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LIVING IN SWITZERLAND

Swiss cantons mull civilian protection service for foreigners

Swiss authorities want foreign nationals who live in the country to be well integrated. But could this mean they will soon have to carry out civil protection service? Two cantons are considering the possibility.

Published: 19 May 2023 12:29 CEST
Members of the Swiss army.
Members of the Swiss army. Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / POOL / AFP

All able-bodied Swiss men from the age of 18 until 30 are required to serve in the armed forces or in its alternative, the civilian protection service.

Thus far, foreign citizens living in Switzerland have been exempt from joining the country’s armed forces, civil service and civilian protection service, but according to the Luzerner Zeitung, two cantons are now looking to change that. The reason: the number of men (and women) in Switzerland’s civilian defence has been declining, enough for its Federal Council to express concern over the prevailing staff shortage.

Switzerland’s Federal Council is currently reviewing a possible change in the law with various proposals being up for discussion. Among them, the suggestion by cantons Nidwalden and Zug that foreigners with a permanent residence permit should be subject to civilian protection service – just like Swiss men.

Civilian protection service – or civil defence – provides protection, care and support to the Swiss society and is regulated on a cantonal level. Civilian protection service is often performed by Swiss men who are declared unfit for military service, but who are fit enough for civilian protection service.

The service is not to be confused with Switzerland’s civil service.

READ MORE: Reader question: Do foreigners have to do military service in Switzerland?

However, the opinions of Switzerland’s political parties on the subject differ.

While Zug’s SP party said it was open for discussion, its co-president Zari Dzaferi remarked that it wouldn’t be fair to impose such a duty on foreigners if they have no political rights and that if that were the case, Switzerland should also look at having women join its civil protection service.

However, Dzaferi feels that obligatory civilian protection service for foreign residents may help with integration.

Meanwhile, Nidwalden’s SVP agrees that the medium-term proposals are understandable, and the corresponding examination will show how practicable the suggestion is.

Its president Roland Blättler said that while civilian protection service could help foreigners integrate, so can joining the fire brigade or doing voluntary work – but that women joining the nation’s civil service may well be worth a discussion. Zug’s SVP president Thomas Werner also agreed with Blättler on the integration issue.

READ MORE: Reader question: Do I have to help the fire brigade in Switzerland if I’m called up?

While various solutions to the issue have been discussed at federal level for months, the canton of Aargau announced an obligatory information event last year where it said it will expect some 3,800 residents – including Swiss women and foreigners – to show up, or pay a 500-franc fine. The future event will focus not only on serving in the military and civilian service, but also broader civilian protection, such as the fire brigade or Samaritan associations.

The canton of Lucerne is planning a similar event aimed at Swiss women and foreign residents.

In 2021, Switzerland already extended the length of time for when compulsory service for members of the civilian protection service from 12 to 14 years to ensure that enough civilian protection service officers were available. Over that period participants need to carry out 245 days of service.

The law still has to go through a second reading. If there is still a majority in parliament and no referendum is held, then there will be the first mandatory information events in Aargau in 2024.

*This story has been corrected since it was originally published to show that the cantons were considering introducing civilian protection service for foreigners and not military service as we wrote originally. We apologise for the error.

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For members

MONEY

Do adult children in Switzerland have to support their parents financially?

Usually, it is the parents’ responsibility to ensure their kids are well taken care of financially. But can Swiss authorities force the children to return the favour in times of need?

Published: 30 April 2024 15:31 CEST
Do adult children in Switzerland have to support their parents financially?

In most cases, once children are grown up and out of the house, they are (or at least should be) self-sufficient in terms of finances.

Parents too should breathe a sigh of relief that they are no longer obligated to pay for their children’s expenses, except perhaps for giving them some money here and there as a gift.

This is what happens in the best-case scenario.

But what if things don’t go according to this plan — for instance, if the parents find themselves in financial straits and can’t  afford to pay their bills?

Family obligations

Generally speaking, the truly needy people who don’t have enough income to pay for their basic living expenses will receive financial help from the government, in the very least in the form of the health insurance and housing subsidy.

READ ALSO: Can I get financial help in Switzerland if I’m struggling to pay the bills?

However, before doling out public money, authorities will see whether relatives should be made to help the struggling individuals pay their bills.

(In this context, ‘relatives’ means only those in the direct line of descent: grandparents, parents, and children.)

They will do it by checking the tax status of these relatives — how much they earn and what other financial assets they have — to determine whether, and how much, they should be paying toward their parents’ expenses.

Obviously, you will be expected to pay up only if your own financial situation allows it; you will not be forced to part with your money if you have very little of it yourself.

 ‘Favourable financial circumstaces’

Based on a Federal Court ruling, if the adult child  lives in ‘favourable financial circumstances’ they are required to help out their struggling parents.

The Court defined ‘favourable financial circumstances’ as income and assets allowing a comfortable life.

‘Comfortable life’, in turn, was defined by the Swiss Conference for Social Welfare (SKOS), as a taxable annual income of 120,000 francs for a single person, and 180,000 francs for married couples.

“If you have minors in your household, the limit is increased by 20,000 francs per child,” according to AXA insurance.

It goes on to say that you can deduct an exempt amount from your taxable assets.

“Your annual depletion of assets is deducted from the remaining amount. This means that if you are obligated to provide financial support, you are permitted to use part of your assets yourself each year; you don’t have to devote your entire assets to providing support.”

At between 18 and 30 years of age, this is 1/60th per year; from 31 to 40, 1/50th per year; 41 to 50, 1/40th per year; 51 to 60, 1/30th per year; and from the age of 61,1/20th per year. 

Are there any exemptions to these rules?

Aside from not having sufficient funds, you could be exempted from paying if, say, your parents, or parent, have not lived up to their own financial obligations toward you.

In Switzerland, parents are required to  provide financially for their children until the age of majority, and even beyond that if they are still studying or undergoing vocational training — typically, until the mid-20s.

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