Analysis by the newspaper SonntagsZeitung claims that Ukrainian refugees are sometimes given significantly less money by certain cantons than other refugees who end up in Switzerland, reports 20 Minutes. While Switzerland has put in place a fast track asylum process for Ukrainians, which quickly provides them with an S visa entitling them to work in […]
Some Swiss cantons now advertise the location of speed cameras
Switzerland has some of the world’s stiffest penalties for speeding. In exceptional cases fines can rise to a percentage of the drivers income in addition to licence removal and prison time. In 2010, a wealthy speeder was fined CHF 299,000 for driving at 140 km/h in a 100 km/h zone. Swiss road rules became stricter […]
Swiss government supports wider definition of rape
This week, Switzerland’s Federal Council agreed that Switzerland’s legal definition of rape should be extended, reported RTS. Currently, Swiss law defines rape as vaginal penetration by a man where the woman has resisted, a narrow definition that excludes male victims and cases where a woman has not resisted, for example in cases where resisting would […]
Switzerland steps up sanctions against Russia and Belarus
On 13 April 2022, Switzerland’s Federal Council decided to adopt stiffer sanctions against Russia and Belarus. The new sanctions cover measures in the areas of trade, finance and transport and include bans on the import of coal, wood, cement, seafood and vodka, products that serve as important sources of revenue for Russia. Exports of kerosene, […]
Swiss government prepares for electricity price shock
Switzerland’s leaders are concerned by the current volatility of electricity prices and have started planning for a potential disaster scenario, reported RTS. The war in Ukraine has impacted energy provision across Europe, said Swiss energy minister Simonetta Sommaruga on Thursday. Price movements have reached historical levels and could worsen if gas supplies from Russia stop. […]
Covid: 3 jabs needed to cut spread of Omicron, shows Swiss research
Research clearly shows that vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus reduce hospital admissions and deaths and also the risk of long Covid. Recent research by the University of Geneva looks at the impact of vaccines on infectiousness. The research, published on 8 April 2022 in Nature Medicine, looks at the impact of vaccination on the infectious […]
Swiss births reach highest number since 1972
In 2021, 89,400 births were registered in Switzerland, a number not seen since 1972. Switzerland’s population increased by 0.8% compared to 2020, reaching more than 8.7 million by the end of 2021. The number of births in 2021 was 4.1% higher than in 2020, reported Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office on 5 April 2022. All cantons […]
Swiss bankruptcies jump in 2021
In 2021, the total number of bankruptcy proceedings opened against businesses and individuals rose by 9.1% compared with 2020, reported the Federal Statistical Office this week. At a cantonal level, Aargau recorded the greatest relative increase (+24.6%). The number of debt collection proceedings increased slightly, but remained within the average range of the past five […]
Swiss home ownership remains out of reach for many
A recent survey run by ZHAW finds that the price of housing is too high for the majority of people wishing to own their own home in Switzerland. Aspiring home owners would like to see greater support. Switzerland is a nation of renters, something reflected in low home ownership rates by international standards. Across Switzerland, […]
Chart of the week: Swiss public versus private sector pay
Recent statistics show the median pay for those working in the public sector compared to those working in the private sector in Switzerland. The difference is significant. In 2020, a median gross monthly salary for a public sector employee was CHF 8,012 compared to CHF 6,361 in the private sector. On average, a full time […]
