Switzerland is dramatically changing its migration policy towards Ukrainians

Switzerland tightens the policy of granting temporary protection to Ukrainians, introducing new territorial restrictions from November 1. The Swiss Federal Council has announced that from this date refugees from seven western regions of Ukraine will no longer automatically qualify for protection status, known as S Status. Details are given by the publication Profit.Ro .

According to the government's decision, Ukrainians from Volyn, Rivne, Lviv, Ternopil, Transcarpathian, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions will be considered eligible to return safely to their home regions. This change followed a request from the Swiss parliament, which insisted that the authorities distinguish between the territories of Ukraine considered safe and unsafe.

Despite the recognition of the improbability of a "sustainable stabilization" of the situation on the In the medium term, the Swiss government has stated that it will continue to provide protection to Ukrainians from regions where return is not yet possible. The new measure will apply only to prospective applicants. Those who have already received the S status will keep it, and the government has confirmed that there will be no feedback until March 2027.

The Swiss public broadcaster SRF noted that this change will affect a relatively small number of people, since just over 10% of Ukrainians currently with protection status in Switzerland come from regions that are now classified as safe.

The State Secretariat for Migration of the country will continue to consider each application individually. If it is determined that the applicant came from one of the seven "safe" areas, protection may be refused and an expulsion order will be issued. However, in cases where deportation is legally impossible or personally unjustified, a person may be allowed a temporary stay in Switzerland.