Foreigners with temporary status in Switzerland will have an advantage in accessing the labour market compared to other foreigners, as well as will be able to change residence cantons more easily.
According to a press release by the Federal Council, temporary status holders will be able to change their cantons more easily if their time of communal transportation is long and there is a lack of public transport for them to reach their workplace, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
Switzerland has 26 cantons, with the most populated cantons being Zurich, Berne, and Lucerne and the labour force is more concentrated.
Swiss Government ‘Favours’ Temporary Status Holders Integrated Into the Labour Market
The decision to turn these changes into laws and regulations was made on May 1, 2024, with the authorities also deciding that the measure would become effective on June 1, 2024.
This means that as of June, foreigners with a temporary status will be able to change their residence place, especially if their workplace is 90 minutes away or there is no public transport that reaches their workplace. In addition, those who have to carry out short-term work assignments can change their canton.
The new changes also include lifting the requirement to obtain a permit for self-employment or employment for those holding a hardship permit.
Refugees, stateless persons and temporary admitted foreigners will no longer have to register for employment os their gross monthly wage does not surpass €600 monthly.
People who attend a program to prepare for basic vocational training are generally exempt from the reporting requirement. The changes will come into effect on June 1, 2024.
Travel Abroad for Asylum Seekers & Temporary Protection Status Holders to Be Implemented in 2 Phases
Due to the first activation of protection status S in March of 2022, which applies to refugees from Ukraine, the new regulation will have to be implemented in two steps.
Holders of S protection status will be able to travel to Ukraine and other third countries without a travel permit.
However, the regulations in the EU, as well as the special regulation for people with protection status S, do not align, with one of those prohibiting this category of immigrants from travelling abroad.
The Federal Council has initiated discussions with EYPF to create a special regulation for people with protection status S from Ukraine.
Data from the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) shows that there were 124,060 people in the asylum process in 2022 – 128 per cent more than in the previous year.
