Moving to Switzerland

Moving to Switzerland? Here are your first steps in the right order, the key 2026 tax figures, the Switzerland emergency numbers and an address book of the agencies and cities you will deal with – the practical side of living in Switzerland as a foreigner.

If you are moving to Switzerland, the biggest question of 2026 has been answered: on 14 June 2026 voters rejected the 'No 10-million Switzerland' initiative, with 45.2 % voting yes, so free movement of persons with the EU continues unchanged. The EU–Switzerland package (Bilaterals III), signed on 2 March 2026, is still a bill before Parliament and not in force. Croatian nationals have enjoyed full free movement since January 2026, while workers from outside the EU and EFTA still compete for at most 8,500 quota permits this year.

This guide is for everyone who plans to move to Switzerland or is already living in Switzerland as a foreigner – whether you come from the EU, the UK, the US or elsewhere, to work, study, join family or retire. Start by choosing your profile below, then read the 15 guides, which cover each step in depth. This page is your reference: the first steps in order, tax at a glance, the Switzerland emergency numbers, an address book of the agencies you will deal with and portraits of Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne and Bern. Rules, fees and offices often differ from canton to canton, so we always name the canton or commune a figure comes from.

Comparing countries or new to Europe? Moving to Europe lists every country guide and explains the rules that apply across Europe – Schengen, EES, ETIAS, the EU Blue Card and free movement.

Who are you? Choose your guide

Choose what fits you best and get your own step-by-step path, the rules that apply to you and which guides to read.

EU/EFTA citizen

Free movement continues: the ‘No 10-million Switzerland’ initiative was rejected on 14 June 2026 (45.2 % yes), and the EU–Switzerland package (Bilaterals III), signed on 2 March 2026, is still a bill before Parliament, not law. Croatians have had full free movement since January 2026. Your contract decides your permit: L for up to 364 days, B for a year or more.

Step	What to do
Register with your commune within 14 days	Within 14 days of arrival and before you start work, register in person with your valid ID or passport and written confirmation of employment. The permit steps can be completed after you arrive. – Where: Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants (residents' office)
Receive your L or B permit	A contract of 3–12 months gives an L permit for the contract term; one of at least a year or unlimited gives a B permit valid 5 years. Cantonal fees for permit, card and biometrics are capped at CHF 65. – Where: Cantonal migration office (Migrationsamt / office de la population)
Take out basic health insurance within 3 months	Choose any basic insurer within 3 months; cover is backdated to your arrival. The 2026 average premium is CHF 393.30 a month (+4.4 %); 2027 premiums are not yet published. – Where: A health insurer of your choice; compare with the FOPH premium calculator
Check the tax at source on your payslip	With an L or B permit your employer deducts Quellensteuer / impôt à la source; rates vary by canton. Gross pay of CHF 120,000 or more a year means you must also file a tax return. – Where: Your employer; Cantonal tax office (Steueramt / administration fiscale)
Note your AHV/AVS number	Your 13-digit AHV/AVS (old-age and survivors' insurance) number is created by the migration services when you settle. It is printed on your health insurance card and starts with 756. – Where: Migration services; your health insurer
Budget for the Serafe household fee	The radio and TV fee is CHF 335 per household in 2026 and CHF 312 from 1 January 2027. You need not register: your commune passes your details to Serafe, which invoices you. – Where: Serafe AG (collection agency for the radio and TV fee)
Exchange your driving licence within 12 months	You may drive on your EU/EEA licence for 12 months after moving; it is then exchanged without a driving test (original licence and eye test needed). The exchange costs more than CHF 100. – Where: Cantonal road traffic office (Strassenverkehrsamt / service des automobiles)

Rules that apply to you
Geneva: the canton's French page says register within 14 days, its English page says 3 months for EU citizens. Register within 14 days and check with the canton (OCPM).
C permit after 5 years for citizens of the EU-15 states and EFTA; other EU citizens after 10 years. C status must be confirmed every 5 years.
Job seekers may stay up to 6 months: the first 3 without a permit, then with a short-term permit if you can support yourself. There is no right to social assistance.
Jobs of up to 3 months need no permit: your employer files an online notification at least 1 day before work starts.
Canton of Zurich: L and B permits require an average working week of more than 15 hours.

