New Swiss rules may limit immigration from the EU, and a friendless Dutch couple denied Swiss citizenship — these are among the big stories from Switzerland you need to catch up on.
Swiss government revises its safeguard clause to satisfy the EU
As part of the latest round of negotiations between Bern and Brussels, Switzerland must amend the conditions under which it can restrict immigration from the EU — the so-called ‘safeguard clause.’
Under the proposed changes, Swiss government can decide to temporarily limit immigration from certain countries due to “serious economic or social problems.”
The Federal Council may consider activating the clause it if it determines that these difficulties exist throughout Switzerland or in specific regions or sectors.
READ ALSO: How Switzerland wants to restrict immigration from the EU under new deal
Being friendless in Switzerland doesn’t bode well for naturalisation
A couple from the Netherlands, who have lived in Switzerland for 20 years, saw their request for naturalisation denied.
One of the reasons cited for the refusal: they only have a few friends in their local community.
Lack of friends and acquaintances in their local community, Unteriberg in canton Schwyz, means the couple is not “sufficiently integrated,” and can’t therefore obtain Swiss citizenship, said the town’s mayor, Ruedi Keller, who is also a member of the naturalisation committee.
READ ALSO: Couple denied Swiss citizenship because ‘they didn’t have enough friends’
The reasons foreign residents leave Switzerland
The number of foreign residents who leave Switzerland to return home — willingly and not — is well above the EU average.
There are many reasons for that, including no longer having a work permit.
The permit that nationals from non-EU/EFTA countries received may be tied to their jobs, and once their employment contract is over, they must leave the country.
Other grounds for departures abroad include retirement from jobs in Switzerland, family, as well as unspecified professional reasons.
READ ALSO: Why some foreigners in Switzerland have to leave
Advertisement
Switzerland gets ready to ‘welcome’ foreign rail companies
Under the terms of bilateral agreements that Switzerland concluded with the European Union in December 2024, foreign transport companies will be able to run train services in Switzerland, and vice-versa.
It is not yet known which foreign operators — besides the ones already active on Swiss territory like Trenitalia, TGV Lyria, and Deutsche Bahn — will take advantage of this opening.
However, the Federal Council is setting directives on how the new system will be rolled out in Switzerland.
READ ALSO: How Switzerland will open up rail services to foreign companies
Pensioners urged to continue working
The statuary retirement age in Switzerland is 65, but the Federal Council would like the population to work longer.
The reason is that the number of retirees who draw the first-pillar state pension is growing, while the number of the people active in the labour market — the ones who pay into the social compensation scheme — is dwindling.
To keep the system in a good financial condition, people should postpone their retirement, the government says.
READ ALSO: Swiss government says it wants people to work on after retirement
Advertisement
Several cantons to hold local votes on Sunday
While no federal referendums are on the agenda for May 18th, voters in some cantons will cast their ballots on issues of regional importance.
Among them is the ‘Equal Pay’ initiative in Aargau; a proposal to lower corporate taxes in Zurich; a movel calling for better cycling routes in Basel-City; more rapid transition to solar energy in Geneva; and a new dog tax in Solothurn.
READ ALSO: What are the big issues Swiss cantons will vote this Sunday?
