Federal Council considers extending ‘S’ protection status for Ukrainians
Keystone-SDA
As there is no prospect of an end to the war in Ukraine, the Swiss government intends, in principle, to extend protection status S for Ukrainians until 2027. For the time being, however, it is consulting the cantons and other partners on this matter.
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The government announced on Friday that, at a national asylum conference in November 2025, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), the cantons, cities and municipalities had been tasked with drawing up clear regulations for the future of S protection status.
The results of this deliberation are now set out in a concept paper entitled “The Future of S Status”. According to the government, it serves to prepare for three possible scenarios: the continuation of S status; its abolition in the event of a stable ceasefire; and a phasing out of S status in the event of a protracted conflict.
The government took note of this concept at its meeting on Friday. It regards the concept as a basis for decision-making.
Once the consultation on this concept has concluded, the government intends to reach a decision before the end of the summer. It is also seeking views on whether Ukrainians of conscription age should continue to benefit from protection status S or whether this protection should be restricted.
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The European Union is currently discussing this issue. As the government announced on Friday, Switzerland has so far coordinated closely with the EU on protection status S and will continue to do so.
Whether protection status S will continue is of particular importance at present, as the war in Ukraine began almost five years ago. The Asylum Act states that those in need of protection will receive a residence permit from the cantons if the government has not yet lifted the temporary protection afforded by status S after five years.
Translated from German, sub-edited by ts
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