Tribune de Genève. Geneva’s government accepted changes to the laws on applying for Swiss citizenship last Friday. The changes mean the charge associated with applications will be determined by the costs of processing applications rather than the current system which calculates charges based on applicants’ income. The change, which will reduce the cost naturalisation, is […]
Swiss cold snap almost over with temperatures rising 22 degrees in some places
The ten day spell of icy weather that has swept across most of Switzerland is running out of steam as the warm Foehn wind starts to blow northward over the Alps. According to MeteoNews between now and Sunday, temperatures should turn positive across the plateau. Today saw large temperature differences across Switzerland. Valais got a taste […]
Those over 25 may pay more for Swiss health insurance
20 Minutes. The Swiss States Council commission on public health endorsed a plan that could lead to higher health insurance premiums for those over 25. Swiss health insurance providers are required to pay into a communal pot to spread risk between insurance companies. The latest plan would reduce the amounts paid into this communal pot for every […]
Asylum demands down 30 percent in Switzerland
20 Minutes. Switzerland received 27,207 requests for asylum in 2016, 31% fewer than the year before. In 2017, The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) expects around 24,500. The decline is related to the partial closure of the migration route through the Balkans, said SEM, particularly towards the end of the year. The number in December […]
What could the Chinese year of the fire rooster bring to Switzerland?
Every year in the Chinese lunar calendar is associated with one of 12 animals combined with one of five elements: metal (gold), earth, water, wood or fire. This year is the year of the fire rooster and celebrations to mark the new year take place on Saturday 28 January 2017. Roosters are hardworking, resourceful, courageous, […]
Swiss to vote on wide-reaching overhaul of the way companies are taxed
On 12 February 2017, the Swiss will vote on whether to accept the Corporate Tax Reform Act III, a set of new rules that will affect how all Swiss companies are taxed. Historically, Switzerland has offered certain foreign companies lower taxation in order to attract them. According to the government, these special status companies employ around […]
Swiss fact: work days lost to strikes in Switzerland a ninth of surrounding nations
Across the ten years to 2008, Switzerland lost an average of 3 working days per 1,000 workers to strikes a year. This compares to 32 days in Austria, 33 days in France, and 55 days in Italy. Germany was close behind Switzerland with 4 days. The combined average over this period for these four neighbouring […]
On track for the coldest January in 30 years as arctic ice melt slows jet stream
20 Minutes. So far in January temperatures in Switzerland have been below zero for ten days and there is ice floating on Lake Constance. According to SRF Meteo, January hasn’t been this cold for 30 years. So far the average temperature for January is below -3 degrees, 3 degrees lower than the long term average […]
The number of cross-border workers in Geneva now exceeds 100,000
Tribune de Genève. According to the canton’s statistics office, the number of foreigners with permits allowing them to cross in to the canton of Geneva to work rose by 8.7% in 2016, reaching 104,272 by the end of December 2016. This is the highest number of G permit holders, or frontaliers, ever recorded in the canton. Because […]
Geneva driver faces parking fine of more than 1,800 francs
Tribune de Genève. Last Thursday, the driver of a car parked near the intersection of place Bel-Air and rue de la Corraterie received a nasty surprise. The driver, who works in a nearby bank, left her car parked across tram tracks for 40 minutes, according to Tribune de Genève. This single mistake had a knock-on […]
