Hiring workers with a refugee background

The hiring process is fast, simple and unbureaucratic.

  • Existing work permit: All candidates on Path2Work have a B or F permit, or protection status S, and thus the right to work in Switzerland. This means that all you need to do is register the employment online.
  • Simple hiring: Register the employment with the responsible cantonal authority via easyGov.swiss. This only takes a few minutes. The permit is issued quickly.
  • Individual assistance: Every refugee receives support from a social worker or job coach who can help during the hiring process.
  • Long-term prospects: The vast majority of refugees stay in Switzerland long-term and are looking for a permanent position. Over 90% of temporarily admitted persons stay for more than eight years.
  • Protection status S: The protection status S for people from Ukraine has been extended yearly and is currently expected to remain in place at least until March 2027. After 5 years in Switzerland, a transition to a B permit is possible. Even if protection status S is eventually lifted, a transition period of up to 12 months is generally granted, during which status holders can remain in Switzerland and continue working. Apprentices with protection status S can complete their apprenticeship in Switzerland. This status thus provides a higher level of planning security than is often assumed.

Further information can be found on the website of the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration.

About Path2Work

Path2Work is an online platform that helps companies in Switzerland find suitable candidates with a refugee background. On Path2Work, you can view job seekers’ profiles and contact suitable candidates directly. The platform contains profiles of job seekers with information on their skills, motivation, and language proficiency.

All refugees of working age with status B, F, or S receive a letter from the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) inviting them to use the platform. This includes approximately 70,000 people, of whom about a quarter register.

Path2Work was developed by a team of researchers from the Immigration Policy Lab at ETH Zurich (Achim Ahrens, Philip Grech, Dominik Hangartner) and the University of Lausanne (Mirjam Bächli, Rafael Lalive) in collaboration with the Decision Science Laboratory (Stefan Wehrli, Oliver Brägger) at ETH Zurich. The project was developed in collaboration with the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

The platform is currently operated by the Decision Science Laboratory at ETH Zurich and will eventually be transferred to the non-profit association Path2Work. This association was founded by the researchers involved in the project.

Information about what data is collected when using Path2Work, how it is stored, and under what circumstances it may be shared can be found in the Privacy Policy for Companies.

Path2Work was developed as part of a research project investigating how digital platforms can support the labor market integration of refugees. The use of the platform is being scientifically monitored to better understand how employers can be supported in their search for suitable candidates.

This study was reviewed by the ETH Zurich Ethics Committee under application EK-2023-N-291, and by the HEC University of Lausanne Committee under application HEC-64ec4395d8c7a. It is supported by the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and received in-kind contributions from the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).

If you have questions about the platform or data processing, please contact us at path2work@ethz.ch.