Why has protection status S been established in Switzerland only for refugees from Ukraine? Why haven’t refugees from other countries been granted it as well? After all, war isn’t confined to Ukraine. What’s the difference? I’m asking because this is closely related to my Matura thesis (which deals with protection status S).
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), which is responsible for this matter, answers the question as follows:
Question 1: “Why was ‘Status S’ not applied, for example, to refugees from Syria or Afghanistan?”
Answer 1: “The majority of displaced people worldwide find refuge in neighbouring countries – as is the case for a great many people from Syria and Afghanistan. These refugees are often dependent on humanitarian aid. ... The focus is therefore on providing aid on the ground, but people at risk can, of course, apply for asylum in Switzerland.
The situation with the war in Ukraine is different. Switzerland is facing an influx of refugees on an unprecedented scale. In the first six weeks following the activation of protection status S, over 40,000 people seeking protection who had left Ukraine due to the war were registered in Switzerland. Protection status S enables the necessary temporary protection to be granted swiftly to this large number of refugees arriving at the same time, without an in-depth individual assessment of their reasons for fleeing, and without overburdening the Swiss asylum system."
Question 2: “Why not an asylum procedure (instead of S status)?”
Answer 2: “S status for people fleeing Ukraine is intended to prevent the asylum system from becoming overburdened. This ensures that the asylum system continues to function, whilst refugees from Ukraine still receive the protection they need quickly, without red tape and on a sound legal basis.
As the flow of refugees from Ukraine poses enormous challenges for Europe as a whole, a coordinated approach at European level is also crucial. Protection status S largely corresponds to the temporary protection for people from Ukraine adopted by the EU – though not directly applicable to Switzerland – in accordance with the so-called EU Temporary Protection Directive."
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