News and guides from all of Switzerland
Full archive of news, analysis and guides on living and working across Switzerland.
2,742 entries
- Hunting license in the canton of Bern: requirements and applicationDiscover how to apply for a hunting license in the Canton of Bern: verify competence, requirements, exams, huntable species, documents, d…
- Dog tax in the Canton of Bern: guide to amounts and rulesPractical guide to the dog tax in the Canton of Bern: possible obligation, registration, exemptions and competent authorities.
- Bern Canton shop hours: holidays and rulesOfficial guide to business hours, public holidays, special permits, and work restrictions in the Canton of Bern.
- Public holidays in the Canton of Bern: calendar and rulesGuide to the calendar of public holidays recognized by the Canton of Bern, with checks on offices, municipalities, institutions and feder…
- Language courses in Zurich: integration and subsidiesGuide to language courses and integration programs in the Canton of Zurich: competence, requirements, deadlines, SEM permits and contribu…
- University tuition fees in the Canton of Zurich: guide and enrollmentDiscover how to navigate university fees in the Canton of Zurich, from student categories to enrollment procedures and contributions.
- Zurich public establishment license: requirements and applicationGuide to the license for public establishments in the Canton of Zurich: competent authorities, requirements, deadlines, taxation and pers…
- Vehicle inspection in the Canton of Zurich: summons and requirementsIn Zurich, the inspection follows the cantonal level The procedure includes the summons, documents and technical requirements Periodic ch…
- August hail: Swiss Re estimates 1,7 mld in damagesSwiss Re estimates 1,7 billion francs in insured losses Approximately 800 million francs concern vehicles The storm on August 28, 2026 af…
- Zurich: guide to license plates and registrationProcedure for registration, documents, and change of ownership: verify the requirements and costs with the relevant motor vehicle office.
- Hunting license in Zurich: requirements and applicationPractical guide to the cantonal procedure: verify requirements, exams, deadlines and amounts with the official source.
- Pfister: insufficient resources for the Swiss armyAt the LAC in Lugano, Pfister denounces insufficient resources for the Swiss army; the financing plan is tied to a temporary increase in…
- Federal Council: AHV, EU and 2026 voteGuy Parmelin to leave the Federal Council on 31.12.2026 AHV/IV pensions to increase by around 1.6% The Swiss-EU package has been in parli…
- Wage gap among young people in Switzerland: income gap narrowsAmong those born in 1995, the income gap is 14% Among those born in 1965, the gap was 55% In 2025, 54% of young women have a tertiary qua…
- Federal Administration: jobs, internships and trainingThe Federal Administration offers meaningful work Recent graduates have a wide range of internships 50 training programs are available
- Graubünden Cantonal Bank: Reto Müller on the BoardThe Rhaetian Government appoints Müller to the BCG Bank Council Term: July 1, 2027
- The Swiss Parliament portal: structure and research pathsGuide to navigating parlament.ch: Chambers, committees, international delegations, votes, Curia Vista and historical archive.
- Hackers send refrigerators haywire: “It could happen in Switzerland too”Attack on around 150 supermarkets in France Refrigerators up to 50 degrees and tons of food thrown away Danfoss: vulnerabilities in Inter…
- Migros evaluates the closure in Écublens: 57 placesMigros assesses the closure of the Traiteur At-Risk Plant 57 jobs in Écublens Consultation with staff is ongoing No final decision has been
- Hackers and pension funds: the risk of concentrationFAR: approximately 20'000 beneficiaries notified after an attack Publica: approximately 112'000 people potentially involved A software pr…
- Keller-Sutter launches the No campaign against the taxation of married couplesKeller-Sutter launches the No campaign in Bern.
