Switzerland asks refugees to pay for their stay

The government of Switzerland asks refugees who arrive to give to the state any assets worth more than 1,000 Swiss francs in order to to help pay for their stay, according to the broadcaster SRF.

SRF’s 10 vor 10 news programme presented a receipt a Syrian refugee said he received from Swiss authorities when he had to give more than half the money he had after paying traffickers to help him and his family get to the country, as the Guardian reports

The news programme also presented an information sheet for refugees that stated: “If you have property worth more than 1,000 Swiss francs when you arrive at a reception centre you are required to give up these financial assets in return for a receipt.”

Groups that help refugees have severely criticized this practice. “This is undignified … This has to change.”, said Stefan Frey, from refugee aid group Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe.

However, Swiss authorities said that this practice was based on an old law which has been in force for decades and it only applied in very few cases – 112 out of 45,000 refugees last year, according to the Swiss state secretariat for migration (SEM) .

Based on the law, asylum seekers and refugees are asked to pay for the cost of processing their applications and providing social assistance.

An SEM spokeswoman told SRF: “If someone leaves voluntarily within seven months this person can get the money back and take it with them. Otherwise the money covers costs they generate.”

The SEM also said that no jewellery or personal items were taken from the refugees.

Furthermore, SRF report noted that the refugees who are permitted to stay and work in Switzerland must also give 10% of their salary for up to 10 years until they repay 15,000 Swiss francs in costs.