https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Employees in Switzerland have higher net salaries than their counterparts elsewhere in Europe. But why exactly do they earn more? https://www.thelocal.ch/20231103/why-are-swiss-wages-so-high Fri, 03 Nov 2023 12:58:18 +0100 why-are-swiss-wages-so-high Switzerland offers numerous benefits to international residents, but a new survey reveals that there are a few downsides as well. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260730/what-do-foreigners-like-and-dislike-about-living-in-switzerland-in-2026 Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:32:39 +0200 what-do-foreigners-like-and-dislike-about-living-in-switzerland-in-2026 In warm (and not so warm) weather, getting outside on the balcony in Switzerland can offer some valuable respite. But what are you actually allowed to do? https://www.thelocal.ch/20220719/nudity-bbqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do-on-your-balcony-in-switzerland Tue, 19 Jul 2022 12:31:04 +0200 nudity-bbqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do-on-your-balcony-in-switzerland You can't just jump into a public swimming pool in Switzerland wearing whatever you want. But you must wear something. https://www.thelocal.ch/20240829/what-are-the-rules-for-what-you-can-wear-in-swiss-swimming-pools Thu, 29 Aug 2024 15:36:58 +0200 what-are-the-rules-for-what-you-can-wear-in-swiss-swimming-pools In the warmer months, spending some quality time in your garden can be wonderful for your mental and physical well-being. But what are people actually allowed to do in their garden in Switzerland? https://www.thelocal.ch/20230508/what-you-can-and-cant-do-as-a-homeowner-in-your-garden-in-switzerland Mon, 08 May 2023 17:17:12 +0200 what-you-can-and-cant-do-as-a-homeowner-in-your-garden-in-switzerland Whether you’re returning to your home country, seeking new adventures elsewhere or retiring abroad, leaving Switzerland means more Swiss bureaucracy and there are lots of things you’ll need to arrange before you leave. https://www.thelocal.ch/20240130/checklist-everything-you-need-to-do-if-you-leave-switzerland-for-good Tue, 30 Jan 2024 13:24:49 +0100 checklist-everything-you-need-to-do-if-you-leave-switzerland-for-good Whether you are getting married, or obtaining a birth certificate for a child born in Switzerland, you will likely pay more for these documents in the future. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260630/registering-births-and-marriages-in-switzerland-set-to-become-more-expensive Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:29:52 +0200 registering-births-and-marriages-in-switzerland-set-to-become-more-expensive In real estate lingo, what counts most is ‘location, location, location.’ But in Switzerland, many other factors enter into play when choosing the best place to live, a new analysis reveals. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260626/revealed-the-best-municipality-in-switzerland-to-live-in-2026 Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:19:58 +0200 revealed-the-best-municipality-in-switzerland-to-live-in-2026 Overall, Switzerland is a very clean country, and the government wants to keep it this way by introducing a national penalty for littering. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260625/swiss-government-to-impose-new-250-franc-fines-for-littering Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:30:42 +0200 swiss-government-to-impose-new-250-franc-fines-for-littering Taking a dip in public fountains has become a much-loved ritual in certain parts of Switzerland. But with the country currently suffering a heatwave, is it allowed everywhere? https://www.thelocal.ch/20230719/where-is-bathing-in-fountains-allowed-in-switzerland Wed, 19 Jul 2023 09:02:15 +0200 where-is-bathing-in-fountains-allowed-in-switzerland If you come from a country where smoke detectors are obligatory, you may be surprised by the lack of these devices in Swiss dwellings. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260605/why-dont-apartments-in-switzerland-always-have-smoke-alarms Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:43:15 +0200 why-dont-apartments-in-switzerland-always-have-smoke-alarms If you have lived in the country a while, you know that things here change at a snail’s pace. There are several reasons why the Swiss like to take their sweet time — and it has nothing to do with watches. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230202/why-is-change-so-slow-to-take-root-in-switzerland Thu, 02 Feb 2023 15:20:41 +0100 why-is-change-so-slow-to-take-root-in-switzerland Switzerland’s insurance providers offer dozens of various coverage options to the country’s residents. How can you know which ones you really need and which are redundant — or overlapping? https://www.thelocal.ch/20240903/which-swiss-insurance-policies-are-essential-and-which-ones-dont-you-need Tue, 03 Sep 2024 13:07:09 +0200 which-swiss-insurance-policies-are-essential-and-which-ones-dont-you-need If you've spent time in Switzerland, you will have noticed that most shops close on Sundays. It's a part of Swiss law and culture to treat Sunday as a day of rest. But it can be a major inconvenience when you forget to shop on Saturday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251118/where-can-you-shop-in-switzerland-on-a-sunday Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:56:44 +0100 where-can-you-shop-in-switzerland-on-a-sunday Many foreign nationals living in Switzerland have a basic proficiency in German, but are shy about speaking it with the locals. A language expert explains to The Local how they to overcome this particular inhibition. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260511/be-persistent-how-foreigners-in-switzerland-can-be-confident-speaking-german Mon, 11 May 2026 16:41:12 +0200 be-persistent-how-foreigners-in-switzerland-can-be-confident-speaking-german After some delays due to logistics, Switzerland’s first national telephone number for victims of domestic abuse - 142 – has gone live on May 1st. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260501/142-what-you-should-know-about-switzerlands-new-domestic-violence-hotline Fri, 01 May 2026 12:48:11 +0200 142-what-you-should-know-about-switzerlands-new-domestic-violence-hotline Several proposals and changes are currently underway in Switzerland that could impact the lives of foreign nationals next year or beyond if they are implemented. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251120/what-immigration-changes-await-foreigners-in-switzerland-in-2026-and-beyond Thu, 20 Nov 2025 15:33:40 +0100 what-immigration-changes-await-foreigners-in-switzerland-in-2026-and-beyond You've probably noticed that people from the European Union, as well as Norway Iceland, and Liechtenstein (so-called EFTA countries) are treated differently in Switzerland than their counterparts from outside the EU. Why is that and what are they each entitled to? https://www.thelocal.ch/20230628/what-are-eu-efta-citizens-entitled-to-in-switzerland-compared-to-non-eu-nationals Wed, 28 Jun 2023 12:00:41 +0200 what-are-eu-efta-citizens-entitled-to-in-switzerland-compared-to-non-eu-nationals Whether its work permits, health insurance or buying property we'd like to hear from readers about what the main problems are in 2026 for international residents living in Switzerland. Please take part in our one minute survey. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260416/tell-us-what-are-the-chief-problems-facing-foreign-residents-in-switzerland Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:34:36 +0200 tell-us-what-are-the-chief-problems-facing-foreign-residents-in-switzerland If you haven’t realised it yet, being proficient in ‘German’ does not quite equate to being well integrated in Switzerland. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260420/why-speaking-standard-german-could-be-a-problem-in-switzerland Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:32:26 +0200 why-speaking-standard-german-could-be-a-problem-in-switzerland