Published on 12 July 2026
Questions and answers for refugees from Ukraine
Latest questions
From 20 August 2026, protection status S will be granted only to people who have fulfilled their military obligations in Ukraine, where applicable. This applies in particular to people of conscription age, reservists, and those who have volunteered for the Ukrainian armed forces.
The new regulation applies to all new applications submitted on or after 20 August 2026 and does not affect people who already hold protection status S. Each application will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
If you have protection status S and have been living in Switzerland continuously for five years, you are entitled under Article 74 paragraph 2 of the Asylum Act to a B residence permit. However, this permit is linked to protection status S and will no longer be valid if temporary protection is lifted.
The B permit is therefore only valid for as long as the Federal Council maintains protection status S. The relevant cantonal migration authority will assess whether you are eligible. If you meet the conditions, the migration authority will issue you with a B residence permit linked to protection status S.
What are the rules in your canton? Here you will find all the information you need:
No, your protection status S will continue to apply. Your B permit will contain a note stating that you have been recognised as being in need of protection. The procedure follows the standard process for renewing a residence permit.
What are the rules in your canton? Here you will find all the information you need:
A B permit that is linked to protected status remains valid for as long as the Federal Council does not revoke protection status S. It is granted to you for a period of one year at a time and you can renew it if you still meet the relevant conditions.
Yes. However, as provision of social assistance is governed by cantonal law, the level of social assistance benefits may vary from canton to canton.
What are the rules in your canton? Here you will find all the information you need:
If you hold a B residence permit linked to S protection status, you are allowed to spend up to 15 days in your country of origin in any six-month period (see the questions on “Entry and exit”).
The same rights apply as before (see the question “Are persons with protection status S allowed to work in Switzerland?”).
The same rights apply as for persons holding a regular residence permit (Art. 37 para. 2 Foreign Nationals And Integration Act (FNIA)). This means that you are allowed to move to another canton provided you are not unemployed and there are no grounds for revoking your B permit under Article 62 paragraph 1 FNIA.
Your canton, with the consent of SEM, may grant you a B permit on the grounds of hardship under Article 14 paragraph 2 of the Asylum Act in conjunction with Art. 31 ASEO and Art. 58a FNIA if:
- you have been recognised as a person in need of protection and have lived in Switzerland continuously for at least five years since submitting your application for protection status S,
- you have always kept the authorities informed of where you are living,
- you are integrated into life in Switzerland to such an extent that leaving would cause serious personal hardship,
- no grounds for revocation under Article 62 paragraph 1 FNIA apply and
- you have made no attempt to conceal your identity (Art. 31 para. 2 ASEO).
Yes. If you meet the conditions set out in Article 14 paragraph 2 of the Asylum Act, you can submit an application to your local cantonal migration authority and provide the required supporting documents.
What are the rules in your canton? Here you will find all the information you need:
Employers can apply for a quota-based residence permit on behalf of individuals who are employed as qualified specialists. As a general rule, the employee must hold a degree from a university or university of applied sciences in their field of work and be paid in line with local and industry standards. The activity they carry out must be in the wider economic interest, i.e. there must be a structural shortage of skilled workers in the sector concerned (e.g. ICT, healthcare, etc.).
Applications for a quota-based residence permit for qualified specialists are to be submitted by the employer, not by the employee. Only self-employed people can submit their application themselves.
Status S
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 (Art. 9 para. 8 TDocO). If they take up gainful employment, this must be reported to the relevant authorities.
Persons with protection status S are assigned to a canton after registration. What are the rules in your canton? Here you will find all the information you need:
There is no quota for protection status S.
Persons who have already been granted protection status S based on the Federal Council’s general ruling of 11 March 2022, replaced by its ruling of 8 October 2025, will retain this status.
On 19 August 2026, the Federal Council adopted a new general ruling. Under the new ruling, the following categories of persons will be eligible for protection status S from 20 August 2026:
- 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 paragraph a) above who held international or national protection status in Ukraine before 24 February 2022.
- Persons of other nationalities and stateless persons seeking protection and their family members as defined in paragraph a) above 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 country in safety and on a permanent basis.
Persons seeking protection who fall under one of the categories listed above will only be granted temporary protection in Switzerland if, prior to leaving Ukraine, they were last resident in a region where they were exposed to a tangible risk of death or injury due to the situation of general violence and if they do not meet any of the legal grounds for rejection (Art. 73 AsylA). SEM also reserves the right to refuse a person temporary protection based on the principle of subsidiarity.
Persons who are required to perform military service in Ukraine will only be granted protection status S if they have fulfilled their military obligations.
