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Hi everyone,

I'm living in Switzerland, and I'm currently going through a really difficult financial situation.

I recently started a new job, and I'm still in my probation period until December. I'm doing my best to get back on my feet and become financially stable.

Unfortunately, I have around CHF 1,000 in unpaid bills that I need to settle before the end of this month. Some of these bills are accumulating additional charges making the situation even harder.

On top of that, I also have monthly rent of CHF 1,350 and other essential living expenses.

I've tried applying for a small personal loan to manage everything, but I've been rejected by two banks, possibly because I'm still in my probation period.

I'm honestly feeling overwhelmed. I'm working and trying my best to handle my responsibilities, but right now I don't have enough to cover everything.

I'm posting here hoping someone might have advice, know of any organizations that offer temporary financial assistance in Switzerland, or know of another way to get through this difficult period.

I'm not looking for judgment. I'm just trying to find a solution and avoid falling further into debt.

Any genuine advice or help would mean a lot to me.

Thank you so much for reading. ❤️

Dear all,

I'm a third-country national from North America and have lived in Switzerland for 5 years on a B permit, originally granted for employment (cantonal quota). I'm already working with an immigration lawyer, but I'd love to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation.

**Background**

- I lost my job at the start of 2025 and registered with the RAV.

- Last year, the migration office renewed my permit and told me in writing that if I was still unemployed at the next renewal, it would be extended once more, until mid-2027.

- I have an Anmeldebescheinigung, which maintains my residence status, until spring 2027.

- This year my RAV benefits ran out. The office now says that earlier information was a mistake, and that it intends not to renew my permit and to issue a removal order. My renewal is still pending, and I have a confirmation that I keep my status until a decision is made.

- I'm financially independent and have never received social assistance, but I'm told a permit for non-working people is only possible for EU/EFTA citizens or third-country nationals aged 55+.

**Where things stand now**

- I have a full-time, permanent job offer in my field.

- The cantonal labor office first confirmed in writing that I have free access to the labor market (Art. 38 Abs. 2 AIG). After learning about the pending non-renewal, it reversed that.

- The migration office now says my new employer must apply for labor market approval (Inländervorrang, quota, customary salary), as if I were a new hire from abroad. If that's approved, they'll drop the removal procedure.

**My questions**

1. Has anyone had their B permit renewed after unemployment by getting a new job approved this way? How long did it take, and what made the difference?

2. Has anyone successfully challenged the requirement for labor market approval while their renewal was pending? I have an Anmeldebescheinigung until 2027 so I'm shocked this is required.

3. Has anyone relied on a written assurance from the migration office that was later withdrawn? Did it help in a Rekurs?

4. Any tips for employers filing for a third-country national, especially for a smaller company (salary level, candidate search, documents)?

Thank you very much. Any experience or advice is greatly appreciated! I'd be grateful for any support.

I recently saw a poster for a Räbeliechtli parade and had to look up why children would be walking through town carrying hollowed-out turnips with candles inside.

I initially assumed it was some variation of Halloween, but apparently it's a completely separate autumn tradition. And honestly, the more I read about it, the more charming it sounds.

There's something really lovely about children making their own lanterns, walking through the dark together, singing songs and then warming up with something hot afterwards.

It also made me realize how many Swiss traditions probably exist almost entirely outside the international image of Switzerland. Everyone knows about cheese, chocolate and mountains, but I'd never heard about children carrying glowing vegetables through their villages.

I'm curious about a few things:

Did you grow up doing Räbeliechtli parades at school? Was it a big childhood event or just another activity?

Is it mostly a German-speaking Swiss tradition, or do people in Romandie and Ticino have something similar?

And is it still as common today as it used to be?

I'd also love to know whether it's normal for adults without children to come and watch. It seems like such a nice way to experience a local tradition.

I recently went through a rather disappointing recruitment process with a large Swiss manufacturing company based in the canton of Aargau and wanted to share my experience.

After completing multiple interviews, I received written confirmation from HR that I would be invited for a trial day (Probetag).