Source: SEM, Federal Chancellery (Swiss authorities' portal), FOPH, FDFA, Fedlex, Serafe, Canton of Zurich Migration Office, read 23 September 2026

From the UK

Since 1 January 2021 new arrivals from the UK are third-country nationals: your employer needs a cantonal permit before you start, from a separate 2026 UK quota of 3,500 (2,100 B, 1,400 L) – only 21 % was used in 2024. New from 1 January 2026: future spouses of UK nationals with acquired rights fall under the stricter FNIA rules.

Step	What to do
Check whether you have acquired rights	If you lived here before 1 January 2021, the Swiss–UK Citizens' Rights Agreement keeps your free movement rights indefinitely; a valid L, B, C or G permit needs no new application. – Where: Cantonal migration office (Migrationsamt / office de la population)
Secure a job offer before you come	You cannot come to look for work. Your employer applies to the canton; only managers, specialists and qualified workers are admitted, Swiss and EU/EFTA candidates come first, and local pay applies. – Where: Your employer; cantonal migration and labour market authority
Enter and register within 14 days	UK citizens need no visa, and the exemption also covers longer stays. Register at your commune within 14 days of entry; you may only start work after registering. – Where: Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants (residents' office)
Take out basic health insurance within 3 months	Cover is backdated to your arrival if you join within 3 months. The 2026 average premium is CHF 393.30 a month; 2027 premiums are not yet published. – Where: A health insurer of your choice
Expect tax at source	Without a C permit your employer deducts Quellensteuer / impôt à la source every month; the rate depends on the canton. – Where: Your employer; Cantonal tax office (Steueramt / administration fiscale)
Exchange your UK driving licence within 12 months	British licences are exempt from the control drive and the extra theory test; bring the original licence and take an eye test. The exchange costs more than CHF 100. – Where: Cantonal road traffic office (Strassenverkehrsamt / service des automobiles)

Rules that apply to you
Services Mobility Agreement: UK-based service providers can work here up to 90 days per calendar year via notification, with no labour-market test, until 31 December 2029.
Acquired rights: a B or L permit lapses after more than 6 months abroad without deregistering; a C permit can be kept for 4 years abroad on request.
Canton of Zurich: the UK has a settlement treaty, so a C permit is possible after 5 years if you are integrated (German A2 spoken, A1 written).
New arrivals: family reunification covers your spouse and unmarried children under 18; retirees must be 55 or over, with personal ties and sufficient means.
UK cross-border commuters arriving now must have lived 6 months in a neighbouring country's border area, and the Swiss workplace must be in the border area.

Source: SEM, Federal Council, Federal Chancellery portal, FOPH, Federal Roads Office, Canton of Zurich Migration Office, read 23 September 2026

From the US or elsewhere outside the EU

Quotas for 2026 are unchanged at 8,500 permits (4,500 B and 4,000 L), and the rejection of the ‘No 10-million Switzerland’ initiative on 14 June 2026 leaves the system as it is. Only highly qualified people are admitted, and your employer, not you, applies. Allow six to eight weeks for processing.

