Brought to you by Swiss French School. On 1 January 2019, Switzerland’s federal government tightened and harmonised the rules on language requirements to qualify for some residence permits, B and C permits in particular, and … [Read more...]
News and Features
Swiss government committee calls for an immigration tax on EU workers
A committee of Switzerland’s Council of States wants to introduce an immigration levy on workers from the European Union if migration rises sharply after the Bilateral Agreements III enter into force, reported RTS. Andrea Caroni, a member of the … [Read more...]
Switzerland’s September votes – results of first poll
In a poll run for Switzerland's public broadcaster, more than half of Swiss voters intend to reject a proposal to enshrine perpetual and armed neutrality in the constitution, A separate initiative on food policy remains too close to call. The … [Read more...]
Swiss tourist jailed for insulting Bali’s sacred day of silence
A court in Bali has sentenced a Swiss tourist to a year in prison for insulting Nyepi, the Indonesian island’s sacred Hindu Day of Silence. The 26-year-old was convicted on Thursday, August 20, 2026 under Indonesia’s new criminal code after … [Read more...]
Swiss exporters set for major tariff breakthrough in China
Switzerland and China have concluded negotiations on an upgraded trade agreement that would remove tariffs on almost all Swiss exports to China. Guy Parmelin, Switzerland’s economy minister, and Wang Wentao, his Chinese counterpart, announced … [Read more...]
Guides
8 things you must do if you’re running a Swiss business
Brought to you by Winbiz online accounting for Swiss businesses. Once a business is established, there are many ongoing administrative tasks required by law. The main ones are covered in this article. The first few relate to employees and … [Read More...]
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 … [Read More...]
Activities
Here’s why the Chateau de Chillon is Switzerland’s most-visited castle
The Chateau de Chillon is the most-visited historic building in Switzerland. There must be a reason, beyond the fact that it’s easy to get to on the edge of Lake Geneva near Montreux. You enter the Middle Ages as you cross the little castle’s … [Read more...]
Halloween in Switzerland in 2024
Many expats, particularly north Americans, may be surprised to discover that Halloween is not a big event in Switzerland. But it is catching on. Long before Halloween existed, a Gaelic festival known as Samhain marked the end of the harvest … [Read more...]
The best way to save forests, according to a forester
Last summer, two mates and I set out on what turned out to be a “bridge-too-far” walking project. Switzerland is blessed with more than 60,000 km of walking trails crowned by seven iconic National Routes. The National Route 5 (which extends as the … [Read more...]
