Data published this week by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) show the number of single person households continues to rise. Eight years ago there were 1.3 million single person households. The latest figures show there are 1.4 million, a rise of around 10%. This type of household makes up 38.4% of the total, up from […]
Only 19% of Swiss youth positive about future
After taking a dive during the pandemic, life satisfaction bounced back in Switzerland, according to a recent survey. However, among those aged 18 to 25 life satisfaction has continued to decline, falling from 43% in 2021 to 19% in 2022. The aim of the annual survey is to assess the generation gap in Switzerland. Overall, […]
1 in 8 young people in French-speaking Switzerland has an e-cigarette habit
In French-speaking Switzerland 1 in 8 young people aged 14-25 is a frequent e-cigarette smoker, reported RTS. The study by Unisanté shows that two thirds would like to stop the highly addictive habit. The e-cigarette of choice for most children and young people is the disposable kind shown above. They are relatively cheap, small, easy […]
Professional training boosts pay by 46% in Switzerland
Switzerland offers workers the possibility of obtaining professional qualifications while working. Around 27,500 people graduate from these federally recognised higher vocational education programmes every year. Six years after graduating from these programmes the median income for a full-time job is about CHF 7,800 per month, compared with the CHF 5,300 received five years before obtaining […]
Rules on Swiss wills to change in 2023
In Switzerland, limits are placed on what people can put into a will. Currently, a minimum of a quarter of a person’s assets must be left to a surviving spouse and at least 3/8ths to any children or their descendants. Someone in Switzerland dying without a will before 31 December 2022 will have their assets […]
Sharp rise in mental health problems among girls and young women in Switzerland
Data published by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) this week show a sharp rise in the number of young people being admitted to hospital for mental and behavioural disorders in 2020 and 2021. Between 2020 and 2021, hospital admissions for mental and behavioural disorders rose by 26% among girls and young women aged 10 to […]
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 […]
Vast majority of Swiss mums in paid work in 2021
In 2021, 82% of mothers in Switzerland were economically active, according to data published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) this week. The rate of mothers working in 2021 (82%) was 22 percentage points higher than it was in 1991 (60%). At the same time fathers were not working at a significantly lower rate. In […]
Switzerland’s ETH Zurich remains top university on the continent
Switzerland has two Federal universities. ETH Zurich, famous for educating Einstein, and the far newer EPF Lausanne. This year ETH Zurich remained the highest ranking university in continental Europe, according to Times Higher Education. Ranked 11th globally, ETH Zurich was the highest ranked university in Europe beyond the UK. In Europe including the UK it […]
No change in most popular Swiss names in 2021
In 2021, the most popular baby names in Switzerland were Mia for girls and Noah for boys. Mia is a long time favourite, scoring the top spot in 2019, 2020 and 2021. And Noah has had a good run in the top spot for boys. It came top in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 […]