Switzerland in 2026: Major changes you need to know about

A new year has arrived, and with that a range of new laws and changes are coming to Switzerland. From taxes to pensions and vaccinations, here’s everything you need to know about in 2026.

Changes to pensions and taxes

If you work in Switzerland, want to save for retirement or perhaps are ready to retire now then there's some changes in 2026 that may affect you:

First 13th AHV pension payment due in December

In 2026, the 13th AHV pension payment will be paid for the first time in Switzerland. Voters approved an increase in pension payments via an additional 13th payment in 2024. The extra money will be added to the Old Age and Survivors' Insurance (OASI), also known as AHV or a first pillar pension.

The amount a person will receive is determined by salary. All residents, whether they hold residence permits or are citizens, can claim OASI once they reach retirement age. This means that every person aged 65 or older stands to benefit from the 13th month of pension.

Retrospective pillar 3a payments

People who didn’t manage to make the full contribution to their pillar 3a pension, or only made a small contribution, will be able to retrospectively contribute money for the years after 2025. The maximum amount a person can contribute to their pillar 3a is 7.258 Swiss francs per year. 

Retrospective payments will be deductible from taxable income in the year the contribution is made, and can be made retrospectively up to 10 years starting in 2025. For example, in 2035 a contribution can be made for 2025.

To be able to make a retrospective payment, you have to first contribute the maximum amount for the current year and also have earned AHV-liable income in the year that you want to contribute to.

Some Swiss cantons to lower taxes

A number of cantons in Switzerland have announced plans to reduce cantonal taxes in 2026. Bern, Zug, Zurich, Schwyz and Nidwalden have so far confirmed that they will reduce income taxes for individuals from 2026 onwards. Other cantons, such as Lucerne and Aargau, could also follow.

Changes to healthcare in Switzerland

Look out for these changes coming to the Swiss healthcare system this coming year:

Health insurance premiums rise by 4,4 percent

Health insurance providers in Switzerland will start their new policies for 2026 from January. Premiums are expected to rise by 4,4 percent, on average, across the country. This is slightly less than in 2025 when they rose by 6 percent, on average. However, the price of health insurance will continue to vary by canton.

Health insurance to cover vaccinations

Another change is also coming to health insurance. At the turn of the new year, vaccinations will be exempt from health insurance premium deductibles. This means that health insurers will cover the costs of several vaccinations, including diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, influenza, COVID-19, RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) and rabies. 

Vaccinations for work or travel will not be covered, and people wanting to get vaccinated will still be required to pay 10 percent of the vaccination price, known as the Selbstbehalt. 

Changes in Swiss transport

Whether you get around Switzerland by train, boat, car or another mode of transport, there are some important changes to read up on before the year begins:

Vehicle registration will be digitalised

Vehicle registration is set to become easier in Switzerland in 2026. From the beginning of the new year, vehicle registration will be digitalised with the country now using electronic EU Certificates of Conformity (eCoC) obtained from EU databases. 

Vehicle data will be available online in the vehicle registration information system (IVZ), with vehicle manufacturers and car dealers having direct access. The change should make the vehicle registration process “simpler and more efficient”, according to Blick.

Canton Zug will scrap ticket machines

Zugerland Verkehrsbetriebe (ZVB), the main public transport provider in Canton Zug, announced that it will scrap all physical ticket machines in and around Zug from January 2026. The decision followed declining ticket machine use, with most travellers opting to buy tickets online.

The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) ticket machines will remain at train stations and passengers can continue to buy ZVB public transport tickets on buses, via an app and at the ZVB Travel Centre at Zug train station.

Other changes coming to Switzerland in 2026

And finally, there are a number of other changes coming in 2026 that you may want to familiarise yourself with:

Stalking becomes a criminal offence

From January 2026, stalking another person in Switzerland will become a criminal offence. Anyone prosecuted under criminal law will face up to three years in prison or a fine. Previously, stalking was prosecuted under other provisions of the Swiss Criminal Code. Now the offence will be recognised as a standalone crime.

Reporting construction defects on new properties

Changes to the law are set to affect anyone looking to buy a house in Switzerland starting January 1. People buying new property will be able to report construction defects or faults and have them repaired free of charge. The period during which you can notify a developer of any problems is being extended from seven to 60 days.

Voluntary e-ID to be introduced

Swiss voters had their say in September 2025 and narrowly approved the introduction of e-IDs with 50,4 percent of the vote. 

The e-ID scheme will be implemented by the Swiss government in 2026 and will enable residents of the alpine nation to prove their identity or age safely and securely online, for instance, when using online digital services or shopping. It will be voluntary and free of charge. The government has not yet confirmed when the new form of ID will be introduced in 2026, but it is likely to be in the second half of the year. 

Increase in military service duration

People conscripted into Switzerland’s Civil Defence will now be required to serve until the age of 40. Civil protection is an organisation that aims to “protect the public in the event of disasters, emergencies and armed conflict” and is often performed by people who are unfit for military service, according to the ch.ch website.

Migros launches same-day delivery in Zurich

Swiss supermarket Migros will introduce same-day deliveries for online grocery orders, scheduled to begin in early 2026. Initially, the delivery option will only be available to customers in Zurich but the supermarket has plans to expand this further. Currently, most orders placed online before 12am can only be delivered the following day. 

Voters to decide on 4 national issues at a referendum in March

Another referendum will take place in Switzerland on March 8, 2026. Voters will decide on four national proposals. These are:

The “Yes to an independent, free Swiss currency with coins or banknotes”, or the ”Cash is freedom” and the “Cash Initiative”, was launched by the Swiss Liberty Movement (MLS). The initiative aims to ensure that coins and banknotes will always be available in Switzerland. Furthermore, if Switzerland were to adopt a currency such as the Euro, this proposal aims to ensure that the decision is made by voters.

The second initiative on the ballot in March is the “200 francs is enough!”, or “SRG Initiative”. Voters will decide whether radio and television fees will be reduced from 335 francs per year to 200 francs per year.

“For a fair energy and climate policy: Investing for prosperity, jobs and the environment”, or more simply the “Climate Fund Initiative”, is calling for increased funding for renewable energy, increased energy efficiency, and decarbonisation across transport, buildings, and the economy.

Lastly, voters will decide on the Federal Act of June 20, 2025, which would abolish the marriage penalty and move towards individual taxation. 

Households to pay less for electricity

The amount that households in Switzerland pay for electricity will fall slightly in 2026, by an average of 4 percent. The average family will pay 27,7 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) for electricity, 1,3 percent per kWh less than in 2025.

However, some cantons may actually see prices increase. The cities of Zurich, Lucerne, St Gallen, Schaffhausen and Bern, to name a few, will also see electricity prices increase. In comparison, residents in Geneva, Basel and Lausanne will pay less.  

Moutier becomes part of Canton Jura

Mourtier, a town located between Biel and Basel, is set to change cantons. On January 1, 2026, the town will transfer from Canton Bern to Canton Jura. The change comes after voters approved the proposal in a referendum in 2017, but it was later declared invalid and re-approved in 2024.

Happy New Year from IamExpat!

All that’s left for us to say is to wish you e guets Nöis! Here’s to a good 2026.