Switzerland: By the end of the year, half of refugees with S status must be employed

Switzerland: By the end of the year, half of refugees with S status must be employed

NEWS

Express newspaper
30/07/2025 23:41

Refugees from Ukraine who enjoy S protection status in Switzerland will have to become more involved in the labor market. By the end of the year, the goal is for every second person with this status to be employed. However, the cantons are at different paces – and the results vary significantly, albinfo.ch reports.

What is S status?

This status was first activated in March 2022, in response to the war in Ukraine. It allows refugees to work immediately, reunite their families, travel freely, and enroll their children in school.

Factors influencing labor market integration:

1. Economic situation in the canton:

Cantons with diversified economies and opportunities for simple jobs have an advantage.

Example: Thurgau has a strong economic network and is among the best – it has already integrated 41% of employable people with S status.

2. Geographical location:

Aargau, despite having a large number of refugees, has an employment rate of 43%, partly because many job seekers are employed in neighboring cantons, such as Zurich.

3. Internal organization of the cantons:

In the canton of Basel-Landschaft, integration is slower (only 31%) due to the decentralized structure – where each municipality works independently. This has led to large differences from one municipality to another.

Romance is lagging behind

In French-speaking Switzerland, integration is slower. One reason is the highly specialized nature of the labor market and competition with cross-border workers.

The future of S status is unclear

The S status is valid until 2026, but the Federal Council is expected to extend it. However, it is not clear what will happen to refugees if this status is removed.