Switzerland Tightens Ukrainian Refugee Admissions with Region Rules

Switzerland will tighten who can receive temporary protection under “S” status from November 1, 2025, shifting to a region-based test that prioritizes people fleeing active hostilities or Russian occupation in Ukraine. The Federal Council announced the decision on October 8, 2025, aligning with moves in the European Union and responding to domestic calls for more targeted rules. Current holders of S status will keep all rights. New applicants will face stricter checks tied to where they last lived in Ukraine, with people from seven western oblasts treated as coming from areas where return is considered reasonable.

Which regions are affected

Under the new policy, applicants whose last residence was in the following oblasts will generally not qualify for S status and will be redirected to other pathways:

• Volyn
• Rivne
• Lviv
• Ternopil
• Transcarpathia
• Ivano-Frankivsk
• Chernivtsi

Those applicants will usually be guided to the regular asylum process, where they can present individual claims, or be considered for temporary admission for humanitarian reasons if removal is not possible.

Important: The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) will apply the rules to all cases it decides on or after November 1, 2025 — even if the application arrived earlier.

At the same time, Switzerland has extended S status for those already covered until at least March 4, 2027, ensuring stability for families who have settled across the cantons since 2022.

Rationale and European context

Officials describe the change as a way to focus limited resources on those at greatest risk while keeping Switzerland aligned with the EU’s coordinated protection framework. VisaVerge.com reports that Switzerland’s move follows a broader European trend toward region-based assessments for Ukrainian refugees, mirroring steps taken by some Schengen partners and by Norway.

The Federal Council stressed that people already holding S status will not be reassessed based on their region of origin. Their access to residence, work, schooling, health insurance, and social support continues, along with integration measures funded by the Confederation and delivered by the cantons.

What S status is and what changes

Switzerland activated S status in March 2022 as a fast-track protection tool for Ukrainians fleeing the full-scale war. Unlike asylum, S status does not require a detailed individual persecution claim. Instead, it offers:

• quick shelter,
• permission to live and work,
• social assistance,
• access to schools and healthcare.

The updated rules keep that core model intact for new arrivals from areas still facing intense fighting or occupation. But they set a clearer boundary for applicants from regions the government now considers “safe,” marking a new phase more than three years into the conflict.

How new applications will be processed

SEM will screen new applicants individually, starting with:

1. Proof of identity
2. Proof of region of last residence
3. Basic security checks

• People who can show they lived in an area of active hostilities or occupation will remain eligible for S status and the full package of rights.
• Those from the seven western oblasts will be guided to the standard asylum procedure, where they can:
  • explain personal risks, family situations, or medical factors,
  • present evidence supporting individual hardship.

If asylum is denied but removal is not feasible for humanitarian reasons, SEM can grant temporary admission.

The stricter front door for S status means many future arrivals from western Ukraine will face longer procedures and more uncertainty than those who arrived earlier in the war.

Travel rule change

From November, S status holders can stay in Ukraine for up to 15 days per half-year without losing protection — an adjustment from the previous 15 days per quarter.

• This matters for short visits tied to family care, property management, or urgent paperwork.
• Returning for longer periods could lead SEM to question whether protection is still needed.
• Officials urge careful planning and documentation for any trip, and recommend keeping records of travel dates and reasons.

Integration funding and social support

Programme S will continue to support language classes, job placement, and community inclusion. Key funding and social support figures:

• CHF 3,000 per person per year transferred to cantons for integration services
• Social assistance (cantonal rules) typically:
  • CHF 300–500 per adult per month
  • CHF 150–250 per child per month
• Plus basic housing and compulsory health insurance coverage

The continued funding signals Switzerland expects many current S status holders to remain at least through early 2027, and that local systems need predictable support for schools, employers, clinics, and social services.

Criticisms and safeguards

Critics warn that region-based tests can miss people from so-called safe regions who still face hazards, such as missile strikes, energy shortages, or economic collapse. Advocates also point to complex family situations where members lived in different oblasts.

The Federal Council’s response:

• The rule includes individual review and keeps asylum open to anyone who can show personal risk.
• SEM will keep a dynamic list of safe and unsafe regions and may update it as conditions change.
• Applicants are urged to check official guidance before traveling to Switzerland, especially if their last residence was in western Ukraine.

Continuity for current S status holders

For families already settled, the message is continuity:

• The new restrictions do not apply to anyone who already holds S status, regardless of oblast of origin.
• Renewal cycles, work permits, and cantonal placement continue unchanged.
• Employers can keep hiring S status holders under current rules; schools can plan for the same cohorts.
• Service providers can budget using the same federal integration envelope.

This stability helps offset uncertainty for new applicants.