SEM examines each application on a case-by-case basis. If it rejects an application for protection on the basis that the person comes from an area to which a return is considered reasonable, it will issue a removal order.
In the case of persons who are not granted protection status S because they have failed to fulfil their military obligations, and who cannot reasonably be expected to return the region that they come from, SEM will assess whether they can be returned to a safer region of Ukraine.
However, if enforcement of the removal order is not permitted (Art. 83 para. 3 FNIA) or is unreasonable (Art. 83 para. 4 FNIA), the person will be granted temporary admission to Switzerland.
Persons whose application for protection has been rejected are still free to apply for asylum in Switzerland.
The Swiss parliament adopted the Friedli motion (24.3378) during its 2024 winter session. Since 1 November 2025, SEM therefore distinguishes between regions to which a return is considered reasonable or unreasonable when assessing new applications for protection status S. The new regulation will not apply to persons who already have protection status S in Switzerland or their family members who are still living in Ukraine (Art. 71 para. 1 and 3 AsylA).
SEM defines the Ukrainian regions to which a return is considered reasonable or unreasonable. The list below will be updated if the situation changes.
SEM considers a return to the following oblasts to be reasonable:
- Volyn
- Rivne
- Lviv
- Ternopil
- Zakarpattia
- Ivano-Frankivsk
- Chernivtsi
Under Country of Origin Information, you will find current reports on the situation in the seven western oblasts (in German):
Notiz Ukraine: Kriegsereignisse, Opfer und Schäden in den sieben westlichen Oblasten (31.10.2025)
PDF1.56 MB31 October 2025
Focus Ukraine: Sozioökonomische Lage Westukraine: Unterbringung, Arbeitsmarkt und Sozialhilfesystem (31.10.2025)
PDF2.19 MB31 October 2025
Notiz Ukraine: Gesundheitsversorgung Westukraine (31.10.2025)
PDF527.34 kB31 October 2025
The new regulation applies to all applications decided on by SEM after 1 November 2025, even if they were submitted before this date.
Status S is valid until the Federal Council withdraws it (Art. 76 AsylA), and depends on the continued existence of serious general danger in Ukraine (Art. 4 AsylA). Switzerland will coordinate with the Schengen countries when deciding on this.
The Federal Council will withdraw protection status S if it concludes that the security situation allows for people to return; a transitional period will be established leading up to departure.
In contrast to protection status S, S permits are valid for one year. Applications for an extension must be submitted no earlier than three months and no later than 14 days before the permit expires. The migration office of the respective canton is responsible for their extension.
People who have recently arrived in Switzerland and have no accommodation are to make their way to the federal asylum centre (BAZ) in Urtenen-Schönbühl where they are then registered. SEM collects their personal data and fingerprints and checks each application individually (security check and verification that the person is eligible for protection).
After registration, the individuals are assigned to a canton.
We request that those seeking protection who already have a private address in Switzerland and have not yet registered should submit their application online via the RegisterMe web portal.
You will find important information about the various types of accommodation and about the procedure in this factsheet:
Persons who no longer require to claim protection status S in Switzerland can communicate their change of status in writing in a signed and dated statement sent to the following address, quoting their N-number:
State Secretariat for Migration SEM
Quellenweg 6
CH-3003 Bern-WabernIf their statement renouncing protection is valid, SEM will terminate their protection status S (Art. 79 let. b AsylA). This means that the individuals concerned are no longer subject to the Asylum Act but to the general provisions of the law on foreign nationals.
There is no quota. Persons in need of protection (see “Who is eligible for protection status S?”) will be granted protection status S in Switzerland.
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 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.
Granting protection status S to Ukrainian refugees aims 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 European level is also crucial for the continuation and future removal of this status. The basic idea behind protection status S corresponds 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.
The cantons receive subsidy payments from the federal government in the form of global lump-sum funding for the social welfare costs they have incurred (see. Art 88 para. 2 AsylA).
The level of global lump-sum funding corresponds to that paid to 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.
In view of the war in Ukraine, SEM has suspended the processing of pending asylum applications of Ukrainian citizens who have been granted protection status S since 24 February 2022 (Art. 69 para. 3 AsylA).
SEM is monitoring the situation on the ground very closely.
Entering and leaving the country
Switzerland allows Ukrainian citizens who wish to seek temporary protection in Switzerland to enter the country without a biometric travel document and without a visa, unless there are compelling in an individual case for refusing.
For persons who are outside the Schengen area, the normal rules of entry apply. Further information on entering Switzerland is available from the local Swiss representation.