However, the scheduling kept getting delayed, with HR explaining that certain team members were on holiday. I followed up myself and was reassured that the trial day would still take place.

Eventually, I received a phone call informing me that the company had already conducted a trial day with another candidate, decided to offer that person the position, and would not be proceeding with any further trial days.

When I pointed out that this was unfair, especially considering the written confirmation and repeated assurances, the employee acknowledged my frustration and explained that the company simply wanted to fill the position quickly.

I have absolutely no problem with a company choosing another candidate. That's a normal part of recruitment.

What I find unprofessional is making commitments to candidates, repeatedly confirming the next step, and then abandoning those commitments because another candidate happened to complete the process earlier.

I also want to clarify that I have no complaints about the employee who delivered the final decision. He was respectful and understanding, and I believe he did his best in an uncomfortable situation.

After almost a year of navigating the Swiss job market, I thought I had seen just about everything. Apparently, there are still surprises.

Has anyone else experienced something similar in Switzerland? Would you consider this acceptable recruitment practice?

Considering reitirement options. Would like to move away from Switzerland to europe, uk, or nordics. Due to cost of living and needing more personal space and quiet (own house instead of apartment living). Not sure how best to manage the swiss health insurance obligations which continue in many such locations as I understand it when swiss pension is being received. This could be a very significant future financial burden if the health insurance costs keep increasing at current rates, that I can never get away from.

Anyone with retirement relocation experience and tips to share?

I don't have too much time. I want to quit this job badly. The problem is, I will know only this Thursday if I got the new job or not. So, can I hand over the resignation to the HR directly, does it count?

By post would be too late, and will not arrive by end of this month.

Hello everyone!
For our Master’s thesis at Nova SBE, we are researching consumer attitudes toward fruit juice in Switzerland. We are looking strictly for Swiss citizens and long-term residents to help us.

We are currently having a hard time getting enough answers from the local population (we only have 49 out of 250 needed), so every single response helps us immensely to graduate.

• ⏱️ Duration: Around 10-15 minutes.
• 🗣️ Languages available: Available in German, French, Italian, and English (you can select your preference at the top right of the link).
• 🔒 Completely anonymous.

Link to the survey: https://novasbe.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Yf7F3JTp5JO0SO

Thank you so much for your time, patience, and support! 🙏 Feel free to share it with your family or friends.

Wow, thank you so much to everyone who has responded so far! We already gained a lot of answers, but we still need a few more to reach our goal. Your help means the world to us!

Hi Everyone,

I am currently enrolled in Master’s of CS at Zhaw and in my first semester completing 12 ECTS ( part-time study) and was initially rejected a few months back by UZH for admission to Masters with Major Software Systems and minor Data Science, to which I appealed and today received the good news that my appeal has been accepted and that I can start next semester at UZH my Masters.

The question is ZHAW Vs UZH? What should I do? I am Swiss and also currently in the job market with a Bachelor’s in Software Engineering. So considering the market and all what should I choose?

Bonjour à tous,

je viens vers vous pour trouver solutions au problème que je rencontre actuellement, car je commence à me retrouver dans une impasse !

En faisant ce poste je cherche des témoignages de personnes qui ont vécu une situation similaire et qui ont réussi à régler ce problème ou peut être une personne dans le domaine pourrait apporter des conseils avisés et la manière la plus pertinente de faire diagnostiquer le problème

Le problème est le suivant:

Depuis plusieurs mois, l’eau provenant des robinets d’eau froide devient tiède après avoir coulé un certain temps, avant de finir par refroidir et ainsi de suite ect ect.

Et cela à répétition, quelque soit le moment de la journée... et cela concerne plusieurs points d’eau, notamment dans la cuisine et la salle de bains.

J'ai pu mesurer la température de l'eau à plus de 20 degrés après 30 secondes ces dernières semaines mais durant la vague de chaleur de cet été, l'eau était clairement bien au delà… est-ce acceptable et légal au regard des règles techniques applicables en Suisse ?

