Swiss federal asylum centres have reported extremely high numbers of refugees from Ukraine registering for protected S status, a day after the move was officially approved in Switzerland.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/SEM/ilj
Español
es
Afluencia masiva de ucranianos a centros suizos de asilo
State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) spokesman Daniel Bach told the Keystone-SDA news agency on Saturday afternoon the SEM was working around the clock to help refugees. It was being supported by the non-governmental Swiss Refugee Council.
“The federal asylum centres are being overrun,” he said from on site at a federal centre in Zurich.
He called on those refugees who are staying privately with friends and family to come within the next few days for the S permit, as they already have a 90 day residency permit.
External Content
Registration of displaced persons from #UkraineExternal link is ongoing in all Federal Asylum Centres. First status S granted at 9.45am in Boudry (NE). Those who are privately accommodated, please come in the next few days – you have 90 days! pic.twitter.com/o339hEmtFxExternal link
On Friday the Swiss government announced that Ukrainians fleeing the war would be eligible for a temporary S permit to live and immediately work in Switzerland, which would come into force on Saturday. The status, initially valid for a year, has never before been activated.
More
More
Swiss finalise decision on ‘S permit’ for Ukrainian refugees
This content was published on
More details were presented on Friday about the temporary permit to allow Ukrainians to live and work in Switzerland.
New arrivals from Ukraine were being processed quickly on Saturday to ensure they had somewhere to stay. The Refugee Council was organising private accommodation, but Bach said there was also still enough room at federal asylum centres. By the afternoon, the SEM tweeted that it expected to register 400 people by the evening.
On Sunday morning there were 3,117 registered refugees in Switzerland, of which 2,011 were accommodated in federal asylum centres and 1,106 privately, according to the latest figures tweeted by the SEM.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
In Switzerland, New Year brings ‘burqa ban’ and pension hikes
Have you heard something about Swiss diplomacy that you’d like us to fact check?
Not all information circulating about Switzerland’s foreign relations is accurate or well understood. Tell us what you'd like us to fact check or clarify.
Swiss scientists discover unusual zones in Earth’s mantle
This content was published on
Using high-resolution models to study the Earth's mantle, scientists have identified zones of rocks in the lower mantle that are colder, or have a different composition, than surrounding rocks.
Egyptian diplomat’s murder: prosecutor calls for acquittal of defendant’s girlfriend
This content was published on
The Swiss attorney general has called for the girlfriend of the main defendant in the case of the assassination of an Egyptian diplomat in Geneva in 1995 to be acquitted. The woman is charged with complicity.
Low-cost e-tailers Temu and Shein put Swiss retail sector under pressure
This content was published on
Most Swiss retailers are concerned by the stiff competition from China's low-cost online platforms Temu and Shein, according to a survey.
This content was published on
More and more offices are standing empty in Switzerland's major cities. Nevertheless, new office constructions are likely to increase in the future, a study shows.
Zoos should consider culling surplus animals to regulate populations, say researchers
This content was published on
Researchers from the University of Zurich say zoos must rethink population management and allow animals to reproduce naturally - zoos should then cull surplus animals.
Swiss billionaire Martin Haefner creates foundation
This content was published on
Martin Haefner, owner of the car importer Amag and one of Switzerland's richest citizens, has set up a foundation with his wife Marianne.
Swiss army cuts uniform distribution to save millions
This content was published on
Members of the Swiss Armed Forces will only receive a distinctive grey dress uniform, the famous "Tenü A", for representational purposes in the future as a cost-cutting measure to save CHF55 million.
Swiss, Danish tourists among three dead in Australian plane crash
This content was published on
A light aircraft crashed during take-off from a tourist island in Western Australia, killing three people including Swiss and Danish tourists and injuring three others, authorities said on Wednesday.
Presidents of Ukraine and Switzerland discuss future meeting
This content was published on
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Swiss counterpart, Karin Keller-Sutter, have held talks by phone to prepare a future bilateral meeting, it was announced on Wednesday.
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.
Read more
More
Up to 60,000 Ukrainians could seek refuge in Switzerland
This content was published on
Between 50,000-60,000 Ukrainians could seek protection in Switzerland following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Swiss justice minister.
This content was published on
As Switzerland prepares to host over 5,000 refugees, many schools across the country could soon be taking in children fleeing war-torn Ukraine.
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.