Swiss citizenship requests come from educated and wealthy people; Public transportation tickets must be purchased before the train departs; Switzerland slips in global tourism ranking

News For 28 May 2024

Since the introduction of the new naturalisation law in 2018, nearly 2/3 of applications are submitted by “highly qualified and wealthy people,” according to a government study. “The share of highly skilled and affluent people has increased significantly, and the number of low-skilled and lower-income people has dropped considerably,” the Federal Council said in a press release on Thursday. Applications from people who only had compulsory-level education dropped from 23.9 percent to 8.5 percent. Highly qualified foreigners, on the other hand, represent 57 percent of naturalised citizens, compared to one-third under the old law.

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It's official: tickets must be purchased before the train departs. Much has been said and written about people getting fines for buying their train tickets too late. After a slew of complaints from disgruntled commuters, the SwissPass Alliance and the Federal Office of Transport said they would review the rule, as well as the penalty system for non-compliance. The two confirmed the maintenance of the current practice, which is the obligation to buy the ticket before the actual departure – regardless of whether the person is travelling on a train or on another mode of public transport. “In Switzerland, access is based on trust in travellers to have a valid transport ticket,” the SwissPass Alliance said in a press release. “In return, travellers must assume their share of responsibility and ensure that they are in possession of a valid ticket within the allotted time.”

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Switzerland has fallen in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) tourism competitiveness index, released last week. From the sixth place in 2021, it is now in the 10th, which is still a good position, given that 119 countries were ranked. Switzerland remains among the leaders on issues such as the business environment, the labor market, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability. On the other hand, it is considered – not surprisingly – to be an expensive destination.