cooperation with the Swiss Refugee Council. Thanks to special (free) translation apps on smartphones/tablets, communication between host families and people from Ukraine is now relatively easy. In some cases, teachers or assistants with knowledge of Ukrainian are also being placed in schools to help with communication.
How soon can Ukrainian children attend school?
The decision as to when a child in need of protection can attend school after taking up residence in a commune rests with the allocated canton or the commune itself, in application of the canton’s school law. In principle, children are enrolled in school as soon as possible. Under certain circumstances, however, a short waiting period is to be expected.
What applies in which canton? You will find the most important information here (PDF, 298 kB, 04.05.2022).
What are the rules concerning school attendance?
In Switzerland, all children have a fundamental right to education under the Federal Constitution. Children and young people have the right to basic education regardless of their nationality or residence status. The requirement to attend school is also enshrined in the Federal Constitution. This means that school attendance is compulsory and free of charge for all children who remain in one place for a certain period of time.
The 26 cantons and their communes are responsible for obligatory schooling and thus currently also for the enrolment of children and young people from Ukraine. Upon receiving protection status S, individuals are assigned to a canton (protection status S is not issued to a specific commune). After being assigned to a commune, children are either admitted directly to a regular class and receive an intensive course in the local school language (German, French or Italian, depending on the language region), or they are admitted to a class for foreign speakers for a certain period of time. In principle, children attend a public school at their place of residence. This also applies to children and young people who arrive independently and take up residence in a commune.
Compulsory schooling lasts 11 years (including nursery school) and is divided into primary and lower secondary level in all cantons (see also diagram of the Swiss education system).
Information on school attendance is available from the canton and the commune of residence.
Can refugees from Ukraine study (or continue their studies) at a Swiss university or university of applied sciences?
Persons with protection status S can study in Switzerland, continue their studies or further their education (their residence conditions are regulated by the recognition of protection status S). Access to studies is arranged with the university or university of applied sciences. The individual should contact them directly.
Various universities have posted their own information. Further details can be found at Swissuniversities.
Switzerland’s humanitarian activities
How is Switzerland helping on the ground in Ukraine and in its neighbouring countries?
Switzerland's humanitarian support package currently comprises three lines of action, which complement each other and which can be expanded and developed as needed: financial contributions (including to aid organisations such as the ICRC), aid supplies (to Ukraine and neighbouring countries) and personnel (e.g. specialists in the areas of emergency shelter, water/sanitation/hygiene and health/medicine).
In addition, Switzerland - together with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) - supports third-country nationals who have fled to neighbouring Ukrainian countries and wish to return to their home countries.
Statistics
Evaluation of professional qualifications
Persons with Protection Status S in employment
- 23.06.2022 - Persons in gainful employment (PDF, 409 kB, 23.06.2022)
- 16.06.2022 - Persons in gainful employment (PDF, 411 kB, 16.06.2022)
- 09.06.2022 - Persons in gainful employment (PDF, 411 kB, 09.06.2022)
- 02.06.2022 - Persons in gainful employment (PDF, 421 kB, 02.06.2022)
- 25.05.2022 - Persons in gainful employment (PDF, 103 kB, 25.05.2022)
- 19.05.2022 - Persons in gainful employment (PDF, 412 kB, 19.05.2022)
- 12.05.2022 - Persons in gainful employment (PDF, 411 kB, 12.05.2022)
Cantonal allocation of persons with protection status S
- 23.06.2022 - Cantonal allocations (PDF, 302 kB, 23.06.2022)
- 16.06.2022 - Cantonal allocations (PDF, 302 kB, 16.06.2022)
- 09.06.2022 - Cantonal allocations (PDF, 302 kB, 09.06.2022)
- 02.06.2022 - Cantonal allocations (PDF, 422 kB, 02.06.2022)
- 25.05.2022 - Cantonal allocations (PDF, 136 kB, 25.05.2022)
- 19.05.2022 - Cantonal allocations (PDF, 302 kB, 19.05.2022)
- 12.05.2022 - Cantonal allocations (PDF, 302 kB, 12.05.2022)
- 05.05.2022 - Cantonal allocations (PDF, 203 kB, 05.05.2022)
- 28.04.2022 - Cantonal allocations (PDF, 201 kB, 28.04.2022)
Last modification 27.06.2022
