I'm in the same boat at the moment (currently unemployed but will start working again in August.)

I was strongly advised by Swiss friends not to take RAV benefits for the two-month gap if Mr. MathNut and I could possibly get by without them. Hassle, social stigma (especially given that we are newcomers in a small town), and possible implications for naturalization were cited as reasons not to.

I'd be interested to know how well-founded any of that advice was (the last bit particularly*) but in the meantime, we've decided to err on the safe side and haven't applied for it. Tightened our belts a bit instead and so far it's all right.

If you've got kids there is only so much belt-tightening you can do, of course! Either way, just thought I'd pass along the advice that's been given to me.


* as I understand it, you're not meant to apply for citizenship WHILE you are on benefits, but having applied for them in the past isn't necessarily a problem. Like everything else though I'm sure it 'varies from canton to canton', and the rules in Zürich may not be the rules in Schönesdörfli GL...

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