According to the Swiss Federal Council's announcement on October 8, from November 1, Ukrainians seeking asylum will only be granted temporary protection if their final resting place is near the conflict area.
The regulation also allows foreigners to leave and return to Switzerland without a special license.
When considering granting temporary protection, Switzerland will make a reasonable distinction between regions where they can and cannot be repatriated, the announcement said.
Western Ukrainian regions such as Volyn, Rovno, Lviv, Ternopol, Transcarpathia, Ivano- Frankovsk and Chernovtsy are listed as places that could reasonably return to the country for refugees.
Therefore, Ukrainians from the above regions may no longer be granted temporary protection.
The Swiss government also agreed to continue maintaining the protection regime for Ukrainians that had been previously granted until March 4, 2027, in line with the policy of the Schengen bloc of 29 European countries.
This decision was made in the context that many European countries are tightening support for Ukrainian refugees.
Last month, Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed a law tightening regulations on welfare for Ukrainian migrants.
According to the new regulation, only refugees with at least one employed parent and children studying at school are eligible for child support. The policy also limits other welfare programs to only employment- oriented Ukrainians.
This measure will end the situation of welfare tourism from Ukraine causing damage to Polish taxpayers, said Mr. Zbigniew Bogucki, Chief of the Office of the President.
In addition to Poland and Switzerland, Germany and Finland have also proposed cutting subsidies for Ukrainian refugees this year.
