Building Lives in Uncertainty: Ukrainian Refugees in Switzerland
A new survey of Ukrainian refugees in Switzerland shows that life under the temporary protection of Status S is anything but passive waiting. Refugees are striving to integrate, learning the local languages, working, and raising children while figuring out how to navigate the Swiss institutions. At the same time, those institutions are trying to adapt too; together, refugees and officials are shaping an uncertain situation into a more stable reality.
It has been three years since Switzerland first activated Status S, a form of collective protection created in the 1990s, but applied for the first time during the war in Ukraine. While its temporary nature has been widely discussed, much less is known about how Ukrainians manage the uncertainty that rises with it, adjusting their strategies to work, study, raise families, but also how Swiss institutions themselves adapt in response.
Our study, launched in spring 2025, surveyed over 1,580 Ukrainians and ran a series of interviews with migration services, integration programs, and federal representatives. The findings show integration as a process of mutual adaptation: refugees adjust to the institutional environment, while institutions experiment with new solutions under legal and political uncertainty as well as operational constraints.
Many institutional representatives underscored a distinctive feature of Ukrainians under Status S: their remarkable level of initiative. Refugees do not wait passively but often approach services with concrete ideas on how to improve existing programs, asking for clearer guidance and actively seeking opportunities to contribute. Officials acknowledged that this is both encouraging and challenging – institutions welcome such initiatives, yet at times struggle to respond meaningfully, as there is still no defined long-term framework for Status S.
Сantonal representatives further stressed that, as of today, they have received no new directives from the federal level. In practice, this means that many local authorities are left in a holding position: institutional waiting, while refugees keep pushing forward. This asymmetry has become one of the defining features of life under the temporary protection mechanism. At the same time, this imbalance opens a space for experimentation, where cantonal actors can test new solutions in partnership with refugees themselves.
Voices From the Field
One Ukrainian respondent captured this tension clearly: “My biggest fear is forced return after the war (…). Here in Switzerland, my fear is never getting a job in my profession. I have sent 93 CVs and 43 applications for training positions, and not a single interview yet. But I will not give up.” This testimony illustrates what many experience: uncertainty is not abstract; it shapes the most practical aspects of life. The fear of return coexists with the frustration of blocked career opportunities.
Many actively study the local language, develop new skills, or send dozens of applications, but struggle to see a clear path forward. Yet, persisting despite rejection reveals a resilience that defies the idea of passivity often associated with temporary protection.
In navigating uncertainty, they are not paralyzed, but adopt flexible dual-track strategies to the extent that they can, investing in integration in Switzerland while maintaining ties to Ukraine. At the same time, institutional actors are experimenting with training programs, revising cantonal practices, and negotiating the tension between federal directives and local discretion. Integration thus emerges as a process of mutual adaptation, where refugee initiative meets institutional experimentation under conditions of legal and political uncertainty.
Facing Obstacles
Despite their persistence, Ukrainian refugees encounter significant barriers and obstacles: recognition of diplomas, language requirements, and employers’ hesitation to hire someone with only a one-year permit. High-skilled professionals face similar rejection letters as those with little experience. “Even with German B2, English C2, a university degree, and 20 years of global experience, no Swiss company hires me. Everyone asks for “Swiss experience,” but where am I supposed to get it?”
Another obstacle arises from differences in labor market practices. In Ukraine, it is uncommon to provide formal reference letters from previous employers, while in Switzerland, such documents are often decisive in recruitment. This discrepancy prevents many Ukrainians from presenting their professional background in a form that Swiss employers recognize, reinforcing the perception of insufficient or “non-Swiss” experience. To overcome this barrier, many Ukrainians turn to volunteer programs that help them obtain recommendation letters, offering a substitute for documents not typically provided in Ukraine.
Others describe a lack of meaningful requalification programs. Social services often offer only basic, short-term training, which respondents view as insufficient for building long-term careers. Ukrainians themselves, however, actively search for more substantial opportunities, such as earning a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS), a Federal Certificate of Competence (AFC/EFZ/ CFC), or a Federal Certificate of Practical Education (CFP/EBA/AFP). This mismatch between refugees’ ambitions and the limited institutional offerings reflects a deeper policy gap. While Status S was designed with return orientation in mind, our findings reveal that most participants are already investing in long-term prospects, but their individual efforts are colliding with institutional limitations imposed by the legal and temporary restrictions of Status S.
Looking Ahead
Most participants would like to stay in Switzerland after the war. They cite work, safety, and social integration as reasons to stay. Yet, the absence of a clear pathway beyond Status S undermines their ability to plan and invest in the future. Parents repeatedly underline that their children have already adapted to Swiss schools and peers, making a return nearly impossible without significant disruption. This underscores that integration is not an individual calculation, but a generational process.
Communication Channels in Difficult Situations
In a situation requiring urgent legal support, Ukrainian refugees most frequently chose to contact Swiss acquaintances and social workers, underscoring the importance of personal ties and informal communication. A friendly face who can recommend a lawyer, or a social worker who knows how the system works, often feels more reliable than a distant office or a generic helpline.
This highlights that integration often takes place in small, practical ways refugees navigate everyday challenges with the help of their immediate contacts, through everyday networks of trust. It might be a conversation over coffee, a neighbor who explains how things work, or a social worker who takes the time to listen. These personal connections help refugees find their way in a new country.
Balancing Temporary Protection and Integration
Our research underscores a central paradox: despite the legal and structural limitations of Status S, Ukrainian refugees are not passive recipients of aid, but active agents of integration. They are learning languages, working or actively looking for work, and trying to build their families’ future and stability. This energy, however, stands in tension with the original return-oriented logic of the Status S.
Families and individuals are investing in a future in Switzerland, while the institutions remain bound by a framework that underscores the temporary nature of their residence permits, despite the war dragging on for years. This contradiction creates both risks and opportunities, alongside urgent questions: Can active integration be sustained when the legal foundation remains temporary? If refugees integrate faster than institutions can provide perspective, what happens next? The answers cannot be found in data alone; they call for dialogue.
“I have lived in uncertainty since 2014 – first in Luhansk, then Kyiv, now in Switzerland. I am tired of constant moves. I want to finally plan my life, not just survive and start over again.”
Valeriia Hett is a doctoral researcher at the Swiss Forum for Migration and Population Studies (SFM, University of Neuchâtel), investigating the dynamics of trust and communication between Ukrainian refugees and Swiss institutions under temporary protection (Status S).
Didier Ruedin is a Senior Lecturer at the Swiss Forum for Migration and Population Studies at the University of Neuchâtel and a Project Leader of the nccr – on the move project” Narratives of Crisis and Their Influence in Shaping Discourses and Policies of Migration and Mobility.”
Bibliography:
–Hett, Valeriia. 2024. “Towards mutual trust and understanding: establishing effective communication between Ukrainian refugees and Swiss government institutions.” Frontiers in Human Dynamics 6:1445749.
–Hett, Valeriia, and Didier, Ruedin. 2025. “Ukrainian Refugees in Switzerland 3 Years On: A First Look.” September 11.
–Ruedin, Didier. 2025. “Ukrainian Refugees in Switzerland: A Research Synthesis of What We Know.” SocArXiv Working Paper.
