PLATFORM
Integration and employment of persons with S status in the Canton of Zurich
The IntegraS 2025 Forum on Integration and Employment is designed as a practical platform for bringing together authorities, employers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), educational institutions, refugees and persons with S status (in particular, the Ukrainian community) around a common goal: promoting sustainable employment and integration of persons with S status. The forum traces the real path to employment – from legal foundations to first points of contact, skills development, NGO support and employer engagement. It combines strategic sessions with interactive mini-panels for orientation and practical knowledge.
The importance of this platform lies not only in providing practical opportunities, but also in creating a space for constructive dialogue and exchange of experience. For Ukrainian refugees, INTEGRAS opens the door to a new life, helping them find not only work, but also educational opportunities that will contribute to their professional development and personal growth.
For Swiss representatives, this platform will be an important step in strengthening social cohesion and attracting skilled professionals from various fields, integrating new residents, and creating opportunities for economic growth and expanding the horizons of interaction between nations.
INTEGRAS is a symbol of solidarity and cooperation, helping to create new opportunities for both Ukrainian refugees and Switzerland. It's a place where Ukrainians not only get a chance for a fresh start in a safe environment, but also support with integration, adaptation, and professional growth. For Switzerland, it is a unique opportunity to benefit from the talent, experience and ideas of Ukrainians, which will contribute to the country's economic growth and cultural enrichment. INTEGRAS strengthens intercultural ties and opens up new horizons for cooperation, which will contribute to the development of innovative approaches to solving the social and professional challenges of the modern world.
FORUM
The main goal of the second INTEGRAS forum is to promote the integration of Ukrainian refugees into Swiss society and assist them in finding employment. The forum was created as a platform for providing the necessary knowledge and resources, where participants will receive practical information on adapting to life in Switzerland, employment opportunities, career development and professional education. The event will bring together representatives of business, government institutions and civil society organisations, creating an environment for productive dialogue and new opportunities for Ukrainians in Switzerland.
What the forum will offer participants:
The opportunity to meet representatives of the Swiss civil service, non-governmental organisations and businesses in person, which will help establish useful contacts for future employment and adaptation.
Obtaining up-to-date information on S status, rights and obligations related to staying in Switzerland, as well as employment and education opportunities for persons with this status
Participation in discussions with experts, where you can learn about new trends in the labour market, employer requirements and ways to improve your skills for successful integration
Interactive sessions on career development, enabling participants to better understand their strengths and prospects in the Swiss labour market
Practical advice on adapting to a new country: from getting an education and retraining to starting your own business or participating in social projects
Networking with professionals to help you find potential mentors or partners for developing your professional skills and personal growth
Forum Programme
Part I (08:00–14:00)
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Registration, coffee and networking fair (Registration area)
Welcome coffee, introductions and networking
09:00 – 09:30 Opening and welcome speeches (Room KO2-F-180)
Opening and welcoming remarks
- Olesia Tarasenko, chair of the organising committee and initiator of the forum, president of the Swiss-Ukrainian Association VIDNOVA, advisor to the chair of the Association of Employers' Organisations of Ukraine
- Moses Mekonnen, member of the Swiss Refugee Parliament and co-chair of the Children's Rights Commission
- Adrian Gerber, Commissioner for the Integration of Persons with S Status into the Labour Market, Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP)
