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 Abroad
Aussie adoptee gains Swiss citizenship at 54 thanks to old envelope
Basel diocese files five claims of sexual abuse in Swiss Catholic Church
This content was published on
The diocese of Basel has received 141 reports of sexual abuse since the publication of a sweeping study on violations in the Catholic Church by the University of Zurich in 2023.
Swiss president calls for open markets and stable institutions in WEF speech
This content was published on
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter was among speakers at the WEF in Davos to make the case for fair competition, a day after Donald Trump became the 47th president of the United States.
Swiss film in competition at the 75th Berlinale has a shot at Golden Bear
This content was published on
The feature film La Cache by Lausanne screenwriter and director Lionel Baier has a chance of winning the Silver or Golden Bear at the 75th Berlinale, festival organisers said on Tuesday.
Swiss politician who shot at image of Jesus resigns from Liberal Green Party
This content was published on
Sanija Ameti, who caused controversy after shooting at an image of Jesus and Mary last September, has resigned from the Liberal Green Party.
Swiss campaigners gather enough signatures to submit ‘responsible business’ initiative
This content was published on
The Swiss people are set to vote again on the corporate responsibility of multinationals after campaigners collected 183,661 signatures in 14 days for their new 'responsible business' initiative.
Several Swiss municipalities and banks hit by cyberattack
This content was published on
Russian hackers attacked the websites of several Swiss municipalities and banks on Tuesday, just as the World Economic Forum (WEF), got under way in Davos.
Music strengthens brain connections in premature babies, Swiss study shows
This content was published on
In premature babies, music strengthens connections in certain areas of the brain, according to a years-long study by the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG).
WEF gives Crystal Award to Beckham, Yamamoto and von Fürstenberg
This content was published on
The World Economic Forum in Davos handed out awards to UNICEF ambassador David Beckham, Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto and women's rights activist Diane von Fürstenberg.
Swiss CEOs betting on a strong domestic market in 2025
This content was published on
Swiss business leaders are optimistic about 2025, despite a world in crisis, says a new survey by Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
This content was published on
Economics Minister Guy Parmelin and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis have welcomed Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang to Bern
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.