Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Foreigners graduating from Swiss universities will be allowed to remain in the country; disguising your face will cost you 1,000 francs; and other news in our roundup on Tuesday.
Ukraine's Zelensky to speak to Swiss parliament
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will address Switzerland's parliament on June 15th. He will make a video address to the National Council at 2pm.
The Offices of the National Council and the Council of States gave the green light to the address in response to a request from the Ukrainian Embassy in Switzerland.
Some Swiss MPs were against the move and consider an attempt by Zelensky to influence the country's stance on supplying weapons to Ukraine.
Foreign graduates will find it easier to stay in Switzerland
Third-country nationals who graduate from Swiss universities with a degree in a field suffering from a shortage of qualified professionals will be allowed to remain in Switzerland.
Under the current rules, they must return to their home countries after finishing their studies.
The Council of States, Switzerland's upper house of the Federal Assembly, accepted this change on Monday — following the National Council’s approval of the proposal in March — even though some MPs oppose this move on the grounds that it would create a category of third-country nationals not subject to quotas.
There is no date set for the implementation of the new rule.
READ ALSO: Non-EU university graduates in Switzerland to be allowed to stay and work
Inflation in Switzerland continued to fall significantly in May
Last month, inflation in Switzerland dropped to its the lowest level since February 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drove the rate upwards.
Specifically, inflation fell to 2.2 percent in May from 2.6 percent in April, according to data released by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on Monday.
That’s a significant decrease, considering that in the first two months after the war started, it had risen to 3.4 percent.
Covering your face could cost you 1,000 francs
In March 2021, Swiss voters accepted the so-called ‘burqa ban’ law, prohibiting full face coverings in public places.
The government had two years to draw up detailed legislation, which nevertheless provides for exceptions, which include places of worship, for health reasons, in cold weather, in an artistic setting, or for advertising purposes.
The law also wants to preserve the political rights relating to the freedom of opinion or assembly of people “when the concealment of the face is necessary for their own protection” or even more broadly “to express their opinion figuratively.”
In the event of an offence, the maximum fine is set at 1,000 francs.
The Council of States approved this version of the legislation on Monday, and it now must be accepted by the National Council in order to be to be implemented.
Another substantial price hike for health insurance for 2024
While the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), which sets the annual health insurance premiums, has not yet announced the increase planned for next year (the figures are released in October), experts already predict another sharp hike.
According to Comparis consumer platform, the average increase should reach 6 percent.
Among the reasons cited by Comparis is the lower money reserve that insurance carriers must keep at a certain level at all times.
However, many health insurers "now lack a financial buffer to cushion current cost fluctuations," Felix Schneuwly, health insurance expert at Comparis pointed out.
READ ALSO: Why is Swiss health insurance set to get more expensive?
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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Ukraine's Zelensky to speak to Swiss parliament
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will address Switzerland's parliament on June 15th. He will make a video address to the National Council at 2pm.
The Offices of the National Council and the Council of States gave the green light to the address in response to a request from the Ukrainian Embassy in Switzerland.
Some Swiss MPs were against the move and consider an attempt by Zelensky to influence the country's stance on supplying weapons to Ukraine.
Foreign graduates will find it easier to stay in Switzerland
Third-country nationals who graduate from Swiss universities with a degree in a field suffering from a shortage of qualified professionals will be allowed to remain in Switzerland.
Under the current rules, they must return to their home countries after finishing their studies.
The Council of States, Switzerland's upper house of the Federal Assembly, accepted this change on Monday — following the National Council’s approval of the proposal in March — even though some MPs oppose this move on the grounds that it would create a category of third-country nationals not subject to quotas.
There is no date set for the implementation of the new rule.
READ ALSO: Non-EU university graduates in Switzerland to be allowed to stay and work
Inflation in Switzerland continued to fall significantly in May
Last month, inflation in Switzerland dropped to its the lowest level since February 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drove the rate upwards.
Specifically, inflation fell to 2.2 percent in May from 2.6 percent in April, according to data released by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on Monday.
That’s a significant decrease, considering that in the first two months after the war started, it had risen to 3.4 percent.
Covering your face could cost you 1,000 francs
In March 2021, Swiss voters accepted the so-called ‘burqa ban’ law, prohibiting full face coverings in public places.
The government had two years to draw up detailed legislation, which nevertheless provides for exceptions, which include places of worship, for health reasons, in cold weather, in an artistic setting, or for advertising purposes.
The law also wants to preserve the political rights relating to the freedom of opinion or assembly of people “when the concealment of the face is necessary for their own protection” or even more broadly “to express their opinion figuratively.”
In the event of an offence, the maximum fine is set at 1,000 francs.
The Council of States approved this version of the legislation on Monday, and it now must be accepted by the National Council in order to be to be implemented.
Another substantial price hike for health insurance for 2024
While the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), which sets the annual health insurance premiums, has not yet announced the increase planned for next year (the figures are released in October), experts already predict another sharp hike.
According to Comparis consumer platform, the average increase should reach 6 percent.
Among the reasons cited by Comparis is the lower money reserve that insurance carriers must keep at a certain level at all times.
However, many health insurers "now lack a financial buffer to cushion current cost fluctuations," Felix Schneuwly, health insurance expert at Comparis pointed out.
READ ALSO: Why is Swiss health insurance set to get more expensive?
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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