The normal rules of entry (i.e. a visa requirement for persons without a biometric passport or with gainful employment) also apply to persons entering Switzerland for another purpose of stay (e.g. tourism, visit, work, study).
Persons who have been granted protection status S may travel abroad and return to Switzerland without a travel permit (Art. 9 para. 8 Ordinance on the Issue of Travel Documents for Foreign Nationals). The entry regulations of the relevant destination country apply.
Travel within the Schengen area: This is possible in principle if the person has a biometric passport and the trip does not exceed 90 days within a period of 180 days. Those travelling should have a valid travel document. SEM recommends clarifying the entry requirements with the representation of the destination country before the planned trip abroad:
Address of foreign representations in SwitzerlandTravel 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 SwitzerlandUnder the following circumstances, a stay abroad may result in protection status S being rescinded: if the focus of a person in need of protection’s living arrangements shifts abroad, temporary protection status in Switzerland expire (see Art. 79 let. a AsylA). SEM examines each case individually. A shift in the focus of a person’s living arrangements is presumed to have occurred if the stay abroad exceeds two months, but the presumption can be challenged (for example in the case of temporary study stays of more than two months or work-related assignments abroad).
Travelling back to Ukraine is not prohibited in principle. Persons with protection status S may generally travel to Ukraine for 15 days within a half-year period. The dates on which they cross Ukraine’s border (outward and return journey) are used to calculate their length of stay. Persons travelling abroad are not entitled to social welfare assistance. Please notify the social welfare office in your commune of residence of your planned absence. You do not need prior travel authorisation from SEM.
If a person in need of protection in Switzerland returns to Ukraine for more than 15 days in any half-year, SEM may revoke their temporary protection status in Switzerland (Art. 78 para. 1 let. c AsylA; Art. 51 AsylO 1). SEM will not revoke temporary protection if the person concerned returns to Ukraine for more than 15 days in any half-year for compelling reasons (e.g. a death or serious illness in the family) or in order to prepare for returning permanently to Ukraine.
A person will lose their temporary protection status in Switzerland if it is decided that they are in fact living in another country (Art. 79 let. a AsylA ‘the person […] has transferred the focus of their living conditions abroad’). SEM examines each case individually. A person will be presumed to have left Switzerland if they have been living abroad for more than two months. However, this presumption can be challenged, for example if the person is required to spend a limited period of more than two months abroad as part of a course of studies or in order to carry out a work-related assignment).
If the requirements for independent entry are not met, it is possible to submit a written application to SEM for family reunification in accordance with Article 71 paragraph 3 of the Asylum Act to the following address:
Staatssekretariat für Migration SEM
Direktionsbereich Asyl
Abteilung Asylverfahren und Praxis
Quellenweg 6
3003 Bern-WabernSpouses, 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.
Family members that are already in Switzerland may submit an application for temporary protection. Temporary protection is also granted to spouses, persons living together in a permanent relationship, registered partners and minor children if the family members apply for protection together in Switzerland or if they wish to reunite in Switzerland after having been separated by flight and there are no special circumstances to the contrary (see Art. 71 para. 1 AsylA).
Cats and dogs brought from Ukraine are subject to the usual import conditions issued by the
Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office.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
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:
Persons seeking protection are accommodated here before their application is registered. They are then allocated to a canton, which is responsible for their care from that point on. Depending on accommodation capacity, persons seeking protection are accommodated in the federal asylum centre for up to 90 days before they leave the canton of registration.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 are the rules in your canton? Here you will find all the information you need:
Private accommodation:
There are several cantonal initiatives to help accommodate Ukrainian refugees with private host families. Some cantons coordinate these activities with the Swiss Refugee Council (SRC). In each case, the canton responsible decides on any compensation to be paid to providers of private accommodation.If you wish to offer private accommodation to people who have fled Ukraine, please contact the Swiss Refugee Council (German, French).
The Swiss Refugee Council 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) (German, French)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
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) will allocate you to one of the 26 Swiss cantons (Art. 74 Abs. 1 AsylA). This canton is then responsible for your accommodation and other care – or for your departure from Switzerland if you are refused temporary protection. The canton is also responsible for the payment of social welfare benefits, if necessary, to cover your basic daily needs in Switzerland.
Asylum seekers and persons in the ‘S’ procedure are allocated to cantons according to a distribution ratio. Each canton receives a number of persons with protection status S in proportion to its population. SEM will decide which canton you are allocated to on the day you register, based on the distribution ratio, and inform you in person. The written decision on protection status S, which includes the formal decision on your cantonal allocation, will be sent by post.
