(Slightly) higher minimum wage
As of January 1st, the cantonal minimum wage has gone up by 30 cents — from 21.70 to 22 francs an hour.
This year’s hike may not seem like much, but it is based on Switzerland’s inflation rate, which is currently 0.4 percent — much lower than it was in 2022, when Basel’s minimum wage law was first introduced.
Longer maternity leave for cantonal employees
From January, expectant mothers who work for Basel-City will be allowed to take longer paid leave than before: in addition to the 16 weeks of maternity leave after giving birth that are already provided for in the law, up to three weeks of pregnancy leave before the due date are now granted as well.
More expensive parking fees
Basel is the first Swiss city to introduce size-dependent fees for resident parking cards.
Basel government wants to gradually increase the fee from 284 a year for all cars, and base it on the on the length of the vehicle.
From 2025 therefore, ‘short’ car owners will be charged 332 francs, medium-length, 422 francs, and long cars 512 francs.
Commuter parking cards will cost even more.
For short vehicles, the price for an annual parking card will initially remain at 860 francs.
For medium-length vehicles, however, the fee will rise to 950 francs in January and for long vehicles to 1,040 francs.
Pay equity analysis
At its March meeting, the Economic and Tax Committee of the Basel parliament will discuss the introduction of a new cantonal law it supports that would require local companies with 50 or more employees to carry out wage equality analyses.
Since 2020, a federal regulation has made it mandatory for companies with 100 or more employees to carry out an internal analysis of wage equality between women and men.
Basel’s legislation (if adopted) would therefore be even stricter in promotion gender equality in employment.
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Revelry!
Switzerland’s most famous carnival celebration, the Basel Fasnacht, will kick off at 4 am on March 10th and end (after three nights of fun) at 4 am on March 12th.
Beyond being just another festival, “the Fasnacht is part of Basel’s identity,” according to city authorities. “Culturally speaking, it is at the heart of its creative energies and represents three days when the city goes wild.”
The event is the largest of its kind in Switzerland and is enshrined in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
READ ALSO:What you should know about Switzerland’s largest carnival
Eurovision
Unless you have been living on another planet, you must know that Basel will host the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest which will take place in St. Jakobshalle from May 13th to 17th.
This event has been causing much brouhaha throughout the city, with opponents decrying a “waste” of public funds for a “blasphemous” music performance, and supporters voting in favour of nearly 35 million francs to be earmarked for the TV extravaganza.
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Air travel
Between April and June 2025, Easyjet will add one North African and three European destinations to its flight network departing from Basel’s EuroAirport.
These are the flights:
Reykjavik: From April 1st, the low-cost airline will fly to Iceland’s capital twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Djerba: Also from April 1st, Easyjet will fly to this island off the coast of Tunisia onTuesdays and Saturdays.
Bilbao: The northern Spanish city will be on Easyjet’s radar from April 4th, with twice-weekly flights — on Mondays and Fridays.
Skiathos: Easyjet will fly to this small Greek island in the northwestern Aegean Sea from June 24th to August 29th, on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Chania: The city on the Greek island of Crete will be on the flight schedule from June 25th until August 31st, on Wednesdays and Sundays.
And in case you are wondering what is expected in two other major Swiss cities in 2025, you can find the answers here:
READ ALSO: What changes can you expect in Zurich this year?
READ ALSO: The major changes you can expect in Geneva in 2025