- Swisscom wins TAF appeal: 18 million fine annulledTAF cancels Swisscom's 18 million fine Comco had imposed conditions and a fine The ruling concerns the fiber-optic expansion The appeal
- Franz Ruppen considers candidacy for the Federal CouncilFranz Ruppen reflects on the succession of Guy Parmelin Esther Friedli mentioned his name on Sunday evening The answer is expected by the…
- Working from home: CET-S proposes more flexible rulesCET-S supports less stringent rules for working from home Explicit disconnection would be scrapped Sunday work would remain subject
- Fireworks: initiative to limit their useThe federal vote is scheduled for November 29 The slogan is «Not everyone celebrates» In Switzerland: 1'300 tonnes of waste per year Suva…
- Mercosur, signature collection launched for the referendumA broad alliance has launched the signature collection for the referendum Opponents spoke Tuesday afternoon in Bern Amazon rainforest, hu…
- Marriage, the Government against the Centre's initiativeThe Federal Council and Parliament call for the text to be rejected The vote on the initiative is scheduled for November 29 The text conc…
- Iran: DEFR updates the form for asset transfersThe DEFR adapted the form on October 13, 2026 It concerns transfers of assets pursuant to Art.
- Autumn vaccinations 2026: influenza, COVID-19 and RSVPress release published on October 13, 2026.
- Women-men income gap: falls to 14%The income gap declines from 55% to 14% between generations.
- Franc strengthens against the euro: Stucki’s forecastsStucki sees the franc stronger against the euro by the end of the year The exchange rate has fallen from 95 to 93 centimes The French def…
- 100'848 signatures against the counterproposal on rentsASI has submitted 100'848 signatures to the Federal Chancellery The appeal calls for the counterproposal to be withdrawn The project conc…
- Suva: 123 million saved on billsSuva saved 123 million in 2025 Approximately 2,9 million invoices checked 297'000 invoices had errors or inaccuracies Without the checks,…
- Increase in mortgage rates in the third quarter of 2024The cost of mortgages rose in the third quarter.
- Gran San Bernardo Tunnel: 1000 solar panels cover half of energy needs1000 panels on the Swiss side of the Great St Bernard Pass 7000 m² of planned photovoltaic area 450 MWh annually: half of the tunnel's needs
- Gasoline price shock in Switzerland: how much does the war costSince February, gasoline has risen to 2,11 francs per liter 15'000 km annually and 6 l/100 km: 423 francs more Kerosene costs twice as mu…
- Wagner closes in Waldstatt: 69 jobs lostWagner is closing in Waldstatt, in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden The closure affects 69 jobs Operations are gradually being transf…
- KOF: Nobel Prize in Economics important for SwitzerlandRobert Hall and Michael Woodford receive the Nobel Prize in Economics.
- House prices in Switzerland: +2% in three monthsSingle-family homes: prices +2% in three months Apartments: prices +1,7% in three months Year-on-year: +3,6% homes, +5,9% apartments Sout…
- Ascend Sport Technology to the Swiss Stock ExchangeAscend Sport Technology points to the Swiss Merger Exchange with Evonext, already listed Valuation: 500 million francs Expected closure b…
- UST: 2035 training scenarios, +21% universityUST: university schools at +21% between 2026 and 2035 Elementary: reduction of 8% in the same period 305,000 bachelor and master students…
- Schools and universities: FSO projections to 2035The peak of primary is expected between 2027 and 2028.
- CDF: complex approval of plant protection productsThe CDF audit was published on October 12, 2026 Five federal offices examine plant protection products Structures and processes are too c…
- AI in Ticino’s public administration: innovation or digitized problems?Ticino combines advanced research and slow bureaucracy USI and SUPSI are points of reference for the Canton Ticino talent looks to the Fe…
- Swiss medical network and phoenix pharma: alliance in TicinoSwiss Medical Network partners with Phoenix Pharma Switzerland Benu will join the Sant'Anna Network in Ticino With Viva, people will be a…
- Switzerland in the sights of foreign spiesJohn Kiriakou considers Swiss intelligence first-rate August Hanning has held positions on boards in Lucerne Private companies operate in…
- Fuel prices in Switzerland: petrol and diesel fallAccording to the TCS, 95 gasoline falls to 2.11 francs per liter, 98 to 2.22 and diesel to 2.40, after September’s records.