- Nina Gilgen, Integration Officer and Head of the Integration Service of the Justice and Home Affairs Directorate of the Canton of Zurich
09:30–10:00 Session 1 – Introduction: Legal and administrative status of „Status S: from protection to employment“ (Room KO2-F-180)
- Samuel Wyss, spokesperson for the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM)
- Moderator: Svitlana Schweizer, teaching assistant and school assistant at the Secondary School of the Zurich Cantonal Education Directorate
10:00 – 11:00 Session 2 – Employment and Integration «How to look for a job: ways to find employment and government support» (Room KO2-F-180)
- Adrian Gerber, Commissioner for the Integration of Persons with S Status into the Labour Market, Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP)
- Nina Gilgen, Integration Officer and Head of the Integration Service of the Justice and Home Affairs Directorate of the Canton of Zurich
- StéJean Ribeaud,
RAV coordinator (Employment Services of the Canton of Zurich)
- Kaspar Schneider, Head of Assessment and Employment at AOZ (Zurich Asylum Organisation)
- Lora Odoni, Regional and Branch Manager, Adecco (Zurich)
- Moderator: Svitlana Prokopchuk, journalist, USB media coordinator, co-founder of "Ukrainian Wave" on Radio Rabe, employee of the Bern Advisory Centre for Legal Assistance to People in Difficult Life Situations
11:00 – 12:00 Session 3 – Education and Training «Programmes to Bridge the Gap for Employment and Learning» (Room KO2-F-180)
- Barbara Nikles, Project Manager for the Integration Preparation Programme, Secondary and Vocational Education Department of the Canton of Zurich
- Isabel Brücher, General Manager, Capacity
- Susanne König, Co-Founder of Powercoders, Head of Learning and Talent Development
- Micha Weiss, Operations Manager at Ingeus AG Zürich, job coach
- Moderator: Tetiana German, moderator, teacher at the Tempus vocational school in Küssnacht; intercultural interpreter at Medios, AOZ Zurich
12:00 – 12:15 Closing Session – Outlook and Next Steps (Room KO2-F-180)
- Svitlana Schweizer, Svitlana Prokopchuk, Tetiana German, moderators
- Olesia Tarasenko, chair of the organising committee and initiator of the forum, president of the Swiss-Ukrainian Association VIDNOVA
12:15 – 14:00 Lunch, fair and networking (Floor D)
Stands of public organisations, partners, successful cases
14:00 – 16:00 Interactive Workshops (various rooms)
Interactive workshops (parallel sessions)
A. «CV, interview and career counselling lab» – VIDNOVA Swiss-Ukrainian Association, room KO2-F-117
B. «Psycho-emotional barriers to integration and employment» – USB NGO, room KO2-E-18
C. «How the Swiss job market works and how best to apply for vacancies» – Power Hub Zug, room KO2-E-21
12:00 – 14:00 Job fair and partner exhibition
Non-governmental organisations, partners
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SPEAKERS
WELCOME SPEECH
Olesia Tarasenko
Chair of the organising committee and initiator of the forum, President of the Swiss-Ukrainian Association VIDNOVA, advisor to the chair of the Association of Employers' Organisations of Ukraine
Moses Mekonnen
Member of the Swiss Refugee Parliament and Co-Chair of the Children's Rights Commission
Adrian Gerber
Commissioner for the Integration of Persons with S Status into the Labour Market, Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP)
Nina Gilgen
Commissioner for Integration and Head of the Integration Service of the Justice and Home Affairs Directorate of the Canton of Zurich
Panel 1: Legal and administrative status «Status S: From protection to employment»
Samuel Wyss
Spokesperson for the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM)
Svitlana Schweizer
Moderator, teaching assistant and school assistant at the Zurich Cantonal Education Directorate Secondary School
Panel 2: Employment and integration «How to find a job – ways to find employment and state support»
Adrian Gerber
Commissioner for the Integration of Persons with S Status into the Labour Market, Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP)
Nina Gilgen
Commissioner for Integration and Head of the Integration Service of the Directorate of Justice and Home Affairs of the Canton of Zurich
Stéphane Ribeaud
RAV coordinator (Zurich Cantonal Employment Service)
Kaspar Schneider
Head of Assessment and Employment at AOZ (Zurich Asylum Organisation)
Lora Odoni
