Switzerland’s Federal Office of Police (Fedpol) recently released figues on entry bans between 2016 and 2018, according to Le Matin. The information was released in response to a request by Barbara Steinemann, a national councillor and member of the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP), who requested more detailed information on the two Swiss nationals involved in […]
Unemployment rises in Switzerland but falls across the EU
Switzerland’s low unemployment rate is the envy of many EU countries. However, in the third quarter of 2019, Switzerland underperformed the EU. Recent statistics show Switzerland’s overall rate of unemployment in the third quarter rose from 4.2% (Q3 2018) to 4.6% (Q3 2019) or 225,000 unemployed workers – these figures are based on the International […]
Woman set to lose Swiss citizenship
Last month Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) stripped a dual national of his Swiss nationality. Now it has started the process of removing Swiss nationality from a woman who is also a citizen of France and Tunisia, according to Le Matin. SEM recently announced in the Federal Gazette that it had started the process of […]
Initiative to house asylum seekers outside Switzerland approved
A initiative seeking a popular vote on a plan to house asylum seekers in secure zones in their home country or nearby was validated by federal officials this week. The initiative, which originates from the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP), would require asylum applicants to stay in these secure zones until their applications were processed. Successful […]
Why Switzerland ranked near the top of the 2019 global competitiveness ranking
Switzerland made the the top 5, after dropping from 4th to 5th, in this year’s World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Competitiveness Index. Switzerland’s decline was largely due to a down weighting of a factor where it is strong, according to WEF’s Saadia Zahidi. The Global Competitive Index measures performance in 114 areas that influence a […]
Rumoured plan to repatriate Daesh families to Switzerland
According to various newspapers, including Tribune de Genève, some members of Switzerland’s federal government are considering a plan to repatriate Daesh families from the middle east to Switzerland. The plan, which newspapers say could find support among members of the Federal Council, would involve bringing four mothers and seven children back to Switzerland. Two of […]
Swiss parliament rejects initiative to limit immigration
Last week, Switzerland’s parliament voted against an initiative put forward by the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) to limit immigration into Switzerland, according to RTS. The idea was rejected by 123 votes to 63. The UDC was the only party to support it. If a majority of Swiss voters support the initiative the government would have […]
Old Swiss residence permits to be phased out
The format of the residence permits issued to foreigners in Switzerland depends on the country of origin and type of stay. Currently, those from EU and EFTA countries and a few other types of foreign residents get paper permits that come in a plastic cover. Others get plastic credit card sized ones, which contain their […]
Initiative to house asylum seekers outside Switzerland
This week, a group of politicians from the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) announced a new popular initiative aimed at asylum seekers, according to the newspaper 20 Minutes. The initiative aims to put in place a system of on-the-spot asylum assistance where asylum seekers are housed in secure zones in their home country or nearby. Switzerland […]
How moving within Switzerland can stop you getting permanent residency
A recent case in the canton of Bern reveals the risks of moving to a municipality where they speak a different language. A Brazilian women married to a Swiss national found this out the hard way, according to the newspaper 20 Minutes. After moving from a French-speaking municipality in the Canton of Neuchâtel to the […]
