The Swiss government on Friday “took note” of a provisional plan for the departure of Ukrainian refugees with protected “S” status, but has not taken any specific decision on lifting this status.
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El Gobierno suizo planea el retorno de los refugiados ucranianos
On March 12, 2022, Switzerland activated protection status S for the first time, with the aim of granting protection to people who had fled Ukraine as quickly and unbureaucratically as possible. This S status was never intended to allow a long-term stay in Switzerland.
At present, it is impossible to predict when the war in Ukraine will end and refugees be able to return home safely, according to a government press releaseExternal link. Nevertheless, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), in collaboration with the cantons, has drawn up a provisional plan for implementing the lifting of S status, which will serve as a basis for future political decisions.
This plan sets out operational measures and contains recommendations on other aspects, such as departure deadlines, derogations and return assistance arrangements. As soon as the S status can actually be lifted, these recommendations will be reviewed and adapted if necessary.
Last November, the government decided not to lift protection status S before March 2024, unless the situation in Ukraine stabilises on a long-term basis. It will decide again on this issue in the coming weeks.
According to the latest SEM figures published on Friday on X (formerly Twitter), 65,650 Ukrainians currently enjoy S status. This status has expired for 16,869 people.
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