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 crackdown on forever chemicals faces resistance from farmers
Switzerland’s federal government is stepping up efforts to tackle contamination from PFAS—so-called forever chemicals—but is meeting resistance from cantons and parliament. According to reporting by SRF, officials plan to issue a directive requiring … [Read more...]
Swiss emissions down by 27%
Switzerland has reduced its domestic greenhouse-gas emissions by 27.3% since 1990, according to the latest figures from the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). Total emissions fell to 40.1m tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2024, about 0.5m tonnes … [Read more...]
Few Swiss tenants claim rent cuts after rate drops
Few Swiss tenants are asking for lower rent, despite a fall in the mortgage reference rate that entitles many to a reduction. A study by Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB) finds that although nearly half of tenants could have benefited from the most recent … [Read more...]
Tick bites on the rise in Switzerland
Tick bites are on the rise in Switzerland. Suva, the national accident insurance provider, estimates that nearly 18,000 cases were recorded in 2025, close to the peak seen in 2020 and well above the 9,000 reported annually in the mid-2000s. Between … [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...]
15 things you should know about Swiss health insurance
It's health insurance season. Average premiums are increasing in 2018. Compulsory basic Swiss health insurance can generally only be changed once a year. To change you must notify your current provider by 30 November. This article explains the basics … [Read More...]
Activities
Lake Geneva’s beautiful paddlewheel boats – getting there is way more than half the fun
They say that “getting there is half the fun”. But sometimes it’s more. A lot more. For example: a Lake Geneva cruise on a grand historic paddlewheel steamboat. Destination? Who cares? On a recent gorgeous Sunday afternoon, I, your intrepid … [Read more...]
The Swiss cheese train to Chateau d’Oex – fondue and alpine tradition
It’s called Le Train du Fromage – The Cheese Train – but after this day tour, you’ll remember a lot more than that steaming fondue you had for lunch at an alpine village restaurant. You can board The Cheese Train (just one of several trains) in … [Read more...]
Places to go for early season skiing in Switzerland
Mention skiing in November and it is likely to draw blank expressions, or comments like: "It’s too early, there will be no snow". While this is true for some resorts not all ski domains were created equal. A recent study shows that in 2015, snow … [Read more...]
