Until quite recently, a significant part of the Swiss did not even have a clue where Ukraine was located.. However, with the beginning of the Russian invasion, Ukrainian refugees, unlike Syrian or Bosnian ones, quickly received the right to stay in Switzerland with work permits, social assistance, and educational opportunities.. In order to promptly help Ukrainian refugees, the government of the Swiss Confederation activated the status S. About the features of the program for refugees from Ukraine in an interview with ZN. UA was told by Swiss President Ignazio Cassis, with whom Vasily Zorya spoke.

“Already a few days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it became clear to everyone that many of your people would be forced to leave their homeland.. To help them quickly, the government of the Swiss Confederation has activated the so-called S-status,” Cassis explained..

According to him, this status provides for a special right to stay in Switzerland, developed after the wars in the former Yugoslavia.. Its primary goal was to quickly and without bureaucratic delays accept a large number of displaced persons so as not to overload the asylum system..

" Now Ukrainian refugees can come to us, while the emigration authorities have the opportunity to also consider asylum applications from people from other countries,” said the President of Switzerland.

Cassis also spoke about how much the Ukrainian program costs the federal budget, as refugees are worried if the country is going to cut financial support in the future..

“Every month, the Swiss government transfers 1,500 Swiss francs to the cantons per person with S status. This money is used for accommodation, medical care and other services.. The Swiss government bears the cost of transport to the federal asylum center as well as the cost of travel from the abandoned houses to the allocated housing,” Cassis explained..

“It is extremely important that the arrivals learn one of our national languages \u200b\u200bas soon as possible so that they can navigate here,” added the President of Switzerland..

According to him, for this, the cantons received a lump sum payment from the federal budget in the amount of three thousand Swiss francs for the organization of language courses for Ukrainian refugees..

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Earlier it was reported that Swiss Minister of Justice Karin Keller-Sutter held another round of consultations with employers and cantons on the topic of intensifying efforts for the labor integration of Ukrainian refugees..

The minister noted that not every Ukrainian refugee wants to stay in Switzerland for the long term, but every effort should be made to give work to those who want to get it.