Switzerland has implemented stricter asylum seeker rules, granting ‘S’ protection status only to Ukrainian migrants from regions near the front line in response to parliamentary demands. From November 1, new Ukrainian asylum seekers will only be granted ‘S’ protection status if their last place of residence was close to the line of contact in the conflict, the Swiss Federal Council announced. This move is aimed at differentiating between regions to which return is considered reasonable or unreasonable.
The western Ukrainian regions of Volyn, Rovno, Lviv, Ternopol, Transcarpathia, Ivano-Frankovsk, and Chernovtsy were listed as ‘reasonable’ for refugees to return to. The government agreed to continue extending asylum to other Ukrainian refugees until March 4, 2027, to stay in line with other Schengen Area states. This decision follows similar moves by other European countries, including Poland’s recent changes to tighten rules for Ukrainian migrants on welfare.
Under the new measure, only refugees who can prove that at least one parent is employed and their children are enrolled in school are eligible for child support benefits. The move also limits other welfare programs to Ukrainians that work. The new rules end ‘tourism from Ukraine at the expense of Polish taxpayers,’ said the head of the president’s office, Zbigniew Bogucki. Germany and Finland have also proposed to slash benefits to Ukrainian migrants this year.