- Heavy trucks: one in four will be electric in 202628'431 commercial vehicles registered in the first nine months of 2026 847 electric trucks: 27,4% share over 16 tonnes In the 3,5-16-tonn…
- Drought in Switzerland: rain is not enoughRecent rains have only temporarily alleviated the drought In the last 30 days, precipitation has been below 50% The Rhine between Lake Co…
- Protein powder, prices close to 55 francs per kiloIn September Whey costs almost 55 francs per kilo The 2025 average was 46 francs per kilo Demand and production costs drive prices Casein
- Real estate valuations: differences of up to 13%Valuations differ on average from 11 to 13% Only 30-35% of transactions have verified data 3% of 50'000 francs is worth 1'500 francs In G…
- University growth and school decline: UST 2026-2035University students will grow by over 20% over the next nine years Primary schools: peak between 2027 and 2028, then -8% by 2035 Upper se…
- Dog tax in Zurich: registration guideIn the Canton of Zurich, the dog tax follows cantonal and municipal rules.
- Zurich Shop Hours: Guide to Sundays and HolidaysIn the Canton of Zurich, business hours vary by municipality.
- Shop opening hours in the Canton of Zurich: guide to Sundays and public holidaysBusiness hours regulations are cantonal.
- Public holidays in the Canton of Zurich: guide to the calendar and rulesHow to distinguish cantonal holidays from federal ones.
- Yverdon-Lausanne traffic: trains running regularly againNormal traffic between Yverdon and Lausanne from 05:40 Arson discovered on Friday at around 03:00 Traffic interrupted between Cossonay-Pe…
- Funding for start-ups in Ticino: the proposalTresoldi proposes studying support for start-ups in Ticino.
- Building permit in the canton of Uri: requirements and procedureIn the Canton of Uri, a building permit requires checks on requirements, documents, offices, deadlines and objections: work may begin onl…
- Energy incentives in Uri: requirements and applicationIn Uri, the programs concern the renovation of buildings and facilities.
- Agreement with the EU: goodbye to fiscal sovereignty too?NZZ sounded the alarm on October 6 Hongler and Imstepf point to a risk regarding EU tax rules In 2024 the EU Court imposed 13 billion on…
- Tox Info: increase in calls to artificial intelligence145 handled almost 45'000 consultations Calls increased by 4,6% Medicines 36%; household cleaning 23% Secure financing by the end of 2027…
- Yverdon-Lausanne railway: return at 05.40Between Yverdon-les-Bains and Lausanne, service returns to normal at 05.40 Today, two long-distance trains per hour, with major delays Re…
- Apprenticeships and vocational training Canton of UriGuide to internships in the Canton of Uri: contract, salary, 5,3% AVS/AI/IPG, maximum working hours and vocational baccalaureate.
- Railway: disruptions continue between Yverdon and LausanneThe Yverdon-les-Bains-Lausanne line remains disrupted Two long-distance trains per hour, with delays Regional trains and Geneva airport:…
- AMSA inaugurates the first electric buses in BalernaFour electric buses inaugurated in Balerna Marchesi in his first speech as State Councillor Lines involved: 2, 3 and 4 AMSA transition pl…
- Uri motor vehicle tax: calculation and paymentIn the Canton of Uri, the calculation, deadlines and amounts of the motor vehicle tax follow cantonal rules: what to check for each vehic…
- Counterfeit stamps on AliExpress: woman sentenced in NatersWoman from Naters convicted for counterfeit postage stamps 100 stamps ordered on AliExpress for 48,59 francs List price of the order: 120…
- Social assistance in the Canton of Uri: requirements and applicationIn the canton of Uri, the condition of need counts Management is generally entrusted to the cantons and municipalities The application go…
- Minimum wage in Uri: requirements and implementationIn Switzerland, there is no federal minimum wage: for Uri, it is necessary to distinguish between cantonal regulations, the sectors conce…
- Como: 1.259 fines for foreign cars in August1.259 fines issued in Como in August 102.738 euros in 31 days 3.322 euros per day in the month of August Estimates of over 80% of ignored…
- SGKB confirms the 37 physical branchesSGKB maintains the network of 37 physical locations.
