Swiss government proposes cantons set aid for long-term S permit holders

The Swiss Federal Council has proposed allowing cantons to decide how to provide social assistance to people who have held protection status S for more than five years, SRF reported.

Federal financial support to the cantons would end after five years. From March 2027, the cantons could align assistance rates with those for the local population, maintain the current reduced payments or choose an approach between the two, the government said.

The proposal follows the relief package for 2027 approved by Parliament. It also covers emergency assistance if protection status S is lifted. In that case, the federal government would pay the cantons a one-off flat rate of 1,300 francs per person to cover the costs.

The consultation on the proposed regulation will run until October 15. The changes are scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2027.

The end of federal subsidies for people who have been in Switzerland for more than five years with protection status S would create additional costs of 300 million francs for the cantons, Christoph Amstad, a government councillor from Obwalden and vice-president of the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Social Affairs, said in June.

The issue is becoming more urgent because the first people who fled the war in Ukraine will have been in Switzerland for five years next year. According to Federal Councillor Beat Jans, around 46,000 people with protection status S will reach that point in 2027.

Under the Asylum Act, people in need of protection receive a residence permit from the cantons if the Federal Council has not ended temporary protection under status S after five years.