Head of Region and Branch Manager, Adecco (Zurich)
Svitlana Prokopchuk
Moderator, journalist, media coordinator at USB, co-founder of Ukrainian Wave on Radio RaBe, employee at the Bern Advisory Centre for Legal Assistance to People in Difficult Life Situations
Panel 3: Education and Training «Transition Programmes between Employment and Education»
Barbara Nikles
Head of the Integration Preparatory Programme Project, Secondary and Vocational Education Office of the Canton of Zurich
Isabel Brücher
General Manager, Capacity
Susanne König
Co-founder of Powercoders, Head of Learning and Talent Development
Micha Weiss
Operations Manager, Ingeus AG Zürich, Job Coach
Tetiana German
Moderator, teacher at the Tempus vocational school in Küssnacht; intercultural interpreter at Medios, AOZ Zurich
GREETING CARDS
Anatoliy Kinach
President of the USPP, Head of the Association of Employers' Organisations of Ukraine (OORU), Head of the Anti-Crisis Council of Public Organisations of Ukraine
Zhovtyak Yulia
Director of the State Employment Centre
Prof. Dr. Jeronim Perović
Professor of Eastern European History at the University of Zurich, Director of the Centre for Eastern European Studies (CEES)
Andrii Teliupa
Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine
Hanna Krysiuk
President of the Business Woman Club, owner of the international glossy magazine Business Woman, head of the International Headquarters for Assistance to Ukrainians
GREETINGS
From the Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs
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GREETINGS
From the STATE EMPLOYMENT CENTRE OF UKRAINE
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GREETINGS
Centre for Eastern European Studies (CEES) University of Zurich
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GREETINGS
From the MINISTRY OF ECONOMY,
ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE IN UKRAINE
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GREETINGS
From the international glossy magazine Business Woman
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ORGANISING COMMITTEE
Olesia Tarasenko
Chair of the organising committee and initiator of the forum, President of the Swiss-Ukrainian Association VIDNOVA
Olena Krylova
Co-chair of the forum organising committee, managing director of USB
FORUM TEAM
SVITLANA ORESHCHAK
COORDINATOR of the forum, Vice-President of VIDNOVA Swiss-Ukrainian Association
Olga Tarasenko
Volunteer coordinator and Ukraine liaison
Jozef Proks
On-site support coordinator
Viktoriia Velychko
Coordinator for work with NGOs and partners, Vice-President of VIDNOVA Swiss-Ukrainian Association
Alla Hrynenko
Hospitality and Participant Relations Coordinator
Viktoriia Bykova
Risk and Compliance Coordinator
Serhii Tulinskyi
technical administrator
Alla-Anastasiia Razumovska
Registration and Access Control Coordinator
Valentyna Oreshchak
Branding Coordinator
Anton Nikulin
videographer and live broadcast coordinator
Yevgen Gribachov
Coordinator for VIP and speakers
VOLUNTEERS
Vita Chursinova
Visual Identity Manager
+41 76 546 54 21
Maksymilian Kulchytskyi
technical volunteer
Denys Hrynenko
Technical Support and AV Support Coordinator
+41794440742
Tetiana Yakovlieva
Coordinator of cooperation with state and institutional partners
+41 78 247 47 48
Halina Khramova
Photographer
+41 76 526 31 65
Larisa Didenko
Personal sketch artist of the forum
+41 76 815 49 64
Iryna Nikanorova
Assistant
+41 76 615 51 02
Stanislav Kononenko
Logistics coordinator during the forum (transport)
+41 76 547 62 49
Hanna Kolis
Hospitality and Exhibition Coordinator
+41765486425
Anastasia Rachkovan
Exhibition Area Manager
+41 76 493 20 78
Dmytrii Velychko
public order volunteer
+41 76 538 0191
Dmytro Popadko
Public order volunteer
Oleksandr Popadko
Public order volunteer
Mariia Machykova
volunteer working with VIPs
Lubov Moroz
SMM forum
+41 76 540 66 69
Oksana Deka
registration volunteer
Natalia Fedorchenko
registration volunteer
Natalia Smal
registration volunteer
Olena Turanska
registration volunteer
Tamara Pashynska
registration volunteer
Maryna Stalenna
volunteer host
Yevheniia Khokhlova
volunteer host
Nadia Blonska
volunteer host
MARKET
WORKSHOP
WORKSHOP «CV, Interview and Career Coaching Laboratory»
6 December 2025 • University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71 — a specialised practical module tailored to the requirements of the Swiss labour market. Format: applied work with VIDNOVA experts, focused on results.
