Host families for Ukrainian refugees deemed a success

Ukrainian refugees waiting to meet their host families in canton Fribourg in April 2022 © Keystone / Peter Schneider

Around 25,000 Ukrainian refugees are living with host families in Switzerland. This type of accommodation is stable and promotes integration, according to a survey.

The Swiss Refugee Council (SRC), which commissioned the survey, said the model works well or very well in most cases. The survey was conducted online among 1,073 host families in 19 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons.

One success factor is the space available. In almost all the host families surveyed, refugees have at least one or more rooms at their disposal, the SRC said in a statementExternal link on Thursday. This ensures that the privacy of both parties is maintained.

+ Why and how host families in Switzerland are being matched with refugees

Host families said they considered the remuneration provided by the cantons to be adequate. Thanks to this, host families have a positive perception of living together and of the duration of the accommodation.

Furthermore, the model is stable. In fact, 70% of the stays last for more than three months. And more than half of the families have extended their commitment at least once.

Expanding to other refugee groups

Another positive effect is that more than 90% of the respondents said they provided support in everyday life, for example in administrative matters, finding a job or learning the language.

One year after the start of the war in Ukraine, 35% of refugees arriving in Switzerland are staying with host families. Without this model, they would be placed in federal structures. According to the SRC, this is the first time in recent history that private accommodation has played a key role in reception policy and is preventing the asylum system from becoming saturated.

Based on these findings, the SRC wants to extend the model to other refugee groups. “In the future we want refugees to live in the heart of society,” said Miriam Behrens, director of the organisation.