legal and social conditions for asylum seekers and refugees in ...

Female asylum seekers
Work
There are no specific provisions regarding female asylum seekers.
According to Section 43 of the Asylum Law, asylum seekers are not allowed to take up
employment within the first three months of the submission of their asylum claim. If an initial
negative decision on the application is made during this period, the canton may extend the
prohibition of work for another three-month period.
After this period, the cantons can grant permission to work on a discretionary basis. This is
usually done with consideration of the canton’s current economic situation. In practice, work
permits are mostly granted for jobs in farms or restaurants. As far as other sectors of the
employment market are concerned, the cantons generally consider that nationals should have
priority over any available jobs.
According to the Asylum Decree 2 on Financial Issues, asylum seekers who work must transfer
10% of their salary to a so-called “security bank account”, in order to secure the reimbursement of
the financial assistance granted, as well as any expulsion costs which might occur at a later
stage.
On 25 August 1999, the Federal Council decided that asylum seekers (and persons under
temporary protection) arriving in Switzerland after 1 September 1999 will not be allowed to take
up employment until 31 August 2000. This one-year ban, which the authorities have justified with
the emergency situation in summer 1999 caused by the large influx of Kosovo Albanians, has
been severely criticised by the refugee assisting organisations.
Language tuition
Most asylum seekers have the opportunity to follow language courses in the first three months of
their stay in Switzerland. These courses are set up by the respective cantons with the financial
support of the federal authorities.
School attendance
Child care
In accordance with the Swiss federal constitution, the cantons must set up a sufficient number of
primary classes for all children staying on their territory. This also applies to children of asylum
seekers, who attend the normal school system until the age of 16. Those children who do not
speak the language may attend special language classes for the first year. In some cantons,
attendance at these classes is compulsory.
In exceptional situations, such as the large influx of Kosovo Albanians in 1999, special classes
were established just for this category of asylum seekers.
The federal authorities support the cantons by financing education and employment programmes.
The authorities can also support the social, vocational and cultural integration by making financial
contributions.
Child care is under the jurisdiction of the cantons. Asylum seekers are not entitled to receive child
allowance.
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Switzerland