Switzerland
Number of people served: 100
Switzerland is centrally located in Europe’s Schengen zone, but avoids accepting refugees. Switzerland has historically welcomed some migrants from eastern Europe and Chile, but since 1994 the laws for asylum seekers have changed drastically. The country follows the Dublin agreement, which states refugees must be processed in their first country of arrival, and uses this legislation to send most asylum seekers out of the country.
Currently, about half of asylum seekers are given refugee status or humanitarian protection, and most refugees in Switzerland come from Eritrea, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Tibet, Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Sudan.
Our Work in Switzerland
JRS Switzerland is based in Basel and coordinates with several other organisations in the country. They volunteer to teach German language classes, provide advocacy contacts, visit non-recognised refugee groups in prisons and camps, and organise spiritual care and reflection.
JRS Switzerland primarily focuses on accompanying where all others have left, especially in the case of those being denied legality or ordered to leave the country.
See our Work
Contact
JRS Switzerland Country Director
Fr Christoph Albrecht SJ
christoph.albrecht@col.jrs.net
Project locations:
Zürich, Basel
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