Federal Council wants to promote employment of persons with protection status S and third-country nationals trained in Switzerland

The Federal Council wants to promote the employment of persons with protection status S and make it easier for third-country nationals trained in Switzerland to enter the labour market. To this end, it wants to accommodate the persons concerned with administrative relief on the one hand, and on the other hand, potential employees are to be encouraged to contribute even more to their own employment. To this end, at its meeting on 26 February 2025, it opened the consultation on amendments to the Foreigners and Integration Act, the Asylum Act and two ordinances.

In future, employed persons with protection status S will be entitled to change cantons. This should allow them to take up a job throughout Switzerland. In order to reduce administrative hurdles, the previous permit requirement for taking up employment is to be converted into a simple registration requirement. In addition, unemployed persons with protection status S will have to be registered with the public employment service. It should also be possible to oblige those in need of protection to participate in measures for occupational integration or reintegration.

Facilitation for third-country nationals

In addition, access to the labour market is to be facilitated for third-country nationals who have obtained their higher vocational school diploma or postdoctoral qualification in Switzerland and whose employment is of high scientific or economic interest. This admission facilitation already applies to third-country nationals with a Swiss university degree.

At ordinance level, the possibility of extending the programme agreements between the Confederation and the cantons is also to be laid down with regard to the implementation of the cantonal integration programmes.

The consultation on the corresponding amendments to the Foreigners and Integration Act (FNIA), the Asylum Act (AsylG), the Ordinance on Admission, Residence and Employment (VZAE) and the Ordinance on the Integration of Foreigners (VIntA) will last until 2 June 2025.