- Continuing education in Lucerne: requirements and contributionsIn the Canton of Lucerne, contributions follow cantonal rules.
- SECO: US duties, votes and change at the topFrom 24 July 2026 US duties up to 12.5% on Swiss goods.
- Property insurance in Lucerne: guide to mandatory requirements and premiumsCantonal obligation, competent authority, coverage, premiums and claims: a guide to property insurance in the Canton of Lucerne.
- Esther Friedli is not running for the Federal CouncilEsther Friedli will not run for the Federal Council She wants to remain in the upper house for St.
- Axpo: solar plant on agricultural land in AargauAxpo is building a solar plant in Suhr The planned capacity is 600 kWp The modules will occupy 1,2 hectares out of 2,8 FiBL will study cr…
- Referendum against new nuclear power plants in SwitzerlandMore than 131.800 signatures delivered to Bern by SP, Verdi, GLP and part of Centro to maintain the ban on nuclear power; vote possible o…
- 2026 VAT referendum: increase for the thirteenth pension paymentThe referendum on the proposal will be held on November 29.
- Mastercard: offline payments from 2027Mastercard will introduce the feature in Switzerland from 2027 New cards will support it from February 2027 New or replaced terminals: te…
- Switzerland, consumption up 0,9% in SeptemberIn September, Swiss consumption rose by 0,9%.
- Arms exports: the federal vote on November 29, 2026Federal vote on the law: November 29, 2026 Possible opening for some close partners The armed conflict would not preclude authorization U…
- Cybersecurity: 1.587 reports in one week1.587 voluntary reports in one week New high at least since the beginning of 2025 41% of Deloitte companies suffered an attack 280 notifi…
- Ricardo: data of 890'000 accounts exposedA vulnerability exposed approximately 890'000 Ricardo accounts Public names, postal addresses and telephone numbers E-mail addresses and…
- Swiss consumer confidence worsens: prices and jobsIn September, the SECO index fell to -35,8 points The figure fell by 3,0 points compared with August Job security fell to -60,6 This is t…
- US Midterms: effects on tariffs, the dollar and markets in SwitzerlandThe U.S. vote on November 3 could weigh on the Swiss economy.
- Unauthorized solar installations: failed initiativeSolar initiative without authorization: collection failed The committee indicated 117'500 signatures Almost 20mila signatures were invali…
- Civil protection in the Canton of Lucerne: requirements and compensationLucerne: civil protection coordinated at cantonal level The framework is federal law Call-ups and compensation: check with the authority
- Trasporti45, a barrage of criticism over the federal planTrasporti’45 envisages 50 billion by 2045 The first package is worth 11 billion in 2027 The railway has a shortfall of 10 billion The Gov…
- Cantonal elections in the Canton of Lucerne: schedule and votingLucerne: the guide covers the system, calendar and voting Lists and the electoral office complete the verification Four annual dates conc…
- Swiss consumer confidence: decline in SeptemberIn September, confidence falls to -35,8 points.
- Luganistan, the backyard of a kleptocracyThe fourth installment on the commodities trade recounts the arrival of the Nazarbayev clan on Lake Ceresio, amid oil, villas and strange…
- More than 80% of thefts in Switzerland involve people with foreign passports.7.956 people convicted of theft last year More than 80% had a foreign passport Approximately 1.500 of those convicted were Swiss Confeder…
- Expensive PCs and smartphones: AI is absorbing chipsPrice increases ranging from 40% to 120% reported by MediaMarkt.
