Author
Foreign nationals, refugees and stateless persons who have been temporarily admitted to Switzerland, refugees who have been granted asylum in Switzerland and stateless persons who are recognised in Switzerland may take up gainful employment as soon as they received such status.
Recognised refugees (with asylum or with a temporary admission status) are entitled to engage in gainful employment and to change jobs or professions without any restrictions.[1] The requirements are that the employer must report the start and end of employment and comply with the usual local wage and working conditions for the given profession and industry.[2] On 31 December 2024, 40% of refugees with asylum who were able to work were employed.[3]
Temporarily admitted persons may work anywhere in Switzerland if the salary and employment conditions customary for the location, profession and sector are satisfied. The employer must report the start or end of employment to the cantonal authority responsible for the place of work in advance. The report must include a declaration, stating that the employer is aware of the salary and employment conditions customary for the location, profession, and sector, and that they are committed to observing them.[4] However, due to the temporary nature and especially the name of this status, temporarily admitted persons still encounter significant hurdles to employment. On 31 December 2024, 43% of temporarily admitted persons able to work were employed.[5]
Personal qualifications like diplomas from other countries are not recognised for the most part, which is a big problem in respect of access to the labour market.
The pilot programme “Integration Pre-Apprenticeship” has been running since 2018. The continuation of the pilot programme from 2024 onwards is referred to as INVOL. The extended offer also includes the expanded target group of INVOL+ (young people and young adults from EU/EFTA and third countries who have immigrated late) as well as persons with protection status S. Before the definitive framework conditions for the continuation are determined, the INVOL will be piloted for four years until 2027.[6]
After the consultation process in 2023[7] on an amendment to the implementing ordinances for the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act and the Asylum Act, the changes came into force on 1 June 2024. It allows temporarily admitted persons to be able to transfer their domicile to another canton more easily if they work there. Access to the labour market was also be made easier for other foreign nationals.[8]
[1] Article 61 AsylA.
[2] Article 65 Ordinance on Admission, Period of Stay and Employment.
[3] SEM, asylum statistics (6-23), available here.
[4] Article 85a FNIA.
[5] SEM, asylum statistics (6-22), available here.
[6] More information on INVOL in French.
[7] FDPJ, Le Conseil fédéral souhaite faciliter l’accès des personnes admises à titre provisoire au marché du travail, media release of 22 February 2023, available in French (and German and Italian) here.
[8] Communication of the government of 1 May 2024 in French.