High-paying jobs and the attractive job market attract Germans to Switzerland. However, one emigrant complains about the locals’ lack of sociability.
Switzerland, one of the richest countries in the world, attracts many Germans with high wages and good working conditions. According to ZDF, around 65,000 Germans leave the Eurozone as cross-border commuters to work in Switzerland, where they earn on average 70 percent more than in Germany.
As ZDF reports, the border area benefits primarily from those Germans who work in Switzerland and bring home a lot of money. Swiss shopping tourists are also an important source of income for German retailers in the border region. The Swiss generate sales of 8.5 billion euros in retail in the German border region every year.
On the other hand, the German economy is suffering from the withdrawal of skilled workers in the border area. German companies in the Swiss border area are increasingly struggling with personnel problems due to food.
Swiss employers prefer longer working hours and have little interest in concepts such as the four-day week and work-life balance, reports ZDF. Although the cost of living in Switzerland is 61 percent higher than in Germany, these factors do not seem to deter most commuters.
For example, Niklas Nowak (28) from Reutlingen in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. He works as an airport employee in Zurich and earns around three to four times his potential German salary there, reports “blick.ch”.
About four and a half years ago, Nowak moved from Reutlingen to the Swiss capital Zurich to benefit from the high wages there. Instead of studying, the Swiss citizen wanted to earn money and travel around the world. What is particularly impressive for him is that he can earn up to 6,000 euros net in peak months. “Switzerland is a cash cow. And here the donkey spits out even more when you poke it,” he told ZDF.
The 28-year-old’s salary is roughly in line with the national average income in Switzerland. Full-time employees there earn an average of 6,538 francs (around 6,629 euros) per month. In a direct comparison, Germany performs worse, with average monthly wages of just under 3,770 euros.
However, Nowak tries to keep his expenses low and says he has never spent more than 20 francs (around 20.30 euros) on a dinner. He also doesn’t own a car and doesn’t go to Swiss nightclubs – so he can save a lot of money, reports “blick.ch”.
In addition to the wages, Nowak is also enthusiastic about Swiss companies and employers. “The fruit baskets that are sometimes accessible to employees, and also the events that are organized by the companies – none of this exists in Germany,” he explained to “blick.ch”. In addition, there is the respectful interaction with one another, which is maintained in Switzerland in contrast to Germany.
Despite the positive aspects, Nowak also notices differences in social interaction between Germans and Swiss. He describes the Swiss as “very socially lazy” because they prefer to stare at their cell phones on the train instead of having a conversation. For non-Swiss people this can seem distant and cold.
However, Nowak’s assessment of Switzerland is fundamentally positive, he explains to “blick.ch”. He likes the clean air, the clean water, the good wages, the nice working atmosphere and the beautiful nature. However, this could subside after three to four years. “I miss the action, the adventure,” he told “blick.ch”. If you want to start a family, Switzerland is the right place for you, but if you’re looking for adventure and community, you won’t find it here.
Christian-Philipp Pohl has chosen a similar life plan. The 38-year-old blogger and YouTuber moved to Switzerland around seven years ago and currently has no plans to return to Germany in the future.
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