What you get: 1) A CV that stands out from other applications; 2) An understanding of HR logic in Switzerland; 3) A cover letter that people actually read; 4) A ready-made Job Dossier; 5) Career focus and search strategy.
REGISTRATION: The workshop is free of charge with a ticket to the forum.
Registration: https://forms.gle/HyL25JzhyZoE9LEA8
Ticket: https://eventfrog.ch/vidnovach
Organiser: VIDNOVA
WORKSHOP «Psycho-emotional barriers to integration and employment».
6 December 2025 • University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71
understand the nature of psycho-emotional barriers and learn to manage your own state;
understand how to build confident communication even with limited language skills;
get time management tools for stressful situations;
learn why motivation disappears and how to restore it;
develop a personal mini-strategy for integration and professional development.
Practice, support and real solutions — without theory «about everything and nothing».
REGISTRATION: The workshop is free with a ticket to the forum.
🎫 Ticket: https://eventfrog.ch/vidnovach
Organiser: USB
WORKSHOP «How the job market works and applying for jobs in Switzerland»
6 December 2025 • University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71
A practical session explaining the key logic of the Swiss labour market and showing how to apply for jobs correctly in order to increase your chances of success.
Participants will receive practical tools, analyse the document preparation algorithm, and learn how local HR professionals think.
Speakers: Natalia Singer and Olena Goloborodko, founders of Power Hub Zug.
REGISTRATION: The workshop is free with a ticket to the forum.
🎫 Ticket: https://eventfrog.ch/vidnovach
Organiser: POWER HUB ZUG
WORKSHOP «CV, Interview and Career Coaching Laboratory»
6 December 2025 • University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71 — a specialised practical module tailored to the requirements of the Swiss labour market. Format: applied work with VIDNOVA experts, focused on results.
What you get: 1) A CV that stands out from other applications; 2) An understanding of HR logic in Switzerland; 3) A cover letter that people actually read; 4) A ready-made Job Dossier; 5) Career focus and search strategy.
REGISTRATION: The workshop is free of charge with a ticket to the forum. Registration: https://forms.gle/HyL25JzhyZoE9LEA8 Ticket: https://eventfrog.ch/vidnovach
Organiser: VIDNOVA
WORKSHOP «Psycho-emotional barriers to integration and employment».
6 December 2025 • University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71
understand the nature of psycho-emotional barriers and learn to manage your own state;
understand how to build confident communication even with limited language skills;
get time management tools for stressful situations;
learn why motivation disappears and how to restore it;
develop a personal mini-strategy for integration and professional development.
Practice, support and real solutions — without theory «about everything and nothing».
REGISTRATION: The workshop is free with a ticket to the forum.
🎫 Ticket: https://eventfrog.ch/vidnovach
Organiser: USB
WORKSHOP «How the job market works and applying for jobs in Switzerland»
6 December 2025 • University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71
A practical session explaining the key logic of the Swiss labour market and showing how to apply for jobs correctly in order to increase your chances of success.
Participants will receive practical tools, analyse the document preparation algorithm, and learn how local HR professionals think.
Speakers: Natalia Singer and Olena Goloborodko, founders of Power Hub Zug.
REGISTRATION: The workshop is free with a ticket to the forum.
🎫 Ticket: https://eventfrog.ch/vidnovach
Organiser: POWER HUB ZUG
PHOTO REPORT FROM IntegraS 2025
ABOUT US IN THE MEDIA
What are the main challenges and opportunities provided by the S protection status for the employment of Ukrainians?
The S temporary protection status in Switzerland creates a unique environment for employment of Ukrainians, which combines quick access to the labour market with in-depth legal and
IntegraS 2025: ongoing dialogue on refugee integration and employment in Switzerland
On 6 December 2025, the University of Zurich (Switzerland) hosted the IntegraS 2025 forum, a professional cross-sector platform dedicated to the professional integration of Ukrainians in Switzerland.
VIDEO from IntegraS 2025
EVENTS
INFORMATION PARTNERS
CONTACTS
Email:
forum.integras@gmail.com (for forum participants) vidnovach@gmail.com (partnership)
COMMUNIQUE
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USER AGREEMENT
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