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.
The distribution ratio also applies to 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 it complies with the distribution ratio. Otherwise, you will be allocated to another canton, which will then find new accommodation for you. On the day you register, SEM will decide which canton you are allocated to, based on the distribution ratio, and inform 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”, signed by your host, on the day you register.
Refugees can appeal against an allocation decision to the Federal Administrative Court. 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, 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
Quellenweg 6
CH-3003 Bern-WabernBefore 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 (e.g. unaccompanied minors, persons with disabilities, serious health problems or an age-related condition) with close contacts other than family members 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
Ukrainian nationals can stay in Switzerland for three 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 welfare support, 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 welfare support must fulfil the health insurance obligation independently by taking out insurance with a health insurance company within three 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 treatment even before applying for protection status S and has no health insurance, the costs will be covered by the cantons or the cantonal welfare support 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.
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 are the rules in your canton? Here you will find all the information you need:
Health insurance entitles those in need of protection to basic medical care (German, French, Italian). 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 are the rules in your canton? Here you will find all the information you need:
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. Once assigned to a canton, the cantonal authorities are responsible for providing this service. The cost of psychological care is covered by compulsory health insurance.
What are the rules in your canton? Here you will find all the information you need:
Protection against human trafficking and prostitution
The federal government, the cantons and 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. You are welcome to download these PDFs and use them yourself or distribute them.
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.
Support measures and financial matters
The federal government supports social and professional integration in Switzerland. All persons with protection status S may take up gainful employment (including self-employment) anywhere in Switzerland, provided their employment has been reported to the relevant cantonal authority before they begin. There is no requirement to wait before looking for work. Persons with protection status S receive social welfare support from the canton to which they have been assigned if they cannot support themselves independently. This support covers the basic needs of daily life in Switzerland and can take the form of benefits in kind (accommodation, food, hygiene articles, etc.) and/or money. The canton is responsible for organising social welfare support.
What are the rules in your canton? Here you will find all the information you need:
The possibility to change Ukrainian banknotes into Swiss francs at selected branches of certain banks in Switzerland, which has been in place since the end of June 2022, was discontinued on 25 November 2022 at the request of the National Bank of Ukraine because demand was low. Cashless transactions to and from Ukraine are still possible, however.
Yes, there are differences. As a rule, persons in private accommodation receive social welfare support in the form of financial contributions whereas persons in cantonal accommodation largely in the form of benefits in kind. The canton to which they have been allocated is responsible for the arrangement of social welfare support.
What are the rules in your canton? Here you will find all the information you need:
Social welfare support serves to secure a livelihood. Consequently, people who can fully cover their own living expenses through paid work do not receive social welfare support. However, if their wages are not sufficient to cover their living costs, they receive supplementary assistance.
Further information can be obtained on the website of the SODK (German, French), the website of the SKOS (German, French, Italian) or from the competent canton:
In every canton, in cities and in many communes, there are services, courses and programmes to support migrants, including people with protection status S, and provide them with information about life in Switzerland. People with protection status S who are registered with the social welfare support services for asylum seekers usually receive information from there.
Please ask the authorities of your commune for information or consult the official website of your canton of residence:
You can also request help from the cantonal or city services responsible for integration (German, French, Italian).
Here you can find information on the cantonal integration programmes (German, French, Italian).
Employment
Persons with protection status S may take up gainful employment anywhere in Switzerland, provided this has been reported to the relevant cantonal authority before they begin working. They may take up self-employment or salaried employment.
The salary and employment conditions customary for the location, profession and sector must be adhered to.
If the work is part of an employment programme, it does not have to be reported.
In the case of salaried employment, the report must be submitted by the employer. Self-employed persons must report their employment themselves. If the employment is part of a professional (re)integration measure run by an authorised third party (e.g. a programme agreement under a cantonal integration programme) or for which there is a basic agreement with the relevant cantonal authority, it can be reported by that third party (e.g. an aid organisation, local or cantonal authority, or authorised institution).
Gainful employment can be reported via EasyGov.swiss, which makes the process easy, fast and efficient. EasyGov is a secure, reliable platform that enables companies to carry out administrative procedures.
EasyGov – the online deskIf you do not have access to EasyGov, you can submit the report using this form (German):
Please send the completed form by email to the relevant authority in the canton where the employment is based.
You must report both the beginning and end of the employment, as well as any change of job.Yes, this is possible. Their employment must be reported in the canton where they work:
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. The protection status S permit is sent later.
