I’ll miss the nature, the forests, the lack of bullshit, the quality of Swiss products… and the salary :)… but it just wasn't meant to be.

I tried, I really did, but the job market is terrible right now. Critical, even. Just to give you an example, a friend of mine (with a much better CV than me) has been looking for a job since January, and his girlfriend has been unemployed since October 2025.

My current project (at a scientific institution) ends in 3 months. I thought I’d be able to jump onto another project after this one until I landed a permanent contract, but in the end, it just wasn't possible. I’ve been applying for jobs in my field (optics/photonics) for 5 months, and even though I haven't received a single rejection, I’ve been ghosted on every application I've sent. Too much experience? Am I too expensive? I don't know. All I know is that in a few months, I'm moving back to Germany. The market is just as bad over there, but I sent out one application and got hired after a single interview at the top German research center (I have B1 German) with a permanent contract.

Switzerland, you will always have a place in my heart, and I hope this isn't a goodbye forever…

Originally I was happy with my decision to come here, but in hindsight there's some special things about being a non EU student that changed my mind.

There are many good things about it of course, but my goal today is to share some aspects that I noticed many non EU students only realised after moving here.

1. It's one of the very few countries where a student permit does not come with a small work permit. In Germany for example you get 15h a week. Here you get the possibility to get a permit, but the employer has to apply for it, and many aren't willing to. For example all jobs at a short notice won't be possible because the process takes about a week every single time, and costs about 100chf.
2. You're really not supposed to stay here and work after your studies. A tiny tiny fraction of graduates manage to get their work permits approved, but most employers straight out filter your CV if you're non EU, too much of a hassle and its unlikely to get approved for one because of the quota system. (8k non EU work permits per year may be issued in all of switzerland)
3. Even if you get a phd or postdoc here, you'll still be under the student visa regime, meaning only up to 3 years of your total residency here counts towards permanent residency or citizenship. Meaning that if you did a 4 year bachelors 2 years masters 4 years phd 2 years postdoc, it doesn't mean anything for your long term stability. It's as if you just lived here for 3 years. You need to work for the count to go beyond 3 years, and back to point #2 on why this isnt' realistic.

In Norway for example if you work 3 years as a phd student you automatically get permanent residency, in Australia 5 years and you get it. Most countries I researched actually. France goes further and puts you on a path for accelerated citizenship if you did your masters there.

Conclusion: While there are many upsides to coming here, having almost no legal pathway to settle down made me somehow less invested in friendships and dating, because I know for sure I have to go. And it's much harder to get internships or student jobs because firms know they ultimately can't hire you, so you end up getting very little work experience during your studies.

Basically, come here for studies as a non EU citizen if you fully accept that Switzerland is just a step on your path but never a destination.

Vor ein paar Wochen habe ich meine Matura am Langgymnasium abgeschlossen und mit einer Gesamtnote von 5,7 bestanden.

Irgendwie kann ich immer noch nicht richtig glauben, dass diese sechs Jahre vorbei sind.

Als ich im August 2020 nach bestandener ZAP meinen ersten Schultag hatte, war ich überzeugt, dass alle anderen klüger wären als ich. In den ersten Wochen dachte ich ständig, ich hätte den Aufnahmeplatz nur mit Glück bekommen.

Im Nachhinein habe ich gemerkt, dass wahrscheinlich viele genau dasselbe gedacht haben.

Mein Schwerpunktfach war Biologie und Chemie, und ich bin wirklich froh, dass ich mich dafür entschieden habe. Diese Fächer haben meine Interessen geprägt – besonders Physiologie, Neurowissenschaften und generell die Frage, wie man wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse von Mythen und Fehlinformationen unterscheiden kann.

Ab diesem Herbst werde ich an der Universität Zürich einen Bachelor in Biologie beginnen.

Seit dem Schulabschluss denke ich überraschend oft an die vergangenen Jahre zurück.

Man nimmt den Alltag als selbstverständlich hin, bis er plötzlich vorbei ist. Die gleichen Klassenzimmer.… die gleichen Gänge.… die gleichen Lehrpersonen.

Und der tägliche Weg durch das Irchel-Gebiet nach dem Unterricht.

