Currently, around 800 asylum seekers are arriving in Switzerland weekly, a number that has pushed the nation’s federal capacity to accommodate arrivals to the point of saturation, reported RTS this week. To continue to cope with the influx Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) regularly adds capacity, however, this has not been enough it said. […]
Record numbers leave Catholic Church in Switzerland
In 2021, 34,182 people left the Catholic Church, a record number, reported RTS. The figure represents 1.1% of worshipers. Departures in 2021 exceeded the previous annual record of 31,410 in 2019 by 2,772. 31,410 people left in 2020. Leading reasons cited for leaving the Catholic Church in Switzerland included differences of opinion on public issues […]
Federal commission takes aim at minimum wages
Across most of Switzerland there is no minimum wage. However, the cantons of Neuchâtel (CHF 20 per hour), Geneva (CHF 23 per hour), Jura, Ticino and Basel-City have them. This week, a federal parliamentary commission voted in favour of challenging the applicability of these minimum wages, reported RTS. If a national negotiation between employers and […]
Swiss clocks go back one hour this Sunday
Early on Sunday 30 October 2022 Swiss clocks turn back one hour. Officially they are adjusted at 3am. This means you can stay in bed longer and it will be lighter when you get up. On the down side, it will be darker in the evenings. The rest of Europe will adjust its clocks at […]
Swiss pension funds hit hard by markets
At the end of 2021, Swiss employment-based pensions fund in aggregate held assets worth 18.5% more than what they owed. By 30 September 2022, they owed 0.5% more than they held in assets, according to government data published recently. Switzerland has a three layered pension system. The first layer is a state pension, known as […]
European court rules against Swiss gender discrimination
Recently, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of Max Beeler, a man who challenged Switzerland on gender based discrimination related to widowers pension payments. Under current rules widows receive pension payments related to their children for their entire life. Widowers on the other hand receive them only until their children reach the […]
Swiss state employee pay and numbers should be cut, argues party
The Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) argued this week that the CHF 6 billion spent on state employees should be cut, reported 20 Minutes. Since 2007, the amount spent on state employees has risen by around a third from CHF 4.5 billion to more than CHF 6 billion. In 2021, there were close to 40,000 people […]
Swiss electricity consumption down 13 percent
The consumption of electricity in Switzerland in September 2022 was 13% lower the the same month last year, according to grid manager Swissgrid, reported RTS. The combined electricity consumption of Swiss businesses and households in September 2022 was lower that the 7-year average for the month, suggesting that the federal government campaign to encourage lower […]
Two votes launched against Swiss tax and pension marriage penalty
In Switzerland, it pays not to be married. Married couples pay higher taxes and receive lower state pensions than unmarried couples. Two referenda were launched this week to change this, reported RTS. Across much of the world, individuals and couples pay the same tax and receive the same welfare payments regardless of whether they are […]
More than half of immigrants leave Switzerland within 10 years
Recently published data follows the migration patterns over a 10 year period of those arriving in Switzerland in 2011. In 2011, 223,000 people arrived to live in Switzerland. By 2021, 53% of them had left. Those most likely to leave within 10 years those born in North America. By 2021, 82% of North Americans arriving […]