- Lucerne cantonal vote: guide to initiatives and referendumsThe calendar provides for four federal voting days each year A federal initiative requires 100'000 signatures collected over a period of…
- 2026 Nobel Prize in Economics: Ernst Fehr among the possible winnersThe 2026 Nobel Prize in Economics will be announced on October 12 Ernst Fehr is among the possible winners Clarivate has identified four…
- Building permit in the Canton of Lucerne: requirements, procedureIn the Canton of Lucerne, authorization, documents, the roles of the municipality and canton, objections or appeals, and stopping work wi…
- Publica data breach: attack and federal investigationAttack at the end of September against an external supplier of Publica Data leak and immediate criminal complaint Investigation by the Of…
- Names, AVS numbers and salaries: here is the data stolen from PublicaLate September: attack on Publica’s software provider Names, AVS numbers and salaries among the data at risk Publica has 66’000 active in…
- Geneva–Fribourg, a railway route under pressureThirteen disruptions on the line since the beginning of the year More than 150’000 passengers and over 700 trains every day Burnt cables,…
Read more · methodology, cross-border context and FAQ
How to use this index
How this collection is built. The editorial archive collects fiscal analyses, practical guides, commentary on rulings and cross-border news for Italian residents working in Ticino. Each article is classified by category (tax, healthcare, employment, cross-border life, news) and depth (800-1200 word news pieces, 1500-2500 guides, 3000+ deep-dives). The most read topics: the 2024 Italy-Switzerland fiscal agreement and cantonal "ristorni", LAMal vs SSN, net-payslip calculations, commute costs, cost of living Como-Lugano-Varese-Mendrisio.
How to use it. The practical guides (linked from the homepage "Resources" block) are the right starting point for the once-in-a-career decisions every frontaliere faces: opting for LAMal or the Italian SSN, choosing between G permit and Swiss residency, sizing the impact of the 2024 concurrent regime, sizing the LPP. The daily news desk covers regulatory changes, court rulings, border queues, fuel prices and Ticino employer moves on the hiring front. Subscribe to the weekly newsletter from the homepage for the digest.
Cross-border worker deep-dive
Why a dedicated editorial archive matters for cross-border workers. Most of the decisions an Italian frontaliere takes — LAMal vs SSN, G permit vs Swiss residency, canton choice, managing concurrent taxation — are taken once in a career and affect the net pay for years or decades. The generalist Italian media narrative often oversimplifies or stops at headlines; the Swiss-portal guides are in German or French and assume Swiss-system fluency. This archive fills that gap: Italian writing, the perspective of an Italian-resident worker, Swiss data verified at source.
How to combine the guides with the site's tools. The guides are designed to sit alongside the operational tools: read the 2024 fiscal-agreement guide then run your real net in the salary simulator under both regimes (old frontaliere vs new concurrent); read the LAMal vs SSN guide then compare real premiums on the LAMal-premiums page for your work commune; read the commute guide then check live border-wait times on the crossings map. Newsletter subscribers (link on the homepage) get the weekly digest + alerts on regulatory changes.
Frequently asked questions
When is the editorial archive updated?
News pieces are published Monday to Friday at 08:00 CET, covering the most relevant topics from the previous day: Italian and Swiss regulatory changes, court rulings, border-crossing traffic, fuel prices, USTAT data, moves by major Ticino employers on hiring and layoffs. Practical guides are refreshed quarterly or when a regulatory change requires an update (e.g. new fiscal agreement, annual LAMal update, LPP reform). Deep-dives on specific topics (fiscal residency, title conversion, G permit structure) are published 1-2 times per month and indexed in the archive by category and depth.
Can I receive articles by email?
Yes, the weekly newsletter sends every Monday morning a summary of the 5-7 most relevant articles of the week, alerts on regulatory changes relevant for the cross-border worker, the new USTAT data and a recap of Ticino labour-market trends. Subscribing is free from the homepage; subscribers also access reserved content: historical LAMal premium data per comune (10 years), the company database with publication cadence of listings and the advanced salary simulator including the personally chosen pension fund LPP.
Are the guides written from Italian or Swiss sources?