Legislative and political background

The decision followed months of Parliamentary debate about balancing protection with pressure on housing, schools, and local budgets. Lawmakers wanted a more targeted approach after data showed steady arrivals from areas where the front line had moved away. The Federal Council cited European coordination, noting the EU prolonged its temporary protection regime while some members refined criteria. Switzerland’s measure aims to remain anchored in the shared system while responding to domestic capacity and fairness concerns.

Practical steps for applicants

Applicants should take these actions now:

1. Check whether your oblast is currently listed as safe or unsafe.
2. Gather documents showing your last residence in Ukraine (before and after February 24, 2022).
3. Plan your registration route:
   • Use RegisterMe if you already have accommodation in Switzerland.
   • Present yourself at a Federal Asylum Centre if you arrive without accommodation or identity papers.
4. Keep copies of travel, health, education, and employment records.
5. If SEM indicates ineligibility for S status due to region, seek legal advice about asylum or temporary admission options — especially if you have health needs, caregiving duties, or other humanitarian factors.

Acceptable documents can include:
– residence registration,
– lease contracts,
– utility bills,
– official correspondence showing a consistent address.

Where documents are missing, sworn statements and supporting materials from family or local authorities may help, but decisions will rely on overall credibility.

Registration and asylum procedures

Registration continues through two channels:

• RegisterMe portal for those with accommodation (follow instructions to the nearest Federal Asylum Centre).
• Direct presentation at a Federal Asylum Centre for those without accommodation or identity papers.

SEM assigns applicants to a canton, where social assistance and integration measures begin. The process aims to be quick for eligible S status cases; asylum applications follow ordinary Swiss law tracks.

Retroactive rule and timing considerations

• If SEM rules on a case on or after November 1, 2025, the region test applies even if the applicant registered earlier.
• This could affect people who filed in late October but did not receive a decision in time.
• Lawyers advise applicants in that window to prepare region-of-residence evidence now.
• People already granted S status before November 1, 2025 keep it; the change does not undo earlier approvals.

Cantonal role and services

Cantons remain central in:

• housing management,
• issuing support payments,
• enrolling children in school,
• connecting adults with language and job programs,
• handling special education, medical treatment coordination, and mental health referrals.

The CHF 3,000 per person per year funding is a key planning pillar for cantons.

Labor market and education impacts

Labor market effects will vary by canton:

• Employers relying on Ukrainian workers (care, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing) may see fewer job-ready arrivals.
• S status holders can work soon after arrival; asylum applicants often wait longer.
• Cantonal job services will focus on upskilling existing S status holders and recognition of foreign qualifications.

Education and health:

• Children of S status holders keep access to public education.
• New arrivals through asylum enroll in the same systems but may face different timelines for documentation.
• Health coverage differs slightly by procedure but both routes ensure basic care; keep medical records and vaccination histories ready.

Housing and placement

Housing remains tight in several cantons:

• Initial placements may be in collective centers, then apartments as space allows.
• Asylum-channel arrivals might stay longer in initial facilities.
• Current S status holders will not be moved solely because of the policy update.
• Some cantons will continue working with host families and rent subsidies per local rules.

Family unity and documentation

Family unity remains important:

• SEM can consider reunification needs in placement and status decisions.
• Applicants should bring proof of family ties (birth/marriage/custody documents).
• Where originals are missing, certified copies or sworn statements may help.

Monitoring and possible future changes

SEM will continuously monitor the map of safe and unsafe regions and may update it if conditions change. If an oblast’s situation worsens, applicants from that area could again qualify for S status. The government may reassess protection validity before March 2027 depending on conflict dynamics.

For the latest guidance, check the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM): https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home.html

Asylum and temporary admission specifics

In asylum interviews applicants can present details such as:

• targeted threats or persecution,
• domestic violence where state protection is absent,
• medical needs not met locally,
• family separation issues.

Broad harms (loss of livelihood, frequent air alerts, infrastructure damage) may not meet the legal asylum test by themselves. If return is temporarily unreasonable due to concrete humanitarian concerns, SEM may grant temporary admission — a less generous but still lawful stay with basic support.

Sectoral and operational implications

• Stakeholders (SEM, cantons, employers, schools, civil society) must support current S status holders while preparing for more complex asylum intakes.
• With funding and protection valid until March 4, 2027, local systems have a planning horizon.
• Key variables: number of new arrivals, share qualifying under region test, and speed of asylum decisions.

Final practical reminders

• People from unsafe areas who aim for S status should gather proof of residence and register promptly.
• Those from the seven western oblasts should expect the asylum route and assemble as much evidence as possible.
• Families should coordinate travel to avoid splitting applications across different legal tracks.
• Short returns to Ukraine should respect the 15-day per half-year limit and be well documented.

Switzerland’s approach narrows access to S status for new applicants based on region of last residence while keeping strong support for those already protected and maintaining clear asylum and temporary admission pathways. The SEM list of regions will be updated as needed, and the Federal Council may adjust timelines depending on developments.