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Switzerland
Temporary Protection - Switzerland
Temporary Protection - Switzerland
Overview
Relevant EU legislation
Switzerland is not bound by the Temporary Protection Directive. A similar legal framework applies based on Article 4 of the Law on Asylum (Granting Temporary Protection) and Article 66, al. 1 (Policy decision of the Federal Council). The Federal Council activated the S protection status for displaced persons from Ukraine by Decision FF 2022 586 of 11 March 2022, based on art. 66, al. 1 of the Law on Asylum. The S protection status entered into force on 12 March 2022. With the entry into force of the decision, the S status is applied, governing the introduction, duration and termination of temporary protection of displaced persons, the conditions and procedures for obtaining and terminating S protection, and the rights and obligations of persons with S status in Switzerland.
The Federal Council announced the extension of status S permits at least until 4 March 2027.
National legislation
Legislation
Article 4 - Granting temporary protection. Asylum Act | AsylA
Implementing Act
11/03/2022: Decision no. FF 2022 586: General decision regarding granting of temporary protection in connection with the situation in Ukraine | Décision de portée générale concernant l’octroi de la protection provisoire en lien avec la situation en Ukraine | Allgemeinverfügung zur Gewährung des vorübergehenden Schutzes im Zusammenhang mit der Situation in der Ukraine | Decisione di portata generale concernente la concessione della protezione provvisoria in relazione alla situazione in Ucraina
Competent authority and stakeholders
| Area | Competent national authority | Assistance to the competent authority (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| Screening at the external border (if relevant) | ||
| Biometric data (if relevant) | ||
| Granting temporary protection | State Secretariat for Migration | Staatssekretariat für Migration | Secrétariat d’État aux migrations | Segreteria di Stato della migrazione | |
| Issuing the residence permit | State Secretariat for Migration | Staatssekretariat für Migration | Secrétariat d’État aux migrations | Segreteria di Stato della migrazione | |
| Providing accommodation | State Secretariat for Migration | Staatssekretariat für Migration | Secrétariat d’État aux migrations | Segreteria di Stato della migrazione | Cantons | Kantone | Cantons | Cantoni |
| Medical care | ||
| Social welfare |
Eligibility
According to Article 1 of the Decision of the Federal Council of 11 March 2022, now amended by the Decision of the Federal Council of 08 October 2025, 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
Those seeking protection of another nationality and who can safely and permanently return to their home country are not eligible for protection status S in Switzerland. An appeal against such a negative decision can be filed with the Federal Administrative Court. Such persons are free to file an asylum application if they believe they are at risk on returning to their home country.
Following the adoption of the Friedli motion (24.3378), protection status S is now only be granted to people from areas under Russian occupation or active conflict zones. Returns are currently deemed possible to the regions of Volyn, Rivne, Lviv, Ternopil, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi.
Individuals already holding S status and their family members in Ukraine are not affected by the change. The State Secretariat for Migration regularly reviews which regions are considered safe and adjusts the list as needed.
Applications for S status continue to be assessed individually. If a person comes from a region where return is deemed reasonable, the application will be rejected, though they may apply for asylum or receive provisional admission if return is impossible.
The new regulation took effect on 1 November 2025 and applied to all pending and future S status applications.
Admission to the territory
Holders of a biometric passport can enter visa-free and stay in the country for a total of 90 days within the last 180 days, according to the Article 103b(1) of the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration | Loi fédérale sur les étrangers et l’intégration | Bundesgesetz über die Ausländerinnen und Ausländer und über die Integration | Legge federale sugli stranieri e la loro integrazione.
Exemptions to Ukrainian citizens are allowed and they can enter without having a biometric travel document or a visa.
In the absence of a biometric passport, displaced persons from Ukraine can enter without travel documents provided they can credibly show that they left their country because of the conflict.
Travel outside Switzerland: Persons who are granted S status in accordance with the decision of the Federal Council of 11 March 2022 may travel abroad and return to Switzerland with a valid recognised passport without a travel permit. The entry regulations of the respective countries of entry apply.
Additionally, S status holders can visit Ukraine for up to 15 days per semester according to the new regulation entered into effect on 01 November 2025.