Further information can be found on the Unemployment Insurance and public employment service portal or on the website of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) (German, French, Italian).
Yes, diplomas are recognised in various professions, provided the person meets the relevant conditions for professional recognition. This may include language skills. 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.
Yes. If a person with protection status S works from home exclusively for a foreign employer (e.g. for their current employer in their native country) or continues their existing self-employment with no impact on the Swiss labour market, this does not have to be reported. However, income from such work is considered to be earned income and must be declared to the relevant authority.
Traineeships are always temporary employment relationships with a training element and are considered gainful employment. They must therefore be reported to the canton where the work is based before the traineeship starts. There must be a training programme and 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.
The reporting requirement does not apply to employment arranged by officially authorised providers of measures aimed at professional (re)integration, for which the relevant cantonal authorities in the place of work have given consent in principle, and for which the remuneration does not exceed CHF 600 (see Art. 65 para. 7 ASEO). For more information, see the explanatory report on the amendment to Art. 65 ASEO (de).
Cantonal authorities at the place of work:
A requirement for basic vocational training is B1-level language proficiency in German, French or Italian, depending on where the vocational school or the training company is located. The employers are responsible for reporting the person’s enrolment to the relevant cantonal labour market and migration authority. Once this has been reported, the training company must submit the training contract to the relevant cantonal VET office for approval.
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. 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 (de, fr, it)
Persons with protection status S are also eligible for the INVOL integration pre-apprenticeships: INVOL integration pre-apprenticeship (de, fr, it)
As set out in Article 65 paragraph 7 ASEO, bridge-year courses and INVOL are not subject to the reporting requirement (see also the explanatory notes on traineeships for persons with protection status S).For support during vocational education and training, students have access to cantonal teaching supervision and tried-and-tested services (e.g. support services at VET schools). Information on this is available from the cantonal points of contact.
Further information:
- The Swiss education system: Swiss education system
- Information on choosing a vocation or career: Apprenticeship directory in German and Ukrainian
Search for an apprenticeship – berufsberatung.ch
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 in accordance with the regular provisions. In cases where no extension or conversion is possible and you must return to Ukraine, you can apply for protection status S.
Cantonal authorities at the place of work:
Protection status S is based on the expectation that people will return to their native country. The status is valid until the Federal Council withdraws it (Art. 76 AsylA), and depends on the continued existence of serious general danger in Ukraine (Art. 4 AsylA). ). Switzerland will coordinate with the Schengen countries on this matter.
The Federal Council has decided not to revoke protection status before 4 March 2027 unless there is a fundamental change in the situation in Ukraine. This provides clarity for Ukrainian refugees, the cantons, communes and employers. At its meeting on 20 September 2024, the Federal Council also decided that those in employment with protection status S will be granted a departure period of 12 months from the date of revocation of their protection status, thus creating additional planning security for employers and employees (see press release).
Back in March 2023, the Federal Council decided that young people who have fled Ukraine may remain in Switzerland until they complete their apprenticeship, even if their S protection status is lifted before then (see press release).
Schooling
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 are the rules in your canton? Here you will find all the information you need:
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 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 this diagram of the Swiss education system).
Information on school attendance is available from the canton (German, French) and the commune of residence.
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.
This is arranged by the cantons. 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.
Russian nationals
According to asylum law practice, draft evasion or desertion alone are not reasons for granting refugee status since the possible punishment is not imposed for any of the reasons listed in Article 3 of the Asylum Act (i.e. race, religion, affiliation to a social group, political views). However, if specific circumstances result in penalties being imposed not only for evading military service (or for desertion), but for one of the reasons mentioned in Article 3, and the penalties are disproportionately severe, or if in addition to evading military service or deserting the person has a well-founded fear of persecution for a reason set out in Article 3, they would fulfil the requirements for refugee status and be recognised as a refugee. SEM examines the individual circumstances of each case carefully and in detail.
See Handbook on Asylum and Return, Article D1 (Refugee Status):
Switzerland belongs to the Schengen area. Russians therefore need a visa to enter Switzerland (regardless of the reason for their stay). The normal entry requirements apply (Art. 5 FNIA).
Anyone who is at risk of direct, serious and genuine danger to life or limb in their home country or country of origin can apply at a Swiss representation for a visa on humanitarian grounds. The Swiss embassy in Moscow is responsible for providing consular services and for processing visa applications from anyone who lives in Russia, including Russian nationals.
The mere possibility of being drafted into the armed forces in the future does not generally meet the strict requirements for obtaining a humanitarian visa: the applicant must be in a specific and serious emergency and have a connection to Switzerland.