25. January 2019

Have you downloaded the new edition of the Swiss Review yet?

In the January issue read about:

 

• Politics: The great race is on again – taking a look at the current political landscape ahead of the national elections in Switzerland

• Sport: Julien Wanders – an African running style for a world record performance

• OSA News: E-Voting is the way to uphold the voting right of the “Fifth Switzerland”

• Young Swiss Abroad: supporting, challenging and networking 

 

Check out the Regional Edition Oceania pages, for news and information concerning our community:

 

• Oceania Swiss Club Presidents’ Conference 2018

• Community News and Events

• Consular Information

 

 

Tags: newsarchive

Are you on Facebook? Like and follow us to stay up to date with the information we would like to share with you. Alternatively subscribe to our Newsletter.

 

We are Swiss Abroad! Powered by swissinfo.ch - share your instagram photos and videos using the hashtag #weareswissabroad. Or subscribe to swissinfo.ch's instagram account.

Subscribe to our Newsletter!

News

The new edition of the Swiss Review is out now!
Read More

Council of the Swiss Abroad Spring Meeting 2020

 

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the meeting of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA) on 14 March 2020 in Berne had to be cancelled. As a consequence - and as a first in the history of the organisation - the 127 delegates were asked to cast their votes electronically in matters that couldn’t be postponed until the next meeting. 

Read More

2020 without any Council of the Swiss Abroad assembly

 

Sadly, the Congress of the Swiss Abroad that was to be held in Lugano from 21 to 23 August 2020, and with it the CSA summer assembly, had to be cancelled.

Read More

Coronavirus – a message from the Swiss Government

 

Dear fellow Swiss

 

As you are all aware the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is quickly spreading around the world but the World Health Organisation (WHO) has not changed its warning level (public health emergency of international concern) since January 30, 2020.

Read More

Financial help for Swiss families affected by bushfires
Read More

Movetia – Exchange and mobility

Are you a student or graduate from a university, university of applied arts and sciences, a teacher training college or a qualified teacher seeking experience? 

 

The exchange-programs offered by Movetia gives young students and graduates from abroad the opportunity to work as language teaching assistants in Swiss grammar schools, vocational schools and vocational baccalaureate schools. As native speakers, they bring a unique richness to the teaching of languages, as well as exemplifying cultural aspects of their country of origin. 

 

The program is for young Swiss Abroad who were either born in a country where English, German, French, Spanish or Italian is the official national language or have lived there from the age of four. The paid position begins after the summer holidays and usually lasts a whole school year. The deadline for applications for the school year 2020/21 is 13 March. For further information and registration, please see the website.

Mobile passport station visit in Australia in 2020

The team of the Consulate General in Sydney will be visiting Brisbane QLD from 24 April to 1 May 2020 with the mobile passport station.

 

Provided enough interest is received, Cairns QLD will also be visited during this time. 

 

Registered citizens in QLD, NT and northern NSW will be contacted by email or letter two months prior to the visit with detailed information regarding dates, venues and procedures. Please ensure that the Consulate General has your up-to-date personal data and email address.

 

The Consulate General aims to provide this service to its compatriots rotating the locations, servicing each capital city on a regular basis.

Jungbürgerfeier – Sydney
Read More

NSW Bushfires
Read More

Jungbürgerfeier – Melbourne

 

Saturday, 5 October saw the ‘Young Swiss Citizen Celebration’ being held for the fourth time in Melbourne. 13 young Swiss who recently celebrated their 18th birthday, and thus became fully-fletched Swiss citizens, followed the invitation by the Hon. Consul, Manuela Erb, to a luncheon at the Swiss Club of Victoria. They were accompanied by families and friends.

 

Read More

Summary of Proceedings at the CSA Meeting in Montreux on 16 August 2019

1)

CSA elections in 2021: because the Swiss e-voting systems are on hold until further notice, direct election via e-voting of the CSA delegates (as per pilot projects in Australia and Mexico in 2016) will not be possible. The CSA Delegates in Australia will have the job to organise the next elections without certainty of assistance at this stage. Importance is given to umbrella organisations in countries where they exist, which will have the task to organise fair and democratic elections. Default solution is the ‘old System’ each country carried in the past.

 

Read More

Pacific Islands Forum

The 50th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Summit took place in Tuvalu from 13 to 16 August, 2019.

Read More

AVIS28 – Foreign policy vision for Switzerland 2028

Switzerland is a success story, but it will have to evolve under fast changing international conditions. Therefore, foreign policy will become more important for Switzerland’s prosperity and security. Starting from these reflections, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis established the AVIS28 working group in 2018 with the aim to define a coherent and adaptive foreign policy vision for Switzerland for 2028. AVIS28 is a source of inspiration and new ideas, and at the same time, it should initiate a broad discussion on the future of Swiss foreign policy. Switzerland needs the courage to change. Its foreign policy must become more focused, networked and agile. Switzerland should also work more closely with like-minded states, like Australia and New Zealand, towards their common goals.

Read More

An update on e-voting and the federal election 2019

A lot has happened lately with regards to e-voting. There has been growing resistance and a fair bit of scare-mongering in Switzerland regarding the introduction of e-voting. Whilst the advantages are obvious to the government and the Swiss Abroad, sceptics argue that the trust in the democratic process is compromised due to e-security uncertainty and the cost of developing a secure system is also a concern. Earlier this year, a broad alliance of political parties has been collecting signatures for a popular initiative. Their aim is to ban the introduction of e-voting for at least five years.

 

Read More

Oceania Swiss Club Presidents’ Conference 2018
Read More

Banking problem: No solution for the Swiss Abroad

OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 13 June 2018 – The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) representing the interests of 751,800 compatriots living abroad, is disappointed that the Council of States today rejected Motion 17.3626 by 30 votes to 9 with 4 abstentions. The Council of States has decided not to follow the majority of its Foreign Policy Commission (APK-S) and has rejected a motion calling on PostFinance to accept Swiss Abroad on similar terms as citizens residing in Switzerland. The problem that has existed for our compatriots living abroad for ten years remains unresolved.

Read More

Council of States decides against discriminatory social security changes

OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 30 May 2018 – The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) is relieved that the Council of States has today decided to follow the recommendation of its Commission on Social Security and Health (SGK-S) to delete the amendment to Article 4 (1) in the context of the supplementary benefits reform. This means that the current rules remain in place. Last March, the National Council approved an application whereby Swiss Abroad would have had to pay social security contributions (AHV) for at least ten years in order to qualify for supplementary benefits, which would have discriminated against Swiss Abroad.

Read More

New Partnership with Geneva Cantonal Bank

On 10 March 2018, at he CSA meeting in Bern, the executive of the OSA announced that it had entered into a partnership with the Geneva Cantonal Bank (BCGE). 

More information is available under the topic Swiss Banks.

Health insurance: we’re interested in your experiences!

The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) would like to know about difficulties you have encountered in the area of health insurance and the practical problems that you face as a Swiss person living abroad. This may be of specific relevance to those living temporarily in the Oceania region or those in need for travel insurance when visiting Switzerland. By the same token, if you have had positive experiences or wish to share good practices, please do so!

 

The purpose is to look at ways of improving the situation of Swiss people living abroad in this regard.

 

You can send your experiences and suggestions to us delegates and/or directly to the head office in Bern: info@aso.ch