Addressing barriers to work for asylum seekers : report from Switzerland

There are more displaced persons in the world than ever. Part of them arrive in Europe and ask for asylum status in Switzerland. The aim of this paper is to provide an insight in the current asylum process in Switzerland and its impact on the work situation of asylum seekers as an illustration of a meaningful occupation. The internet was searched for public statistics and reports about the asylum process in Switzerland. The main part of statistics and reports was available through the web site of the Swiss government. Asylum seekers in Switzerland have to wait between several months to two years until the asylum process is completed. During this time, a work permit is restricted. During the waiting time of the process and afterwards the likelihood of working in a low-income job is higher for asylum seekers compared to Swiss citizens. Furthermore, it usually takes more than two generations for an asylum seeker to reach the same work level as locals. Even though the welfare services offer some support for asylum seekers, statistics regarding work suggest that the integration into the Swiss labour market is still very difficult. Many factors hinder asylum seekers from integrating into the Swiss labour market. Swiss laws can create situations of occupational deprivation and a cut in occupational identity due to the non-acceptance of former professions and study degrees or work experience. In the current situation of Switzerland, the occupational therapy service is rarely involved in the process of work integration. The investigated statistics may show that occupational therapy could be a useful enrichment during the integration of asylum seekers into the labour market.