The guides are curated by Italian editors based between Como and Varese with direct cross-border experience, in collaboration with tax advisors licensed in both countries and with periodic feedback from expert readers (lawyers, accountants, cross-border union representatives). Swiss data sources (cantonal USTAT, federal BFS, AVS, IAS) are always cited in the article with direct links to the original documents; Italian sources (Agenzia delle Entrate, INPS, MEF) likewise. When an interpretation is controversial or evolving (e.g. fiscal agreements in transition) the guide presents the different interpretations rather than a single one, and indicates the expected updates.
Can I suggest a topic or report an error?
Yes, the feedback tool is linked from the homepage ("Report/Suggest" section). Topics suggested by readers are incorporated into the editorial plan within 2-4 weeks if relevant for the majority of readers, or treated in ad-hoc articles if very specific. Error reports (wrong data, broken link, outdated fiscal interpretation) are corrected within 48 hours from verification. Editorial transparency is one of the founding values of the site: updated articles show the change history at the bottom, and the site maintains a public changelog of the main updates.
What sets this archive apart from generalist blogs about cross-border work?
Three things: (1) the perspective is exclusively that of an Italian resident worker (not someone living in Switzerland, not someone selling tax services, not someone selling financial products); (2) data verified at source rather than summarised from secondary references — every statistic links to the original USTAT/BFS/Agenzia Entrate document, not to another site; (3) integration with operational tools (simulators, calculators, border maps, company indexes) that turns guidance into concrete action. The generalist blog describes; this archive puts the data to work.
Closing thoughts for the cross-border worker
Operational reflections on the cross-border profession. Working in Ticino while keeping Italian residency is a choice that is evaluated through three overlapping lenses. The first is economic: the net differential between a Swiss and Italian salary must always be translated into net-per-hour invested, including the commute that absorbs 10-14 hours a week between fuel, motorway tolls, peak-hour queues at the border and vehicle maintenance. The second lens is fiscal: from 1 January 2024 the new Italy-Switzerland agreement introduced concurrent taxation for new cross-border workers, while historical ones (those with an active contract on 17 July 2023) retain the previous Swiss-only regime. The gap is 5-12 percentage points on the net, and is a variable to factor into calculations before signing a contract, not afterwards. The third lens is quality of life: the smoothest border crossing relative to residence, the actual working hours, the option of remote work up to 25 % of the time (the bilateral maximum negotiated from 2024).
Real commute costs and their impact on net pay. The most under-estimated figure on cross-border forums is how much commute actually weighs on disposable net pay. A petrol car doing 50 km a day between residence and workplace consumes 5-6 litres per day (≈ 1,200-1,400 km a month), with a fuel cost of EUR 280-360 monthly at Italian 2026 average prices and somewhat less when refuelling on the Swiss side (Mendrisio is competitive for those returning via the Sottoceneri). On top of that comes the motorway toll (EUR 80-120 monthly across A2/A9 and Bregaglia), maintenance (depreciation + servicing + seasonal tyres, EUR 90-130 monthly), parking on the Swiss side if the employer does not provide it (EUR 80-180 monthly in central Lugano and Mendrisio), and accelerated vehicle wear (faster depreciation). The total is EUR 530-790 monthly, equivalent to a 9-13 % decrease on the average cross-border net. The salary simulator and the commute-costs page help quantify this before agreeing on the contract.
Towards a conscious choice in 2026 and beyond. The question "is it worth being a cross-border worker?" no longer has a universal answer like 10 or 15 years ago. It pays if: your sector offers a net differential ≥ 50 % over the Italian median (healthcare, finance, senior IT, specialised engineering), residence is within 60 km of the border, the company offers a contract with remote work explicitly in the 25 % allowance, and commute costs stay below EUR 600 monthly. It does not pay if: the sector is non-specialised (retail, hospitality, generic construction) and the differential is below 30 %, residence is beyond 90 km from the border, the employer does not sponsor the G permit before signing, or the usual border crossing has average wait times above 25 minutes at peak hours. The grey zone (middle sector, middle distance, middle costs) is where the site offers the most value: simulators, real data and practical guides that translate the personal decision into comparable figures. Subscribe to the newsletter from the homepage to receive the weekly digest of USTAT data, regulatory changes and biggest hiring companies.