Est-ce que un sanitaire peut légalement dire que ces variations sont tout à fait acceptables et ne posent aucun problème tant au niveau de la consommation d'énergie que d'un point de vue hygiénique ? Ex : eau stagnante qui chauffe lorsque je ne tire pas d'eau pendant un certain temps.

Je cherche à comprendre la source du problème, bien évidemment il faudrait faire venir un spécialiste, mais a mon grand étonnement, je ne trouve personne qui propose ce genre service spécifique...

J'ai quelques idées en tête de l'origine:

- Proximité excessive entre les conduites d’eau chaude et froide

- isolation thermique insuffisante ou défaut dans les gaines

- un phénomène de retour d’eau chaude au niveau d’un mitigeur

- Défaut d'installation insoupçonnés

Je ne suis pas un cas isolé dans mon bâtiment, mais cela ne représente pas la majorité des logements, y a t il une piste à explorer de ce côté ?

Je suis conscient qu’une eau tiède ne signifie pas automatiquement qu’elle est dangereuse. Toutefois, ce problème est persistant et m'impacte dans ma vie et rend l'utilisation des points d'eau frustrante et désagréable tant au niveau du surplus d'eau chaude tiré non désiré que du potentiel problème d'hygiène que cela peut représenter.

Quelles références/personnes techniques seraient pertinentes à consulter ?

Pour les personnes ayant rencontré une situation similaire qu'avez-vous fait?

Merci d’avance pour vos retours et vos conseils 🙂🙂

Hey all, so i was curious and thought i might just ask away, so what are your biggest everyday problems? Not like "I don't earn enough" or everything's so expensive but just annoying things to you?

Two American Senior Citizens traveling first time to Switzerland in Jan/Feb. My spouse is going to be taking a class in St. Gallen Jan 26 - Jan 31st. Trying to plan an additional 6 days either prior or after. We don't ski, but interested in seeing some of the country and experiencing the culture. We will be flying into Zurich. I guess I am looking for some tips or ideas on how we can best spend our time.

I should add one thing we live in the Southwestern Desert (Arizona), would like to see the Alps but maybe from the comfort of a train 😄. We are experienced travelers, as I mentioned, this will be our first and maybe last change to visit Switzerland (Age).

Our preferred mode of travel is to find a hotel, spend 3 days or so and use that as a base to explore from. Not a big fan of switching hotels everyday or dragging suitcases around on trains.

Any and all input is greatly appreciated.

Oh, one other thing; as Judi will be going to class and I will be alone with no adult supervision for those days, any suggestions on the St. Gallen area would be great.

Hello,
I bought a car 1 year ago and the previous owner was still waiting for the letter to do the MFK since was already due (Aargau). we went together to change property and we asked to the office but we understood we had to wait for the letter for the MFK. Now is 1 year since I have the car and still no letter, I went to the office due to an address change and i asked again (I am not really good in german) but they said that all was good and they printed the new car document with new address.
Of course I am not looking forward to do the MFK but should I just wait ? Even if the last one was done close to 4 years ago?
Anyone with similar experience?
Thanks!

Is it possible to rent bicycles in Lauterbrunnen on Sundays? I am planning a vacation, and I’ve come across some information suggesting that very few establishments are open on Sundays.

My husband and I just returned from a trip to Switzerland where we fell in love with a heavily seeded brown bread. We had it at a breakfast buffet and for sandwiches sent as a packed lunch so we didn’t have an opportunity to ask anyone its name. I didn’t find anything on a Google search either. I’m really hoping to find out what it’s called and, even better, a recipe for it! TIA!

I’ll be starting my master’s at the University of Fribourg in February 2027 and wanted to hear from people who live or study there. I am a non-EU international student, so I’d especially appreciate advice relevant to international students.
What’s the realistic monthly cost of living, including rent, health insurance, groceries, transport, and other expenses? How difficult is it to find affordable accommodation, and is it realistic to live on a student budget?
Also curious about student life and how easy it is to find a part-time job.
Would appreciate any honest advice or personal experiences! (I am a foreign student)

Hello! I am looking to get a small fine line floral tattoo and I'm not aware of any good studios. Does anyone have any recommendations for parlors in Lausanne or Geneva?

