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 Thanks to sound investments, 2025 was a lucrative year for second-pillar pensions – including for foreign workers employed in Switzerland. And they will benefit in 2026. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260512/why-2026-is-a-good-year-for-retirees-in-switzerlands Tue, 12 May 2026 15:37:34 +0200 why-2026-is-a-good-year-for-retirees-in-switzerlands Switzerland relies heavily on people from the EU to fill the gaps in its labour market. A new study shows how significant the shortage could be with the approval of the ‘No to 10 million’ initiative in a referendum on June 14th. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260511/how-bad-would-worker-shortages-be-if-swiss-back-anti-immigration-proposal Mon, 11 May 2026 11:15:08 +0200 how-bad-would-worker-shortages-be-if-swiss-back-anti-immigration-proposal Swiss government ministers have analysed a parliamentary report about the viability of proposed immigration tax - an ‘entry fee’ that foreign nationals would have to pay if they settle in Switzerland. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260507/no-benefit-to-economy-switzerland-examines-much-talked-about-immigration-tax Thu, 07 May 2026 13:43:25 +0200 no-benefit-to-economy-switzerland-examines-much-talked-about-immigration-tax While Swiss wages do go up with age, this trend varies considerably from one sector to another, a new government study reveals. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260225/in-figures-how-swiss-salaries-increase-with-age Wed, 25 Feb 2026 13:28:37 +0100 in-figures-how-swiss-salaries-increase-with-age Switzerland has several different types of work permits. Which one you are eligible to obtain depends on various factors. https://www.thelocal.ch/20231108/who-determines-what-kind-of-swiss-work-permit-you-receive Wed, 08 Nov 2023 11:59:56 +0100 who-determines-what-kind-of-swiss-work-permit-you-receive Two Lucerne companies have this week joined the long list of Switzerland-based firms that are cutting their workforce. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260429/further-job-cuts-are-underway-in-switzerland Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:57 +0200 further-job-cuts-are-underway-in-switzerland Regardless of whether you leave your employment voluntarily or not, your company in Switzerland is obligated to provide you with certain documents and sometimes also financial compensation. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260427/what-are-employees-in-switzerland-entitled-to-when-leaving-a-job Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:38:51 +0200 what-are-employees-in-switzerland-entitled-to-when-leaving-a-job Depending on the distance from your home to work, your commute, whether by car or public transport, could end up being quite expensive. Will the company you work for in Switzerland refund these costs? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260423/when-does-your-swiss-employer-have-to-pay-you-for-travel-to-and-from-work Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:34:54 +0200 when-does-your-swiss-employer-have-to-pay-you-for-travel-to-and-from-work 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 Salaries in Switzerland went up in 2025, but disparities exist among sectors, a new government study reveals. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260421/which-swiss-job-sectors-have-seen-the-highest-wage-increases Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:57:26 +0200 which-swiss-job-sectors-have-seen-the-highest-wage-increases Some jobseekers in Switzerland have complained about being asked, during a recruitment process, to provide an extract from a debt enforcement office proving no defaulted payments. But is this practice legal? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260415/can-a-swiss-employer-require-job-candidates-to-be-debt-free Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:11:09 +0200 can-a-swiss-employer-require-job-candidates-to-be-debt-free For the first time, Switzerland’s residents over the age of 65 outnumber those under 20. The phenomenon could have serious implications on the country’s future as well as on government policy. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260402/what-will-switzerland-do-now-that-retirees-outnumber-young-people Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:18:44 +0200 what-will-switzerland-do-now-that-retirees-outnumber-young-people Faced with serious labour shortages and dwindling pension funds, Switzerland wants to encourage people to stay in their jobs longer. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260305/how-switzerland-wants-to-keep-pensioners-working-longer-in-life Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:46:16 +0100 how-switzerland-wants-to-keep-pensioners-working-longer-in-life Nearly 1.9 million foreigners are currently employed in Switzerland, but some industries are recruiting them more actively than others. https://www.thelocal.ch/20240306/which-job-sectors-in-switzerland-employ-the-most-foreign-workers Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:48:53 +0100 which-job-sectors-in-switzerland-employ-the-most-foreign-workers Over 2,000 more employees will lose their jobs, as yet another Swiss company announces a wave of redundancies. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260303/more-jobs-are-set-to-be-cut-in-switzerland-in-2026 Tue, 03 Mar 2026 12:59:44 +0100 more-jobs-are-set-to-be-cut-in-switzerland-in-2026 Swiss labour law protects workers’ rights, but in some cases it can also give leeway to employers – including in matters related to wages. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260303/when-can-a-swiss-employer-refuse-to-pay-your-salary Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:28:17 +0100 when-can-a-swiss-employer-refuse-to-pay-your-salary Many multi-national companies have offices in Switzerland, and some are ranked among the country’s best employers. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260213/revealed-are-these-the-best-international-companies-to-work-for-in-switzerland Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:37:40 +0100 revealed-are-these-the-best-international-companies-to-work-for-in-switzerland Wages in Switzerland are generally higher than almost everywhere else in Europe. But that doesn’t mean everyone is paid fairly. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250610/why-workers-in-switzerland-are-more-likely-to-be-underpaid-in-certain-cantons Tue, 10 Jun 2025 11:13:20 +0200 why-workers-in-switzerland-are-more-likely-to-be-underpaid-in-certain-cantons Even though the Swiss unemployment rate is expected to rise slightly in 2026, there are currently a total of 225,358 jobs advertised across the country – with some sectors more in demand than others. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260115/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-225000-job-vacancies-in-switzerland Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:03:25 +0100 what-you-need-to-know-about-the-225000-job-vacancies-in-switzerland Being able to speak one of Switzerland's national languages is a must for a number of companies, sectors, and positions. But how you go about learning it matters more than the certificate you get, one expert explains. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260129/why-learning-a-swiss-language-strictly-by-the-book-may-not-help-your-career Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:55:41 +0100 why-learning-a-swiss-language-strictly-by-the-book-may-not-help-your-career