Living in Switzerland

Allegra! Have you ever heard a sentence in Romansh? In our newest episode, you'll get to hear several, spoken by the Romansh news anchor Livio Chistell. You'll get to find out more about: Where this language comes from Where it's spoken What it's like to grow up and work in a Romansh-speaking area How you can discover more about the language And of course, what it sounds like. If you liked the epi...

Federal tax, cantonal tax, municipal tax, and church tax... If you're planning to live in Switzerland or you've just arrived, you may be bewildered by the many different types of taxes in Switzerland. You'll need to learn about: -               What types of taxes you will pay. -               How they will be paid. -               What deadlines you need to observe. -               How to reduce...

Schwingen, Steinstossen, Hornussen... Switzerland is home to several unique sports. Hornussen is one of the most popular, known for the small 'nouss' that looks like a hockey puck and the 'schindel', the wooden paddle reminiscent of a pizzaiolo's shovel. The sport contains elements of golf and baseball and is mainly played in the Bern and Solothurn region. In this episode, Sandra Widmer from the S...

Political parties, interest groups, and even individual citizens can change the Swiss constitution via popular initiatives. But the process can be complex to understand and initiate. To launch an initiative, you must rewrite the relevant section(s) of the constitution, put together a committee, liaise with the Federal Chancellery, and of course, collect 100,000 valid signatures within 18 months. I...

Swiss citizens have the right to vote on a wide range of issues multiple times a year. Therefore, staying informed about politics in Switzerland is important for anyone living in Switzerland. In 2025 and 2026, there's a lot going on: ·       The government is debating a new agreement with the EU ·       Around 60 cost-cutting measures have been proposed ·       Residents might get to vote on sever...

Around 11% of Swiss residents hold cryptocurrencies. Despite this, there's still a lot of confusion about Bitcoin in Switzerland. Many people don't fully understand: How the technology works What the benefits are How to manage the risks and volatility of Bitcoin How to buy and store Bitcoin Yves has been studying and teaching about Bitcoin for many years. He explains what it is and why it's import...

Switzerland offers expats amazing quality of life, a beautiful landscape, and a warm welcome. Despite this, many people encounter challenges. They might: Find it difficult to settle in: find a home, take out insurance, understand Swiss finances, etc. Struggle if one partner is not able to work or speak the local language. Worry about how their kids are settling in.  Struggle to succeed in a new wo...

Although many people in Switzerland have a high income, most of them aren't making the most of their finances. They are so-called HENRYS: High earners, not rich yet. They often:  Inflate their lifestyle to fit their salary Forget that some bills are more unpredictable in Switzerland than in other countries Take out too much insurance Lose a lot of money on high banking and investment fees Eric has...

Many expats struggle with dating in Switzerland. But the process doesn't have to be difficult or painful. If you're a successful professional living in Switzerland, you might:  Feel that you're too busy to date Avoid dating because you think you'll move away again Worry about interacting with locals due to language and cultural barriers But many Swiss residents are open to dating expats, and they...

Dating in Switzerland can be confusing, especially for new expats. But there are plenty of singles looking to settle down. You just need to know where to find them. You might encounter various roadblocks when dating in Switzerland: ·       Finding people to date ·       Confidently approaching locals ·       Cultural differences ·       Understanding local dating faux pas In this episode, Trea Tij...

We speak to Daniel Shalom, the founder of Rigby AG, about the role of staffing companies in the Swiss job market and how recruiters can help expats find a suitable role. Daniel describes the difference between contracts, projects, and permanent placements. Then, he talks about the reasons why so many businesses work with a recruitment company and how the process works. In the final part of the epi...

We speak to Pragati Siddhanti, the founder of the popular blog My Swiss Story, about how expats can get set up and build a successful career in Switzerland. Pragati shares how she came to Switzerland over eight years ago and has since worked as a technology leader in large, international companies, set up her blog and community, and become a guest lecturer at a Swiss university. In the first part...