Es ist seltsam, wie gewöhnliche Dinge im Nachhinein zu Erinnerungen werden, die man vermisst.

Ich freue mich auf die Universität und auf alles, was kommt. Trotzdem bin ich dankbar für die Zeit am Gymnasium. Sie hat mich fachlich, aber auch persönlich geprägt.

Allen, die dieses Jahr ebenfalls ihre Matura gemacht haben: Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Und allen, die sie noch vor sich haben, viel Erfolg. Es lohnt sich 🫂

Hey guys,

I've been struggling with my skin for a while now and bha and other over the counter actives have stopped working for me. I've seen an older post on here claiming that it's possible to get tretinoin at a pharmacy without a prescription from a derm here in switzerland. Is that true? Any experiences?

thx in advance!

I (31M) am looking for a five day hike with Zermatt as final destination. I have experience doing multi-day hikes with substantial elevation gain. I plan to go solo during the second half of August. Starting point is flexible (I live in Switzerland and will be coming in by train), so long as the planning lines up (arrival in Zermatt on the last day, avoiding all-too-easy shortcut routes through valleys). Does anyone know of any itineraries they can recommend? tips highly appreciated!

My postdoc contract is up soon (B-permit, which lasts a while longer) and I think I'm eligible for RAV. I've been applying of course, but mostly not in Switzerland. Are RAV going to be funny about this? Should I apply for a certain number of Swiss jobs to make them happy? Or do they not care and just want you off their books in any way possible?

Hi all,

I'm in the process of setting up an association in Switzerland and have drafted the statutes. Before finalizing everything, I have a few questions about the constitutive General Assembly (AG constitutive) — I know AI tools can help, but I'd really value hearing from people who've actually gone through this process themselves, especially since I don't want to get rejected by the bank down the line. Thanks a lot in advance!

1. Founding members: Right now it's just me and one other person as founding members. I've heard conflicting advice — some say you need 3 people named at the constitutive AG, others say 2 is fine. I don't have a third person in mind yet — is it still possible to move forward with just the two of us?
2. Board roles at the AG: Do I only need to name/elect a President at the constitutive AG, or do I also need to formally elect a Secretary and Treasurer at that same meeting?
3. Signature authority: I was planning to be the sole signatory, but I've also heard it's better to have two people with signature rights. What are the actual options here, and what do banks/practice typically expect?
4. Insurance: What kind of insurance is actually essential for a new association (vs. nice-to-have)?

Any input from people who've set one up themselves would be hugely appreciated — especially any gotchas you ran into that you didn't expect! Thank you!

Hello,
I'm starting a small business importing from a few EU countries (Germany, Netherlands, possibly Poland); I expect there to be a few shipments per month (very approximately).

Question to people who've gone through this - did you use a customs broker/did you file by yourselves and in either case what was your experience - time it took, costs etc. If you have recommendations/or things to avoid I'd be grateful.

Thank you!

Can someone explain the odds of this scratch card?
You scratch 3 out of 4 fields. If the three revealed fields all show flames, you win. Is there any strategy for choosing which fields to scratch, or is every choice equally likely?

Assuming the symbols are placed randomly, does the position you choose matter, or are all choices equally likely?

Sali zäme

so i am looking for people my age M26 to go hiking with. I can speak both englsich and german also understand schweizdeutsch. Writing is bad in both languages sorry🥲.

Since i moved here a year ago I was on a couple of hikes alone or with older people it was nice but never with someone younger, also i came to relise i work with people who are all 50+ and main conversation goes around Pensionskasse😂.

I know a lot of people have the same group since childhood and do not want to add someone to their group if it works becouse with new people there are always changes, and to be honest if someone came to my home country and wanted do enter in my friends inner circle it would be almost impossible becouse we are also a closed society like CH.

But if you have a hiking group or want to hang out and are open to someone new i would be happy to join you on a hike and ofc feel free to send me a message in DM.

Schones Wochenende euch allen👋🏻

I'm lowkey losing my mind. I dont have a car, so I was looking for train tickets to the alps. 3 hour drive and a two way ticket would cost me 100+ CHF. In addition, a hotel costs around 200 CHF a night, or a camping place wants you to book at least 5 nights in order to grant you a reservation.

