Changes at Federal Asylum Centres in Switzerland: What You Need to Know
From 1 January 2027, the operators responsible for the day-to-day support and services at federal asylum centres in Switzerland will change.
The Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has awarded a new mandate to ORS Service AG and Convalere AG. ORS Service AG will be responsible for several regions, including Western Switzerland and the canton of Vaud.
What exactly will change?
The new mandate covers support for people living in federal asylum centres, medical care, and basic services such as food, clothing and hygiene supplies.
As a result, some centres may see organisational changes from 2027, including changes to staff and to the way the centres operate on a day-to-day basis.
The new mandate also includes several new arrangements:
📌 Regional management — the service providers will have a dedicated regional management structure in each region.
📌 Dedicated childcare — a dedicated childcare service will help ensure proper care for children and support their early language development.
📌 Higher staff training requirements — the new mandate sets higher requirements for professional training and continuing education for staff.
What does this mean for Ukrainians?
It is important to distinguish between a change in the operator of a federal asylum center and the procedure for obtaining S status.
The new mandate is mainly about how people are accommodated, supported and provided with basic services in federal asylum centres. Decisions about immigration status remain the responsibility of the relevant government authorities.
In other words, a change in the centre's operator does not automatically mean that the rules or procedure for obtaining S status will change. The full practical impact of the new arrangements on people living in federal asylum centres will become clearer once the new mandate takes effect in 2027.
