The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) quietly issued its third “Call for Proposals” on 28 May 2026, inviting companies headquartered in Switzerland to submit investment projects that will create or restore long-term production facilities inside Ukraine. Up to CHF 50 million in federal co-financing has been set aside, with individual grants ranging from CHF 3 million to CHF 10 million. The initiative is the most concrete mobility-related measure Switzerland has released since co-hosting the 2025 Lugano Reconstruction Conference. Whereas earlier support focused on humanitarian aid and consulting services, the new call explicitly targets bricks-and-mortar projects that will require multinational teams, on-the-ground engineering expertise and the physical relocation of Swiss staff to Ukraine. According to SECO, companies must already have a Ukrainian subsidiary able to take operating responsibility once construction is complete. A joint Swiss-Ukrainian committee will rank proposals and announce winners in spring 2027.
![Bern opens CHF 50 million window for Swiss firms rebuilding Ukraine]()
Swiss firms and their mobility teams can streamline the visa and permit maze by partnering with VisaHQ, which already supports hundreds of Swiss travelers with accelerated document processing. Through its Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/), the platform offers up-to-date guidance on Ukrainian work visas, electronic travel authorizations and supporting paperwork, reducing lead times and helping HR teams stay compliant amid rapidly changing regulations.
For global-mobility managers this means planning can start now for outbound assignments to what remains a high-risk but strategically important destination. Work-permit processing, security briefings, war-risk insurance and hardship allowances will all need to be factored into budgets. The programme sits alongside Switzerland’s CHF 1.5 billion 2025-2028 country plan for Ukraine, signalling that Bern expects Swiss multinationals to play a hands-on role rather than a purely donor role. Corporate interest is likely to be strongest in construction materials, agro-processing and precision engineering—sectors where Swiss SMEs already have Ukrainian footprints. SECO confirmed that projects aimed at rebuilding critical logistics corridors or export terminals will also be considered, creating potential opportunities for transport-sector assignees. The government emphasises that companies must shoulder at least 50 % of total project costs; nevertheless, the funding sweetener and the political cover provided by a formal Swiss-Ukrainian selection committee sharply reduce commercial risk. Mobility teams should therefore monitor the 20 September submission deadline and begin mapping talent pools willing to relocate to Kyiv, Lviv or the heavily damaged central-eastern regions once security conditions permit.
Swiss firms and their mobility teams can streamline the visa and permit maze by partnering with VisaHQ, which already supports hundreds of Swiss travelers with accelerated document processing. Through its Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/), the platform offers up-to-date guidance on Ukrainian work visas, electronic travel authorizations and supporting paperwork, reducing lead times and helping HR teams stay compliant amid rapidly changing regulations.
For global-mobility managers this means planning can start now for outbound assignments to what remains a high-risk but strategically important destination. Work-permit processing, security briefings, war-risk insurance and hardship allowances will all need to be factored into budgets. The programme sits alongside Switzerland’s CHF 1.5 billion 2025-2028 country plan for Ukraine, signalling that Bern expects Swiss multinationals to play a hands-on role rather than a purely donor role. Corporate interest is likely to be strongest in construction materials, agro-processing and precision engineering—sectors where Swiss SMEs already have Ukrainian footprints. SECO confirmed that projects aimed at rebuilding critical logistics corridors or export terminals will also be considered, creating potential opportunities for transport-sector assignees. The government emphasises that companies must shoulder at least 50 % of total project costs; nevertheless, the funding sweetener and the political cover provided by a formal Swiss-Ukrainian selection committee sharply reduce commercial risk. Mobility teams should therefore monitor the 20 September submission deadline and begin mapping talent pools willing to relocate to Kyiv, Lviv or the heavily damaged central-eastern regions once security conditions permit.
