If the Swiss government does not revoke it, the refugees could benefit from the protection for up to five years, before upgrading it to a B residence permit, she told the Le Temps newspaper in an interviewExternal link on Wednesday.
The so-called S status would only be revoked in case of a ceasefire or the deployment of international peacekeeping troops, she reiterated.
Keller-Sutter said she had asked the Swiss immigration authorities to prepare for such a case, adding this was not meant as a signal that the Ukrainian refugees would have to return soon.
She said the return of Ukrainians to their home country could take place in stages, similar to a procedure applied with refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina in the 1990s.
“Back then, single adults had to return first, then families without children, then families with children,” she said.
There are currently about 70,000 refugees from Ukraine in Switzerland. The authorities expect the figure to rise further over the next three months.
Swiss centre records over 200 victims of human trafficking
This content was published on
Last year 317 people took part in a protection programme run by the Specialist Unit for Trafficking in Women and Women’s Migration (FIZ) in German-speaking Switzerland.
This content was published on
The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and partners are opening a field hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday.
Lack of smartphone sustainability in Switzerland hits environment
This content was published on
Almost half of all Swiss citizens hang on to their old smartphones, tablets and laptops, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Police clear out pro-Palestinian students protesting in Geneva
This content was published on
The police intervened early on Tuesday to dislodge pro-Palestinian students who had been occupying the University of Geneva for almost a week.
New gel developed in Zurich renders alcohol harmless
This content was published on
A newly developed gel composed of whey proteins breaks down alcohol in the body and could reduce its harmful and intoxicating effects in humans.
Pro-Palestine protests extend to Basel and Fribourg universities
This content was published on
Demonstrators called for an academic boycott of all Israeli institutions and disassociation with Chaim Weizmann, the first Israeli president.
This content was published on
In many cases, China's use of AI undermines the national security of the US and its allies, according to a US government representative.
Swiss Hells Angels trial alleges rape and money laundering
This content was published on
An allegedly high-ranking member of the Hells Angels is accused of money laundering totalling millions and rape, among other serious crimes.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.