- Story
The plight of refugees for recognition
20.06.2024 World Refugee Day is held every year on 20 June. But what is life like for refugees in Switzerland? A Turkish couple who were granted asylum at the end of 2017 have found their integration into the labour market very challenging.
Key facts
- Refugees in Switzerland often see their efforts to be recognised as a real struggle.
- Despite their willingness to integrate, they feel stuck in the waiting room phase.
- A couple talk about the difficulties they have faced while trying to gain a foothold in the world of work.
Elya and Roni (names changed) believed in the future of a liberal Turkey. In their home country, the young couple campaigned for a free and diverse society and were repeatedly arrested and imprisoned. With the threat of long-term incarceration looming, the two saw no other way out than to flee their country. At the beginning of 2015, they applied for political asylum in Switzerland.
Safe, but in uncertainty
Roni takes a deep breath: “The first three years were difficult. We had no information, we didn’t know what was going to happen next or when.” Whenever they asked when the decision would be known, they were told to be patient.
Roni acknowledges that his wife and he have always felt safe in Switzerland. But the uncertainty surrounding their future was not easy to cope with. “We wanted to integrate, but felt like we were living on the margins of society,” says Elya. To make matters worse, the couple was forced into inactivity.
We wanted to integrate, but felt like we were living on the margins of society.
Roni acknowledges that his wife and he have always felt safe in Switzerland. But the uncertainty surrounding their future was not easy to cope with. “We wanted to integrate, but felt like we were living on the margins of society,” says Elya. To make matters worse, the couple was forced into inactivity.
In the waiting room
Carolin Fischer is well aware of such situations and of the emotions they trigger. At the head of the BFH’s Caring Society thematic field, Carolin is currently completing a research project on the experiences of refugees in the context of asylum, protection and insecurity. “When they come to Switzerland, refugees hope they will be able to start a new life. They want to integrate and lead as normal a life as possible. Instead, they often feel they are stuck in the waiting room for an indefinite period of time.”
For Elya and Roni, the wait for a recognised refugee status seemed endless. Their patience was also put to the test before they were allowed to start working. Despite being a trained and experienced nurse, Elya struggled to get her diploma recognised. Her qualifications were assessed during a lengthy procedure, following which she was told that she would need additional training and had to undertake an internship.
Close to giving up
But before starting an internship, Elya had to prove that she had sufficient language skills in German. This meant she had to study intensively the vocabulary and grammar. Yet, the authorities had to approve her language course application beforehand. Again, it felt like a game of patience. Despite it all, Elya has achieved a lot in the last seven years. She is currently completing an internship in a nursing home. She hopes to complete her training in the next few months and then receive her long-awaited Swiss diploma.
81,000 recognised refugees
According to the State Secretariat for Migration, there were just under 81,000 recognised refugees living in Switzerland at the end of 2023. Around 66,000 people who fled Ukraine received a protection status. 45,300 persons are temporarily admitted refugees. Approximately 15,500 people were waiting for a decision on their asylum application, and the ruling of 3,300 cases was not yet final (including appeals to the Federal Administrative Court).
Ten years ago, Switzerland had 29,600 recognised and 22,600 temporarily admitted refugees, the number of pending asylum procedures was just under 18,100 and the ruling of 1,900 cases was not yet final.
Although different, Roni’s situation was just as difficult as Elya’s. In his home country, he owned two companies, one specialised in confectionery, the other in project management assignments in the construction industry. Having no qualifications, he assumed he had no chances of entering the Swiss job market in these two segments. As a result, he decided to study computer science and should be graduating shortly.
All we want is to stop relying upon the goodwill of others and to stand on our own two feet.
“We have struggled for years,” says Roni, summarising the efforts to gain recognition from the authorities and the labour market. “We have a positive mindset and strive to improves ourselves, but sometimes we struggled and found it hard not to lose heart.” Elya admits that without her husband’s support, she would have given up on her goal to have her nurse qualifications recognised. The couple have three children to look after in addition to their regular visits to the authorities and their courses, she says in a faltering voice. “Every now and again, I felt like I was at the end of my tether.”
During the course of her research project, Carolin Fischer has heard similar statements from many other refugees. “People find the official processes and procedures cumbersome, tedious, and sometimes even vexatious.” According to her, they have trouble understanding why Switzerland is not more open to refugees who want to contribute to society and work.
Protection and violence
What is the situation of asylum seekers like in Switzerland? To what extent do they feel safe and protected here? A BFH research project examines how refugees perceive their environment, people and society, the type of behaviours and treatments they are exposed to, and the repercussions on their daily lives and their future. They experience a broad spectrum of adverse situations, ranging from insecurity and rejection to violence, whether it is structural, psychological or physical.
Prejudice can affect people’s health
Thinking about how refugees are perceived by some of the local communities, Roni shakes his head. “There is a recurring narrative that refugees have a comfortable living and just sit around. This makes us sick, because we would much rather work. All we want is to stop relying upon the goodwill of others and to stand on our own two feet.”
He would like to make an urgent appeal: “Switzerland should facilitate refugees’ job inclusion so we contribute to society and to a good coexistence.”
