On Monday, the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was denied entry to Switzerland because he was unable to present a valid visa, reported RTS. Forced to spend Tuesday night at Zurich airport, the well-known dissident artist took to social media. On Instagram, he said “I’m sleeping on a bench with a blanket tonight and waiting to […]
Return of asylum seekers accelerates in Switzerland
Last year, Switzerland sent more than 7,000 asylum seekers back to their country of origin, which is around 18% more than the year before, reported RTS. The figure was revealed by Beat Jans, the Swiss minister in charge of asylum, in conversations at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos this week. With a rate […]
Most of Switzerland’s Ukrainian refugees still not working
Swiss authorities have been working hard to get more Ukrainian refugees off welfare and into work. They set a target of 40% by the end of 2024. However, their efforts have come up short. Only 29% of those of working age are in work, according to the latest data. This figure stands in contrast to […]
The rush for Swiss passports in Zug
The canton of Zug recently tightened its citizenship laws. Since 1 January 2025, the rules for applying to become Swiss in the canton are more strict. In the months before these changes came into force, the number of applications skyrocketed, reported RTS. The requirements for becoming Swiss have federal, cantonal and municipal elements. This means […]
Zurich faces major shortage of workers by 2050
This week, modelling published by the Zurich Office for Economic Affairs, shows a significant shortage of workers emerging in the canton by 2050. Within 25 years, Zurich will have tens of thousands of workers less than it needs, despite a growing population. The modelling shows that as more people retire from the workforce than enter […]
Swiss-EU negotiations now complete
On 20 December 2024, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Bern to conclude the long negotiations between Switzerland and the EU on their future relationship, reported RTS. Von der Leyen described the deal as a historic agreement that is all the more important given the tense global situation. In times of war and economic […]
Swiss to vote on making it easier to become Swiss
This week, an initiative aimed at making it easier to become Swiss cleared the 100,000 signature hurdle required to qualify for a referendum, reported RTS. Non citizens are largely excluded from voting. Some exceptions allow some to vote at a municipal level. Excluding such a significant part of the population from the democratic process is […]
Switzerland’s cross border workers reach record level
At the beginning of the Covid pandemic there was talk of closing Switzerland’s borders. However, it was clear that Swiss hospitals and businesses near Switzerland’s borders would not function without the workers who cross the border daily to work for them, and the notion was dropped. Statistics published this week by the Federal Statistical Office […]
Swiss parliament votes in favour of stricter asylum policy
On 24 September 2024, Switzerland’s parliament voted in favour of several motions aimed at tightening asylum policy. These include moves to remove the right of temporarily admitted asylum seekers to bring their families, and tougher rules for Ukrainians in Switzerland with protection S status, reported SRF. The motion seeking to remove the right of temporarily […]
Switzerland’s population reaches 9 million
Data published this week by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) show that Switzerland’s population reached more than 9 million at the end of June 2024. Census data show there were 9,002,763 people permanently residing in Switzerland at 30 June 2024. The FSO has run a population census seven times since 1850, when the total number […]
