Overall, 3,130 Ukrainian refugees have found employment thanks to the special S protection status that allows them to live and work in Switzerland for a year. Nearly a quarter of them (23%) are active in the restaurant industry, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) said on Thursday. In addition, 17% work in the “planning, consulting, IT” sector. Agriculture and education each account for 8% of those with the S status.
A total of 33,379 beneficiaries of this protection status were of working age in the week of August 1, according to the SEM. The share of working refugees is therefore 9.4%. However, the number of work permits issued is actually higher, as they are only registered with a delay, says the SEM.
According to the latest figures published Thursday on Twitter by the State Secretariat, 61,424 Ukrainian refugees have been registered in Switzerland since the beginning of the war; 59,411 of them have obtained the S permit.
The protection status “S” was created following the Balkan conflicts in the 1990s but it was never used until now. It allows refugees to live and work in Switzerland for a year with an option to extend if necessary.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Abroad
The citizenship obstacle course facing spouses of Swiss Abroad
This content was published on
The Ethos Foundation recommends that shareholders vote against all compensation-related items at the Annual General Meeting on March 7.
Top Swiss firms close to reaching gender quota in boards
This content was published on
The proportion of women on the boards of directors of the fifty largest listed companies in Switzerland currently stands at 28%.
Swiss committee wants to end government resignations during legislative term
This content was published on
Members of the Federal Council should no longer be able to leave office before the end of their term, according to a House of Representatives committee.
Swiss government seat: Ritter and Pfister nominated to succeed Amherd
This content was published on
Markus Ritter from St Gallen and Martin Pfister from Zug were officially nominated by the Centre Party on Friday to succeed Defence Minister Viola Amherd.
Top Swiss court rejects Russian request for administrative tax assistance
This content was published on
There is currently no reason to transmit banking information to the Russian Federation, the Swiss Federal Court has ruled.
After strike by radiologists, doctors demonstrate in Bern
This content was published on
Following a strike by radiology technicians in Fribourg, doctors, vets, dentists and chiropractors expressed their frustration on Friday outside parliament in the Swiss capital.
This content was published on
Ukrainians fleeing the war will be granted an S permit upon arrival in Switzerland. It's the first time this permit will be issued.
This content was published on
Ukrainian refugees have been welcomed with open arms by Switzerland. This breaks with recent tradition in welcoming other refugees.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.