Switzerland Urges Ukrainians Under Protection Status to Enter Labour Market
Following the meet-up with refugees on June 1, Councillor Keller-Sutter noted that more people of such a category have to be engaged in the country’s labour market, as a Ukrainian woman has been doing since May, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.
According to a press release issued by the Federal Department of Justice and Police, there are approximately 1,000 people from Ukraine seeking protection in Switzerland that have already taken up jobs with a permit from their canton’s authorities.
“In order to advance the integration of refugees from Ukraine into the labour market, the head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) has invited the social partners, cantons and labour market authorities to talks on August 23, 2022,” the press release also reads, showing concrete plans towards reaching the integration and labour market goal.
Additionally, the number can be potentially even higher as the entry in the federal databases is valid only after the ID cards were issued, while the work permit can be issued as soon as the person receives the protection status.
The majority of these workers are engaged in the hospitality industry (203 permits), as well as planning, consulting and IT (146), education (102) and agriculture (97). As per cantons, Zurich issued the most work permits – a total of 188, followed by Aargau (98), Bern (95) and Thurgau (92).
On the other hand, the cantons are working to enrol around 12,000 children from Ukraine while also organising additional accommodation. Of the 25,000 people who are accommodated privately, around 21,000 have found a place on their own, while approximately 4,000 people are benefiting from the Swiss refugee aid.
Fewer people seeking protection are reaching the Central European country compared to the first few weeks, and it is to be expected that more than 10,000 people from Ukraine will continue to seek protection in Switzerland every month.
In addition, depending on the course of the war, the number of people seeking protection may be on the rise again. Currently, there are around 1,500 asylum seekers per month from other countries, which also have to be accommodated.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, about six million Ukrainians had fled their country, with nearly 50,000 of those reaching Switzerland, causing the country to experience even more arrivals than in 1999, when the war in Kosovo happened.
It is estimated that about 250,000 Albanians, with the vast majority of those coming from Kosovo, are living in Switzerland currently.