Provision of information
Information platforms
State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) dedicated page on general information and a page with questions and answers and X account
Dedicated contacts
E-mail address: ukraine@sem.admin.ch
Other
- Swiss Refugee Council dedicated page on information for people seeking protection
- Asylex Chatbox, providing important information for those seeking protection in Switzerland
- Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office website
EUAA Booklets
EUAA Booklet on Temporary Protection in the Switzerland also available in UA and RU
Procedural aspects
Procedure to register and be granted temporary protection
Registration for protection status in Switzerland takes place at the Federal Asylum Centre (BAZ), with Bern as the main hub from January 2024. Applicants are encouraged to register online at RegisterMe. After submitting the application, applicants are entitled to medical insurance, and their eligibility for protection status S is assessed within 1-3 days. A security check of the applicant is conducted after registration. For eligible beneficiaries, SEM issues an S residence permit valid for one year, extendable. Applications for an extension must be submitted no earlier than three months and no later than 14 days before the permit expires to the migration office of the respective canton.
Status S is valid until the Federal Council withdraws it (Art. 76 AsylA). If the federal council has not revoked temporary protection within five years, the persons in need of protection shall receive from the canton a residence permit limited until the revocation of temporary protection. After ten years, a B residence permit may be granted. Individuals with protection status S can travel abroad and return without a travel permit.
Applicants have the right to challenge a decision against the refusal of Status S only (Articles 72 and 105 Law on Asylum). Specific provisions for exclusion or termination or Status S protection apply under the national legislation.
| Registration | Registration takes place at the Federal Asylum Centre (BAZ). The list of the six federal reception centres and their current capacity is available online. The federal asylum centres are located in Bern, Basel, Zurich, Altstätten SG, Boudry and Chiasso. The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) will centralise the application and registration process for S protection from fall 2023. From January 1 2024 a registration is only possible in the BAZ Bern as «main-hub». All applicants are encouraged to submit their application online here at RegisterMe. Applicants are entitled to medical insurance after having submitted this application. Each application is assessed on an individual basis to decide eligibility for protection status S. This assessment generally lasts between 1-3 days. Security check: A security check is performed after registration for a protection status in Switzerland. This check is carried out in the background, between the application for a protection status and the granting of it. The check is carried out by State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) officers via consultation of the relevant security and identity databases. |
|---|---|
| Residence permit | The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) issues a S residence permit which is valid for one year and can be extended (according to Article 45 Law on Asylum). After 5 years, persons in need of protection can be granted a B residence permit, which is valid until the temporary protection is lifted (Article 74 Law on Asylum). Persons who are granted protection status S may travel abroad and return to Switzerland without a travel permit. Additionally, S status holders can visit Ukraine for up to 15 days per semester according to the new regulation entered into effect on 01 November 2025. |
| Legal aid | Legal aid is available for free in the canton of residence, list available here and at the cantonal bar association |
| Appeal | Against the granting of temporary protection (Status S) no appeal may be lodged (Article 69 paragraph 2 Law on Asylum); however, an appeal may be lodged against the refusal of Status S (Articles 72 and 105 Law on Asylum). |
| Exclusion | The grounds for exclusion from Status S are laid down in Article 73 of the Asylum Act. Persons who do not belong to the group of persons entitled to Status S as defined by the Federal Council, persons in need of protection who meet grounds for exclusion (Article 73 Asylum Act) are excluded from Status S. Persons who obviously meet refugee status are granted refugee status instead of status S. SEM has decided that binational couples will not be entitled to the S protection status if one of them holds citizenship of an EU/EFTA member state, the United Kingdom, Canada, the USA, New Zealand or Australia. Those who had already been granted protection in another Schengen state will not be granted protection status S in Switzerland. Following the adoption of the Friedli motion (24.3378) and the new regulation entered into effect on 01 November 2025, protection status S is now only be granted to people from areas under Russian occupation or active conflict zones. Individuals already holding S status and their family members in Ukraine are not affected by the change. The State Secretariat for Migration regularly reviews which regions are considered safe and adjusts the list as needed. Applications for S status continue to be assessed individually. If a person comes from a region where return is deemed reasonable, the application will be rejected, though they may apply for asylum or receive provisional admission if return is impossible. |
| Termination/Withdrawal | The Status S is terminated in three cases:
The Federal Council determines the date on which temporary protection will be terminated for groups in need of protection. The Federal Council determines the termination date in cooperation with the cantons, aid agencies and, if necessary, with other non-governmental organizations and the UNHCR. The SEM then grants a legal hearing to all persons who have been granted Status S. If there are indications of persecution, an interview takes place. If there are no indications of persecution, the SEM issues a removal order.
