In Bern this winter, homeless people without residence permits may have nowhere to sleep but the streets, reports SRF. A new regulation from the canton restricts access to emergency shelters to those with valid papers—a move the city calls inhumane and short-sighted. Last winter up to 60 people slept rough in Bern each night as […]
15% of Switzerland’s population struggles with literacy
Around 15% of Switzerland’s population aged between 16 and 65—some 844,000 people—struggle with reading, writing, numeracy and basic problem-solving. According to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), drawing on OECD data, these adults tend to earn less, participate less in the workforce and report lower levels of well-being and social engagement than those with stronger skills. […]
Health premiums and immigration top Swiss concerns in 2025
Health-insurance premiums and immigration remain the two biggest political concerns for Swiss voters, though both are less prevalent than last year, according to the latest SSR electoral barometer. Relations with the European Union, housing shortages and the economy have gained ground. Health costs top the list of challenges, cited by 40% of respondents. Immigration follows […]
Swiss People’s Party registers vote to tighten asylum rules
Switzerland’s right-wing Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) has filed a new initiative “To protect borders”. The proposal, backed by 110,000 signatures, demands systematic checks at Swiss frontiers and tighter asylum rules, reported RTS. Anyone entering Switzerland would face controls. If such checks conflict with international treaties, the Federal Council would be required to renegotiate them—or, failing […]
VAT not salary tax to fund higher pensions
This week, Switzerland’s lower house has narrowly backed a temporary VAT rise to finance the country’s new 13th month of state pension, reported SRF. Wage contributions are off the table and the National Council, Switzerland’s parliament, agreed only to lift VAT by 0.7 percentage points until the end of 2030. That vote puts an end […]
Switzerland’s housing squeeze tightens as vacancy rate hits 1%
Finding a home in Switzerland is getting harder. For the fifth year in a row the share of vacant flats has fallen, slipping to 1%. In other words, 99% of the country’s housing stock is now occupied. The broad region with the most acute crunch is Vaud and Geneva, but shortages are country wide. According […]
Switzerland’s jobless rate holds steady
Switzerland’s unemployment rate held steady at 2.7% in July 2025, unchanged from the previous month, according to data published this week by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). Adjusted for seasonal variation, the figure remained flat at 2.9%. SECO’s Directorate of Labour, noted that current joblessness is broadly in line with the Swiss labour […]
6-step guide to hiring a cleaner in Switzerland
Brought to you by quitt.ch – No. 1 provider of registration and administration services for domestic help in Switzerland. 1. What do cleaners cost in Switzerland? Cleaners are expensive in Switzerland and good personnel are hard to find. Prices typically range from around CHF 28 to CHF 33 an hour depending on the location and level […]
8-step guide to hiring a nanny in Switzerland
Brought to you by quitt.ch – No. 1 provider of registration and administration services for domestic help in Switzerland. 1. What do nannies cost in Switzerland? Nannies are expensive in Switzerland. Average monthly salaries range from CHF 3,300 to CHF 6,500 depending on experience and where you live. Nannies cost more in Zurich, Basel and […]
Swiss court challenges strict naturalisation policy
Switzerland’s naturalisation policy may change after a court ruling this week, reported SRF. On Wednesday, the Federal Supreme Court sided with a Turkish man whose citizenship application had been left in limbo for five years by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) over a traffic offence committed during his application process. SEM had treated the […]
