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
Trump announces drug price deal with Novartis and Roche subsidiary
Donald Trump has announced a deal with several large pharmaceutical firms, including Switzerland’s Novartis and Genentech, a subsidiary of Roche, reported SRF. The agreement, unveiled at the White House, is intended to lower the prices of selected … [Read more...]
Switzerland could feed its entire population without food imports
Swiss agriculture could, in theory, feed the entire population without imports. That is the counter-intuitive conclusion of a new study by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), the ETH Zurich and the consultancy O+L GmbH. The … [Read more...]
Man threatened to attack Jews at the Eurovision in Basel
Security officials in Switzerland quietly intervened ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel in May 2025 after a young man threatened violence against Jews, reported SRF. The 25-year-old was preventively detained and later deported before the … [Read more...]
Trump sets deadline to conclude binding trade agreement with Switzerland
Donald Trump has set Switzerland a deadline to conclude a binding trade agreement, reported RTS. Washington wants a legally enforceable deal in place by March 31st 2026. Failing that, the United States says it may review and reconsider the tariffs … [Read more...]
Guides
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...]
Setting up a business in Switzerland – a guide
Brought to you by Winbiz online accounting for Swiss businesses. So you have decided to start a business. You have a business plan and are ready to get started. Before you launch you need a name and possibly a company. Broadly there are two options … [Read More...]
Activities
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...]
“Snow of May” – Swiss narcissus season approaches
The spring narcissus bloom in Switzerland's riviera region, a star tourist attraction of the Belle Epoque - the 30 to 40 years before the war in 1914 - was described as the "snow of May" by Ernest Hemingway in his novel A Farewell to Arms. The book … [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...]
