Swiss Abroad face threat to 13th pension payment

Swiss citizens living abroad could be excluded from the new 13th state pension payment under a proposal from the right-wing Swiss People’s Party. A year ahead of the federal elections, the People’s Party is proposing new restrictions on the Swiss diaspora. In a motion, parliamentarian Didier Calame has called for “the 13th pension [payment] to be restricted to beneficiaries who are resident in Switzerland”. Calame told Swissinfo: “Pensioners abroad are entitled to the OASI [Swiss old-age and survivors' pension, also known as AHV/AVS], but not to a 13th pension payment. They often deliberately emigrate for economic reasons to countries where the cost of living is lower. So they are saving money.” Calame goes on to say that he has already received reactions from expatriates in Portugal, Thailand and the Dominican Republic. “These are all countries with a low cost of living. You need less money there. That proves I am right.” Pensions abroad targeted before Calame came up with the ...