By Bill Harby What exactly is the alpine descent or désalpe / alpabzug? This article explores the event’s history and where to see it. In Switzerland, we know the clock will soon strike autumn when processions of cows crowned with flowers and hung with huge clanging bells, descend from summer alpine pastures to their winter […]
Swiss want more political action on immigration
A survey report published this week shows that the population of Switzerland increasingly sees immigration as a challenge and desires political action. Overall, while the economic and cultural effects of immigration are viewed positively, the strains on infrastructure, housing and the environment are viewed negatively. In addition, negativity towards immigration is showing among groups that […]
Rise in rate of suicidal thoughts in Switzerland
A report published this week shows a mixed picture regarding suicide in Switzerland. On one hand, the number of suicides is declining. On the other, the number of people with suicidal thought is rising rapidly, particularly among young people, women in particular. In 2022, 958 people took their own lives, a rate of around 11 […]
Swiss upper house rejects plan to extend family reunification rules
Currently, under the agreement Switzerland has with the EU (EU/EFTA), those with a legal right to reside in Switzerland can bring their parents to Switzerland if their parents are EU/EFTA citizens. If they are from another nation they cannot. A proposal to extend this right to include the non-EU/EFTA parents of Swiss citizens was rejected […]
Swiss parliament votes to cut UN aid to Palestine
On 9 September 2024, a majority of Switzerland’s parliament voted to suspend payments to the UNRWA, a part of the United Nations that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees. The proposition was put forward by the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) and was supported by 99 versus 88 members, with 7 abstaining, reported […]
Swiss Rail financial results disappoint
This week, Swiss Rail published its half-year results. During the first six months of 2024, the company made a profit of CHF 50.8 million, a level far below what is required for it to operate comfortably and service its debt. As a rule of thumb, to remain in good financial shape the company needs to […]
FILM: TATAMI **** an outstanding film
6 September 2024. By Neptune Dear Cinephiles,I was away last week so a few films have piled up, and will be away again next week, but will keep you informed of the exceptional ones. These reviews will necessarily be short. Last week’s releases: LA PRISONNIÈRE DE BORDEAUX *** (vo French) A well-acted, intriguing film about […]
10-step guide to hiring an employee in Switzerland
Brought to you by quitt.business. For startups and small companies, hiring and onboarding new employees can be a real hassle. In Switzerland especially, there is a significant amount of admin to deal with. The following is a guide to all the tasks involved in this process. A summarised list of the administrative tasks associated with […]
Language requirements for Swiss citizenship and visas – what you need to know
Brought to you by Swiss French School. On 1 January 2019, Switzerland’s federal government tightened and harmonised the rules on language requirements to qualify for some residence permits, B and C permits in particular, and naturalisation. Before 2019, formal testing of language ability was not typical. Since then it has been formalised and standardised across cantons […]