We speak to Lisa Arnet from the Swiss Tourism Federation about sustainable tourism in Switzerland. The classification "Swisstainable" was created around three years ago. While it stated with only a few service providers, over 2,000 businesses and multiple destinations are involved today. Lisa explains the three dimensions of sustainability, how the classification works, and some of the measures bu...

We speak to four women from the Zurich International Women's Association about social groups and expat life in Switzerland. Karin, Martha, Debbie, and Carolina offer diverse perspectives on finding a social network. They speak about topics such as how to approach your neighbours, what you can do to meet others in your community, and how to juggle work, having a family, and leisure time. We also di...

We speak to Carolyn Schönafinger from Holidays to Switzerland about travelling around Switzerland. Carolyn has been visiting Switzerland for over 30 years and runs her own travel podcast. She tells us about four famous places (Lucerne, the Berner Oberland, Zermatt, and Montreux) as well as several destinations off the beaten track. We also talk about the different seasons, the best times to travel...

We speak to Serge Frech, the director of the Swiss national association of ICT training (ICT-Berufsbildung), about basic and continued IT training in Switzerland. Unlike in many countries, most Swiss IT professionals complete vocational training. After achieving a basic degree, they can continue their education by obtaining a federal or advanced federal diploma. These qualifications are equivalent...

We speak to Laura Vrinceanu, who got her IT job through Rigby, about moving to Zurich, Switzerland. Laura relocated a year and a half ago to work for a bank as a Tableau developer. With seven years of professional experience under her belt, she is committed to never stop learning and strive for excellence in her field of work. Moving to Zurich has been a positive experience for Laura. She loves ma...

We speak to the Swiss education consultant Stefanie Busse about local, bilingual, and international schools in Switzerland. As a former German teacher, Stefanie has first-hand experience teaching in both public and international schools in Switzerland. She has been advising expat families for over 10 years about the Swiss education system and collaborates with educational authorities and schools....

We speak to the food experts Jessica Manurung and David Moginier about regional foods in Switzerland, particularly in the cantons of Basel and Vaud. Jessica is a Basel-based food blogger. She has been sharing her restaurant recommendations on social media since 2019. Last year, she published the Basel Cookbook, sharing a mix of innovative and traditional recipes from local chefs. David has been a...

In this episode, we speak to the finance blogger Baptiste Wicht a bout Switzerland's financial system. Baptiste has been running his blog The Poor Swiss for over six years. He helps expats and locals find the best financial products such as savings and investment accounts, pension providers, and credit cards. He also writes about financial independence and shares monthly insights into his family's...

In this episode, we speak to the artist Nikolai Kleist Burkal about art in Switzerland. Nikolai grew up in Greenland and has lived in several countries before settling in Switzerland in 2022 due to a work opportunity. He runs the platform Art-Beats, where he publishes articles on the pulse of art scenes, trends, and art activities internationally. Join us as we talk about the role of art in Switze...

In this episode, we speak to the authors Anita Lehmann and Katie Hayoz about immigration in Switzerland. Anita and Katie have recently published a book called 50 Amazing Swiss Immigrants. It features people of all walks of life, both historical and contemporary, who have made Switzerland their home. Join us as we talk about common reasons for moving to Switzerland, how immigrants are making a posi...

In this episode, we speak to Swiss German teacher Rahel Roth and bestselling cartoonist/author Sergio Lievano about Swiss German. We explore whether expats should learn this dialect or focus on standard German instead. Rahel's series of books, Swiss German for English Speakers, is one of the few resources that teaches Swiss German from scratch. Sergio has published six books in Switzerland, includ...

In this episode, we speak to Ben Crawshaw from Zurich Together about how newcomers can use expat groups to build long-lasting friendships. Originally from Manchester, Ben moved to Switzerland as a child. He is an event manager and the founder of Zurich Together, a large international community that hosts a wide range of events in and around Zurich. Join us as we explore the Swiss social scene. You...

In this episode, we speak to James Macsay and Margaret Reilly Baer from the American International Club Zurich about how expats can build a social network in Switzerland. Margaret is the president of the AICZ, and James is on the board of the Association of American Clubs. They have both been living in Switzerland for many years, and they're part of a thriving community of international people liv...