Civilian service is a Swiss institution, created in 1996 as a alternative to military service.
Anyone who is unable to do military service for reasons of conscience can submit an application to be allowed to do civilian service. The applicant is then invited to a hearing where he is asked to explain his reasons for refusal. After this hearing, the application is approved should the applicant be found to be unable to be a member of a military service due to the demands of his conscience. In most cases it is approved (currently in about 90%).
Once part of the civilian service program, one has to work 1.5 times longer than the military service period refused. Full military service for normal soldiers is currently 260 days, full civilian service consequently 390 days. Many non-profit organizations are licensed to employ civilian service workers.
There are still issues with how to handle Swiss living abroad who have already passed recruitment. In this case they are not exempt from military service or civilian service, and every step of the process requires their presence in Switzerland.
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See also: Pacifism, alternative civilian service