Hello everybody!
I was planning a road trip with my girlfriend from Germany to the Rhine Falls, then Zurich, Lucerne and finally the Furka pass. We were planning on going from 31.10 till 02.11, however we noticed the Furka pass will be closed during that time.

My question:
Are there any similar mountain passes great for driving and enjoying scenic views somewhere along my planned trip?

I’d appreciate any suggestions!
Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I live in the Cham/Zug area and I'm currently 12 weeks pregnant. We're still pretty new to the Swiss healthcare system, so I'd love some local advice.

1. Midwife (Hebamme)

Can anyone recommend a midwife in Cham, Zug or nearby who takes new clients?

Do you know if any speak English (or Spanish)?

How early did you book yours? I've heard they fill up fast.

Any tips on postpartum home visits and how coverage with the basic insurance works?

2. Birth preparation courses (Geburtsvorbereitungskurs)

Are there courses in English in Zug, Cham, Baar, Lucerne or Zurich that you'd recommend?

Is it better to do one run by a hospital (Zug Kantonsspital, Lucerne, etc.) or a private midwife?

Do you prefer couples courses, or weekly classes vs. a weekend intensive?

I'd also appreciate hearing about your experience with local hospitals or birth centers, if you're happy to share.

Thanks so much in advance! 🙏

Ich bin auf der dringenden Suche nach Ersatz für dieses alte Lavabo - vermutlich von Laufen (nicht bestätigt). Weiss jemand mehr oder kann weiterhelfen?

Breite: 64cm
Tiefe: 51cm

First let me say sorry for the basic question, just another young girl budget traveling whose dream is to go to this beautiful country.
I’ve already been looking at accommodation, food and transportation prices. I see that the most expensive item is excursions and as much as I’d like I can’t do them all, so I wanted to ask to people who’ve done them, which ones are the most “iconic” or “must-do” excursions so I can refine my budget.
So, you think Jungfraujoch is something I can’t miss? maybe Schilthorn or Matterhorn glacier paradise? the bernina or glacier express? or you think it’s already a beautiful trip even if you don’t do those activities and just explore the country by walking and taking regional trains?
I’ll probably stay in the Interlaken to Zermatt area but willing to move around!
Thank you!

We have just left Lucern and Switzerland via train through Basel train station.
We were told after buying a watch duty free to get a form stamped at the Swiss customs office at the station.
Unfortunately the office seems to no longer be manned/closed.
We are now in France.
How likely are we to be chased for the tax?

Edit: so we paid for the watch minus the vat. This was told to us by the store to be above board so long as we got the form stamped when leaving the country through the train station at Basel. So I guess Switzerland would consider this an unclosed loop?

I’m thinking about moving back to Switzerland next year with my family. We will need help finding a good apartment while not in Zurich ourselves. Temporary apartments to start with won’t work because we have a pet and we need to be in our own apartment for school placement for the kids.

I’d be grateful for any pointers for good real estate agents that are good at communicating and doing this kind of search-from-afar work.

Note: I made a similar post before but I didn’t realize I needed to search for a real estate agent, and not a relocation firm. Sorry for that. I hope this is ok.

Didn't hear back after posting on r/askswitzerland, so trying here!

Does anyone have any experience on how to get a laptop back from a Helvetic warranty service center?

It has been 6 weeks and they keep saying that they're waiting for a spare part but don't even have a date by when they'll receive the spare part. So, they can't say when the laptop can be returned. They refused to provide a back-up stating that it's not part of the insurance policy. My son uses it for school, so it has become a huge problem. I've asked them to return the laptop to me without repairing but they're not doing that. I can contact them only via email or website ticket but no phone number or social media handle is available. No escalation options either. Any pointers whether I can complain to any other authority?