The Senate followed the House of Representatives and called on the government to present a draft law.
During the debate on Wednesday, opponents argued such a policy would encourage illegal immigration defying recommendations by the justice minister Karin Keller-Sutter and a parliamentary committee.
Supporters, notably from left-wing parties, said a more liberal policy would help a handful of highly motivated young people.
Between 2013 and 2020 Switzerland temporarily opened apprenticeships to irregular migrants under strict conditions, but only about 60 people benefited from the scheme.
As a result of the latest decision, the government now has to submit a draft law to parliament.
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Work permit in Switzerland
Obtaining a permit to work in Switzerland depends on many factors, including where you are from, the skills you have and quotas.
Doctors Without Borders demands Swiss Gaza clarification
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The NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has challenged Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis to explain his controversial Gaza statements.
Data centres use four times more electricity than average
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The power consumption of data centres, used in particular for AI, is four times higher than average, warns the International Telecommunication Union.
One in five bee colonies failed to survive Swiss winter
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Almost a fifth of bee colonies in Switzerland failed to survive the winter. Losses have been greater than in previous years.
Switzerland condemns deadly attack on UN convoy in Sudan
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Switzerland has strongly condemned the deadly attack on a United Nations humanitarian convoy in Sudan. Five people were killed, wrote the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) on Platform X.
Most over-65s in Switzerland regularly use the internet
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The digital divide is narrowing faster than expected in Switzerland. A study published on Wednesday reveals that nine out of ten over-65s use the internet.
Will Swiss president be forbidden from speaking English to counterparts?
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Switzerland's president, Karin Keller-Sutter, should use one of the country's four national languages when communicating with international organisations, and not English, according to a motion that passed on Wednesday.
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.
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Geneva pilot project regularises over 1,000 illegal immigrants
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A total of 1,093 illegal immigrants have been regularised under the “Papyrus” pilot project launched a year ago in Geneva.
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Some 76,000 illegal and undocumented immigrants live in Switzerland. In 2015, Geneva launched a pilot project to go about regularising them.
Apprenticeships and their social status – your views
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We asked readers whether apprenticeships were considered a good option in their home countries. Some were positive, others said “not always”.
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Like many refugees in Switzerland, Solomon Aklilu hasn’t got a job. But thanks to a government program, he can now do an internship and attend school.
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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.