May 29, 2023

My Pentecost weekend was a quiet one. I’m still very limited in what I can do, I can’t put any weight on my left leg, but at least I’m not in any pain, probably thanks to the 20 pills I take every day.

Back to Deniz and his journey.

The Sonnenhof Clinic, where he did an internship and where I was recently operated on, is part of the Lindenhof Group, known for its high standards in both training and care. After his internship, the Group’s head of training organised a debriefing interview, which I was invited to attend, having been partly involved in arranging the placement.

Given the serious shortage of healthcare staff, I was surprised at how few applicants there were. Good news: the Lindenhof Group offered him a position as a healthcare assistant in the orthopaedic ward. What’s more, Lindenhof committed to taking the necessary steps to secure an exemption allowing him to work despite holding an F refugee permit.

His lucky star continued: not long afterwards, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) granted him a work permit. He was over the moon, it was his first job since fleeing Kurdistan.

As a refugee, Deniz receives support from the Bern social services: health insurance, liability cover, and a monthly allowance of around CHF 600. They also helped him look for a flat. We applied for more than 50 properties, but despite the rent being guaranteed by social services, the answer was always no.

By chance, while I was out for shopping, I noticed a private ad for a small furnished flat. We applied, got a viewing, and the flat turned out to be in the attic of a lovely manor house owned by a retired lady who had worked for the SEM. She was well aware of the challenges faced by refugees. Once again, fate smiled on him, he was able to move in shortly after.

The salary he earns at the hospital was initially paid directly to social services. That setup was far from motivating: he worked until 11pm some days, on weekends and public holidays, even night shifts with overtime, and yet he always received the same fixed allowance. He was offered the chance to become financially independent, meaning he would receive his full salary but would have to manage his own rent and insurance, which he accepted. In reality, social services provided him with no practical support.

The hospital work is demanding, but he enjoys it. His German is improving quickly because he has to speak it every day. His background also gives him a natural empathy that’s sometimes rare in Swiss healthcare. His colleagues and supervisors really value him and encouraged him to consider professional training.

There are various training paths in the healthcare field. After attending a few information sessions, he chose the second-highest option: a full-time, three-year programme at a higher professional school to become a qualified nurse.

I contacted the SEM to ask about his legal status during training, because with an F permit, he could be deported at any time. Time passed with no news, until one summer day in 2022, he received a letter granting him a B residence permit, a rare decision after such a short time in Switzerland. His lucky star was still shining!

The B permit allows him to work in Switzerland without restrictions. However, as a political refugee, he cannot return to Turkey, not even for a family visit, but he can travel freely within the Schengen area.

At last, his life is starting to take shape here.