On 28 November 2021, Swiss voters will cast votes on whether to reverse some of Switzerland’s Covid laws in one of the nations most divisive votes. In the run up to the referendum, numerous complaints have been filed over how it is being handled. A number of those opposed to the government’s Covid measures are […]
Covid: Vaud brings back masks in schools
On 25 November 2021, the government of the canton of Vaud announced the return of measures to slow the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The measures include reintroducing masks at school and accelerating the rollout of booster shots. The government said that the canton is at the beginning of a new wave of infection and […]
Swiss Federal Council rejects two votes on pension reform
This week, the Federal Council rejected two very different initiatives aimed at changing the state pension system. In common with much of the developed world, Switzerland is facing a large gap between the money required to fund state pensions and the money flowing in to pay for them, a challenge driven by increasing life expectancy, […]
Switzerland’s 2022 motorway vignette unveiled
Every year Switzerland’s motorway vignette is a different colour. Next year it’s purple. Valid from 1 December 2021 until 31 January 2023, the new stickers must be displayed by anyone using Switzerland’s motorway network. The price remains the same. The motorway stickers have cost CHF 40 for 27 years. Introduced after a referendum in 1985, […]
First winter snow forecast across much of Switzerland this weekend
Snow is forecast to fall on much of Switzerland this weekend, according to various forecast services. According Swiss Meteo, snow is currently predicted to fall in Zurich, Bern and Lausanne on Friday and Saturday and in Geneva on Saturday and Sunday. While Basel is expected to get a bit on Saturday. Meteo Blue, another forecaster, […]
Swiss franc highest against Euro since July 2015
On 19 November 2021, the Euro went below 1.05 Swiss francs, the lowest it has been since July 2015. The Swiss franc is viewed as a safe haven currency and tends to rise when markets are bearish. However, this week the shift in exchange rate may have had more to do with the situation in […]
Cyber-bullying and stalking on the rise in Switzerland
Online harassment and cyberstalking are increasingly widespread in Switzerland, according to a recent survey. And the problem is no longer confined young people, reported RTS. The survey, which questioned 4,000 18-65 year olds in Germany, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland between 2 and 11 August 2021, found that the number of cases of harassment had increased […]
Deadline for changing Swiss health insurance approaching
Once a year it is possible to (easily) change your health insurance in Switzerland. To do so you must cancel your existing policy by 30 November, a date fast approaching. Deadline for annual changes is 30 NovemberInsurers must tell their members what next year’s premiums will be by 31 October. Members then have until 30 […]
People working less in Switzerland
The amount of time spent working in Switzerland has been steadily declining since 2010, according to recent statistics from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). In 2020, an employed person worked an average of 1,495 hours a year in Switzerland, 7.2% or 13.8 days less than in 2010. To reveal the sharp drop in work hours […]
Levelling up – the cantons giving and taking in 2022
In 2022, under the national financial equalisation mechanism, 6 cantons will transfer some of their tax revenue to Switzerland’s 20 other cantons. Switzerland’s cantons have very different tax bases, costs and tax rates. Taxes in Switzerland are comprised of federal taxes, cantonal taxes and municipal taxes. Federal taxes are the same across all of Switzerland. […]