The Status S was obtained by false statements or concealment of essential facts. The person in need of protection has violated the internal or external security of Switzerland, endangered it or committed reprehensible acts. The person in need of protection has repeatedly stayed or stayed for a longer period of time in the home country The person in need of protection has a regular right of residence in a third country. The SONAS and SEM decided on two situations for revocation of S status: visit Ukraine for more than 15 days in a semester period; travel to a third country for more than 2 months and establish residence there.
The Status S expires if the person in need of protection (Article 79 Asylum Act):
|
Reception and accommodation
Overview
The federal government, cantons, communes and private initiatives are working together on accommodation of displaced persons from Ukraine. Federal Asylum Centres FAC: There are 6 FACs and usually the first point of contact for refugees. The FACs offer up to 9,000 accommodation places and sere also as registration points. Those who do not yet have a place to stay are accommodated for a short period in a FAC. Since the first of January 2024, protection seekers are accommodated mainly in the asylum regions of Bern and western Switzerland (WCH). They are then assigned to a canton, which assumes responsibility for the care of the person in need of protection from that point on. Cantons: As a rule, 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). 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. The costs incurred for hotel accommodation are covered by the federal government - until the person in need of 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 can be found in factsheets in in German, in French, in Italian.
Organisation of reception and accommodation
Initial reception
Ukrainians in need of protection are initially accommodated in Federal Asylum Centre (FAC) and are allocated to a canton after the registration. The regions of Bern and western Switzerland have a combined capacity of approximately 400 reception places. Staff from the Swiss Refugee Council are present at federal asylum centres and they arrange accommodation for Ukrainians on behalf of SEM and work closely with the cantons. This accommodation can be in cantonal facilities or with families who have offered their help. The SRC makes contact with possible hosts and arranges the placement of displaced persons from Ukraine in suitable accommodation. To this end, the SRC also works with NGOs such as Campax, which have compiled offers of accommodation from the public. If refugees wish to be accommodated near friends or family, this is taken into account wherever possible. In addition, all refugees from Ukraine who are already living with relatives can continue to do so.
Accommodation
Once a person has been granted S status, accommodation is either in private accommodation or in cantonal accommodation. The Swiss Refugee Council coordinates this and places refugees from Ukraine with protection status S in close cooperation with the cantons, with private hosts or cantonal structures. In addition, the SEM, in cooperation with the Federal Office for Housing (BWO), sent a letter to those involved in the housing sector, asking their members to make vacant or unused apartments available to those seeking protection from Ukraine.
