Switzerland will not grant early residency permits to Ukrainian refugees; Lausanne police could hire foreign residents to join their ranks; and more news in our Wednesday roundup.
Switzerland refuses to grant early permits to Ukrainian refugees
MP Reto Nause has submitted a parliamentary motion seeking to allow Ukrainians with S status to obtain a residence permit after three years, instead of the usual five years – provided they are gainfully employed.
The Council of States committee has, however, rejected this move on the basis that it would create unequal treatment.
It said it “considers that it is not justified to grant preferential treatment to beneficiaries of S status compared to other categories of foreigners.”
Lausanne could start hiring foreign nationals for its police force
Until now, only Swiss citizens could become police officers in Lausanne – as in most other cities and cantons – but this could soon change.
The municipality is looking into recruiting C-permit holders because, according to the local newspaper, 24 Heures, “the proportion of foreigners in the Lausanne population reaches 42 percent, but the police force in this region remains relatively non-diversified.”
This move comes shortly after some of the Lausanne police had been accused of racism in the aftermath of the violent unrest that broke out in the Vaud capital in August.
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Most cantons anticipate a deficit in 2026
“The largest chunks of cantonal spending are in the areas of education, social affairs, and health,” said Ernst Stocker, president of the Conference of Cantonal Finance Directors when announcing the looming deficit.
These expenses have grown more rapidly than revenues in several cantons, he added.
The canton of Zug has the highest revenue surplus at 370 million francs.
At the other end of the scale is Geneva, with a deficit of 409.4 million francs.
This is not good news for residents, as budget deficits typically lead to cuts in public spending.
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Carl’s Jr. burger chain closes in Switzerland
Open exactly two years ago, in October 2023, the US chain operated in three Swiss cities – Basel, Winterthur, and Schaffhausen.
But it was short-lived.
No details about the reason for closing have been provided, but according to 20Minuten news platform, “anyone searching for Carl’s Jr.’s online presence in Switzerland will only encounter non-functional websites. The website of Spycher Burger Gang, the company behind the burger joints, is also currently no longer accessible.”
This news comes shortly after another US chain, Starbucks, announced it is closing some of its Swiss branches as part of global cost-cutting measures.
READ ALSO: Why is Starbucks closing branches in Switzerland
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