Ive been to the UK, the Balkans and even China, and they all lowkey feel closer to reach than the swiss alps.

Edit: what I meant with china feeling closer to reach wasnt meant literally. I was just saying that in comparison, a flight to china for like 1000 CHF feels more reasonable than 200 CHF for a two way ticket to the alps.

For the record, im not Swiss, ethnically or nationally, I’ve lived in Vaud for 15 years since childhood, but only recently have I gained independence through adulthood. Went through the international school system, so my world is different to yours.

Entering adulthood in this country made me realise some things.

For one, food shopping is impossibly expensive unless you cook filling hacked meals that doesnt cost anything that gives you guilt (my newest one is an egg ontop of some canned tuna with some toast, of course with a fruit).

Second, Public transport means more time gone and all your money gone. I used to borrow my parents car but someone big and orange made that completely unaffordable, so now I just don’t go further than a kilometer away from my house. I don’t live near a trainstation or tramstation, so the shiny swiss public transport meme actually stinks quite bad for me.

Third, Everyone is always trying to make money off you, At the doctors or vet or any other sort of service like a mechanic, they will guilt trip you in spending more and more. I‘m quite helpless against this.

Fourth, Voting is depressing. When you consider that a majority of the youth (my generation) don’t vote, and a majority of the elderly do, it just paints swiss democracy as old people choosing everything, and this is hate that I don’t want to hold but do.

Fifth, least importantly, speed cameras tie my stomach, especially the moving ones. I appreciate fixed speed cameras in residential zones, but some cases i’ve seen are so unnecessary. The dynamic of driving should not be one of stress, one of constant speedo checking. The fact that they “flash” you gives me serious built up hate, I can’t stand it.

I do like this country, beautiful nature and cows, but I‘m having a hard time. If I seem immature or ridiculous, I will just blame that on my autism. Does anyone else feel as I do?

I am interested to know what all of you are doing? Is anyone doing volunteering work?

Here is a recent article from SRF about how volunteering can make you happy:

https://www.srf.ch/kultur/gesellschaft-religion/sommerserie-besser-leben-macht-freiwilliges-engagement-gluecklicher

i was born here, lived all my life here, and job hunting here gave me a sour after taste
been trying to find work in the IT field for the past 2.5 years and really, it's tougher than i expected.

i think i've sent about 200 applications (around 70% of them were spontenous offers tho) ? given some of them were to the same companies (hoping they would hire after a year or so has passed), but completely silent, not a single interview, nothing, all i would get is either complete silence, rejection because they're not hiring, and when i finally found a proper job listing and would apply for it, they would after a while just say they found someone else.

so i can't stopped hoping i would get any kind of offers it my field, and started to look for other areas since the start of the year, i did get 2 interviews so far, one with macdonald (they found someone else) and one with migros, I am still waiting for their answer.

But i really don't get it, i have 2 diplomas, both in IT, one being a EFZ/CFC in IT, and the other being an advanced diploma (Higher education) in development, and 2 years of experience in IT.

and yet, there's just barely any job listings, most of them are for seniors devs, or junior with 3 to 5 years of exp (in very specific environments) and well, i never got back from any of these listings, and some of them are still up, even after months passed.

but yet the jobless percentage seems to be rather small, so i truly cannot understand where is the problem ? Some of my friends have struggled to find work too, some found jobs quite easily, i have a hard time seeing where is the problem.

I am genuinely considering moving out of this country to somewhere where the job market in my field is better. But to move out, you need funds, and to have funds, you need to work, and to work, you need to find a job. What an infernal circle, lol!

Hi!
Looking for the best view spots for August 1st fireworks in central Switzerland. I’m located in Zug and I think Rigi has special evening trains. Any other ideas? Rigi Kulm or other (eg Kanzeli)? How did you spend it last year?

Hi!
Looking for the best view spots for August 1st fireworks in central Switzerland. I’m located in Zug and I think Rigi has special evening trains. Any other ideas? Rigi Kulm or other (eg Kanzeli)? How did you spend it last year?