Most European immigrants leave Switzerland after five to 10 years; the UK issues a travel warning for Switzerland; and more news in our roundup this Tuesday.
Half of European immigrants don’t stay more than five years in Switzerland
While the rightwing Swiss People’s Party justifies its ‘No to 10 million‘ initiative by arguing that foreigners remain in Switzerland indefinitely, according to Patrick Chuard-Keller, chief economist at the Swiss Employers’ Association, every year, 30,000 Europeans leave the country.
Specifically, half leave Switzerland after five years, and after 10 years, 60 percent of EU nationals have returned home.
Among the main reasons for the departures are the high cost of living and the difficulty of integration, he said.
READ ALSO: Why so many foreign residents end up leaving Switzerland
The UK issues a travel warning for…Switzerland
Switzerland is now among the destinations for which the UK recommends increased vigilance.
On its website, the government said last week that “there have been increased reports of petty theft, especially in larger cities, at Geneva airport and on trains to and from Geneva.”
Therefore, British visitors should ‘take sensible precautions to avoid mugging, bag-snatching and pickpocketing. Be particularly alert at airports, railway stations and in crowded areas.”
This warning is similar to the one issued in May 2025 by the US State Department, which had classified Switzerland as a risk for Americans.
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Zurich parliament rejects mandatory cash payments
Zurich businesses are not required to accept cash.
The Cantonal Council rejected a citizen’s initiative to this effect, with the proposal receiving only eight votes.
The issue of cash has been a recurring topic in the city and canton in recent months, especially after the Zurich Art Museum and the Christmas market at the main train station started accepting only cashless payments (the decision which was subsequently reversed).
On a national level, an unrelated but similar initiative is calling for the government to guarantee the availability of cash and the continued use of the Swiss franc as the national currency. It will be voted on March 8th
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The owner of the burned bar is detained for three months
Jacques Moretti, the French co-owner of the Crans-Montana bar which went up in flames during New Year celebrations will be jailed for three months, “due to the existence of a flight risk,” Valais officials said.
In the meantime, the public prosecutor’s office will continue to investigate the blaze – which claimed 40 lives and injured 116 others – as well as all the security breaches at the venue, which prevented partygoers to escape to safety. (With AFP)
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