Rights of people granted temporary protection
| Rights | Description |
|---|---|
| Access to the labour market | Holders of S protection status can access the labour market, including self-employment, without any restrictions. The employer must however apply for a work permit for the holder of an S permit. In this process, the canton checks whether the applicable wage and working conditions are complied with. In the case of self-employment, a work permit is granted, when the financial and operational requirements for the desired activity are met. Information is available on the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) dedicated page on questions and answers for refugees from Ukraine. |
| Access to medical care | If a person who is in need of protection registers with a federal asylum centre and submits an application for protection status S, they are - if they are dependent on social assistance - retroactively registered for compulsory health insurance by the canton 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. If a person requires immediate medical assistance even before applying for protection status S and has no health insurance, the public authorities will cover the costs. Given that persons in need of protection are usually only accommodated at a Federal Asylum Centre for a short time, 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 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. Information on health matters can be found on the:
|
| Social welfare assistance and means of subsistence | The federal government facilitates social and professional integration in Switzerland. Anyone with protection status S will receive social assistance from the canton they are staying in if they cannot support themselves independently. Children can go to school. Information is available on the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) dedicated page on general information and the frequently asked questions . |
| Education | Minors: Children can immediately attend school. The federal constitution provides for the right to primary education regardless of nationality and residence status and thus direct access for refugee children to school. According to the federal constitution, responsibility for primary school education lies with the cantons. As a result of the large number of refugee movements when the Syrian conflict broke out, many cantons have developed specific concepts for the targeted support of children with a refugee background. These concepts include, among other things, measures to assess the school background, specific language support offers, the use of individual forms of learning as well as recommendations for dealing with mentally stressed children. The cantons therefore already have a lot of experience in supporting children with a refugee background. Digital instruments can be used if necessary. Adults: have access to cantonal measures, such as language training. The SEM will work closely with cantons to decide on additional measures. Information is available on the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) dedicated page on general information and the frequently asked questions |
| Family reunification | The family reunification system is the same as that for recognised refugees. This means that spouses, registered partners and minor children of persons with Protection Status ‘S’ are also entitled to temporary protection. However, family can also be reunified outside the formal system, as Ukrainians are still free to come to Switzerland and obtain protection here, regardless of whether they have family members who are already living here. |
| Other |
Assistance to unaccompanied minors
An unaccompanied minor seeking temporary protection, is treated similarly to an unaccompanied minor in the asylum procedure.
When an unaccompanied person under 18 reports to a Federal Asylum Centre (FAC), he or she is immediately assigned a trusted person. This person supports the minor throughout the S-procedure and verifies whether any family members in Switzerland can take care of the child.
To safeguard the interests of vulnerable children from Ukraine, the legal rights of guardianship must be clarified. Initial important information is gathered through a short-written survey at the FAC, and if necessary, further clarifications are conducted by cantonal authorities (KESB or other relevant bodies). The authorities assess whether accompanying individuals traveling with the children have been appointed as legal guardians by the Ukrainian state and can be recognized as such, or if guardianship is required in specific cases. Swiss authorities recognize child protection measures established in Ukraine. If there is insufficient contact with the parents and/or it is unlikely that the parents or another legal representative will arrive in Switzerland soon, the KESB establishes guardianship.
Assistance to people with special needs
Trafficking in human beings
Each applicant receives a leaflet with information when registering in the federal reception centre, including information on the risk of trafficking in human beings and on available assistance and shelters. The Conference of Cantonal Directors of Social Affairs (CDAS) has published on the website www.aide-aux-victimes.ch, which it manages jointly with the Confederation, information in Ukrainian and Russian as well as the contact details of all the shelters and all the counselling centres for assistance to victims established in Switzerland.
The SEM has launched an information campaign concerning abuses and risk of trafficking in human beings. The SEM produced a poster and a flyer which include general information as well as concrete advice on how refugees can protect themselves against abuse. They also include the emergency numbers and the addresses of the consultation centres for victim support in Switzerland. The poster and flyer are available in Ukrainian, Russian, English, French, Italian and German on the campaign page and can also be used and shared by other organisations.
The SEM ensures that those seeking protection who have been traumatised by their experiences and who are accommodated at a federal asylum centre 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 are covered by compulsory health insurance.
On behalf of the SEM and in close cooperation with the cantons, the Swiss Refugee Council staff are present in the federal asylum centres and also raise awareness of these risks on trafficking in human beings among those staying there
Solidarity (relocation of people who are eligible for temporary protection)
Information is currently not available.
Impact of simultaneous application for international protection
SEM suspended the processing of asylum applications of Ukrainian citizens. On 18 March 2022, the SEM informed that for the time being nobody will be returned to Ukraine.
If a person applies for international protection/ submits an asylum application, this procedure is suspended, and status S is granted if he or she belongs to the group of persons in need of protection. An ordinary asylum procedure is only conducted, if a person obviously fulfils refugee status.
As soon as the Federal Council lifts the temporary protection for persons from Ukraine, asylum procedures will be carried out whenever there are indications of persecution in view to return.