Young “sans-papiers” to access apprenticeships
Young people without a valid residence permit for Switzerland will be allowed to access professional apprenticeship programmes under a government proposal.
The government said on Friday that providing they respected the law, had completed five years of schooling in Switzerland and spoke a national language, young people without residence permits should be eligible for professional apprenticeships.
“Young people without papers generally find themselves in an irregular visa situation after having followed their parents to Switzerland,” the Federal Migration Office said in a statement.
“If they decide, after obligatory schooling, to engage in a professional apprenticeship, they cannot sign a work contract because they do not have a residence or work permit. Access to professional training is thus closed to them, although frequently attending a high school is easily possible.”
The government has opened the proposal up to consultation from stakeholders, with submissions on the issue to be lodged before June 8.
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