Swiss authorities have detected cereulide—a toxin produced by certain strains of bacteria—in two of the first 33 infant-formula samples tested, the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) said on Wednesday. The testing follows successive … [Read more...]
News and Features
Language requirements for Swiss citizenship and visas – what you need to know
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...]
Swiss finance minister defends austerity despite surprise surplus in 2025
Switzerland’s federal government closed 2025 with a financing surplus of CHF 0.3bn, rather than the CHF 0.8bn deficit forecast in the budget. The improvement of more than CHF 1bn was largely due to temporary additional tax revenue from the canton of … [Read more...]
Wastewater points to rise in ketamine use in Switzerland
Ketamine consumption appears to be rising in Switzerland, according to new wastewater data, reported SRF. Researchers at Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) analyse sewage samples to estimate drug use, working on the … [Read more...]
Swiss government wants discounts on popular drugs to curb health premiums
Switzerland’s Federal Council and parliament are seeking to slow the relentless rise in health-insurance premiums by cutting the cost of the country’s bestselling medicines. The government estimates the move could save CHF 350m ($450m) a year, … [Read more...]
Guides
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 … [Read More...]
10-step guide to hiring an employee in Switzerland
Brought to you by quitt.business. For startups and small companies, hiring and onboarding new employees can be a real hassle. In Switzerland especially, there is a significant amount of admin to deal with. The following is a guide to all the … [Read More...]
Activities
Swiss 2021 summer music festival Paléo cancelled
In April 2020, when Covid-19 was spreading across Europe, Paléo announced it was cancelling its 2020 summer music festival. Today, it announced it is cancelling its 2021 festival. In an announcement Paléo said: "the whole organising team kept … [Read more...]
New exhibition opens at Lausanne’s Olympic Museum – We are Olympians, and You?
The latest exhibition at Lausanne’s Olympic Museum is all about the athletes and their stories. And while their record-breaking exploits might be difficult to relate to, the human stories of passion, heartbreak and solidarity that lie behind them, … [Read more...]
Switzerland’s cow parade (désalpe/alpabzug) 2025 and its history
By Bill Harby What exactly is the alpine descent or désalpe / alpabzug? This article explores the event’s history and where to see it. In Switzerland, we know the clock will soon strike autumn when processions of cows crowned with flowers and … [Read more...]