Step	What to do
Get a qualifying job offer	You need a degree plus several years' experience as a manager, specialist or skilled professional. The signed contract must state it applies only if the permit is granted, at local pay and conditions. – Where: Your future employer
Employer proves no local candidate was found	The employer shows nobody suitable was found in Switzerland or the EU/EFTA, e.g. by registering the vacancy with the RAV/ORP and on EURES. Intra-company transfers of senior managers are exempt. – Where: Your employer; regional employment centre (RAV/ORP)
Canton decides first, then SEM	The employer files with the canton; after its preliminary decision SEM gives final approval and charges the employer a fee (see the agency's website). Expect six to eight weeks. – Where: Cantonal migration office; SEM (State Secretariat for Migration)
Collect your visa	Once approved, the canton authorises your visa at the Swiss representation abroad. A residence permit from another EU/EFTA state does not let you work in Switzerland. – Where: Swiss embassy or consulate
Register within 14 days, then start work	Register at your commune within 14 days of entry; you may only start work afterwards. The canton takes two fingerprints and a facial image for your biometric permit card. – Where: Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants (residents' office); cantonal migration office
Take out basic health insurance within 3 months	Join any basic insurer within 3 months and cover is backdated to your arrival. The 2026 average premium is CHF 393.30 a month; 2027 premiums are not yet published. – Where: A health insurer of your choice
Understand tax at source	Your employer deducts Quellensteuer / impôt à la source; CHF 120,000 or more means a tax return. Specialists posted by a foreign employer for at most 5 years may deduct a flat CHF 1,500 a month. – Where: Your employer; Cantonal tax office (Steueramt / administration fiscale)
Exchange your driving licence within 12 months	US and Canadian licences are exempt from the control drive; most other non-EU licences need one, and it cannot be repeated. The exchange costs more than CHF 100. – Where: Cantonal road traffic office (Strassenverkehrsamt / service des automobiles)

Rules that apply to you
B permit holders can generally change jobs freely; L permit holders only within the same sector and profession, and with approval.
Cantonal quotas 2026: Zurich 249 B / 399 L, Geneva 93 B / 149 L, Vaud 113 B / 181 L, Basel-Stadt 45 B / 72 L; a federal reserve holds 3,250 B and 2,000 L.
Federal caps on cantonal fees: CHF 95 to issue an L, B or G permit, CHF 75 to extend it, CHF 22 for the biometric card and CHF 20 for biometric data.
Canton of Zurich: US and Canadian citizens can get a C permit after 5 years if integrated (German A2 spoken, A1 written); most others after 10 years.
Family: spouse or registered partner and unmarried children under 18; apply within 5 years, for children over 12 within 12 months.

Source: SEM, Federal Council, Fedlex, FOPH, Federal Tax Administration, Federal Roads Office, Canton of Zurich, read 23 September 2026

Researcher or PhD student

Switzerland is associated with Horizon Europe retroactively from 1 January 2025, so you can apply as a full beneficiary. Since 1 January 2026 the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship pays CHF 2,450 a month, but fewer are awarded and postdoctoral scholarships end from 2027/28. Doctoral and postdoc researchers are exempt from the labour-market priority rule.

Step	What to do
Choose your permit route	EU/EFTA: your contract decides – L for up to 364 days, B for a year or more. Non-EU: your host applies; work in your field is allowed at local pay and does not count against the quotas. – Where: Cantonal migration office (Migrationsamt / office de la population)
Register with your commune within 14 days	Register within 14 days of arrival; non-EU researchers may only start work after registering. Canton of Zurich: the entry application needs the university's ‘Beiblatt’. – Where: Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants (residents' office)
Take out basic health insurance within 3 months	Researchers must join a Swiss basic insurer within 3 months; cover is backdated to arrival. The 2026 average premium is CHF 393.30 a month; 2027 premiums are not yet published. – Where: A health insurer of your choice
Expect tax at source	With a B or L permit your employer deducts Quellensteuer / impôt à la source; rates vary by canton. – Where: Your employer; Cantonal tax office (Steueramt / administration fiscale)
Apply for EU research funding	Researchers in Switzerland take part in Horizon Europe, Euratom and Digital Europe calls as beneficiaries from the 2025 programme year. Euresearch, funded by SERI, advises applicants. – Where: Euresearch; SERI (State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation)
Consider an Excellence Scholarship	2027–28 round, open since 20 August 2026: CHF 2,450 a month for a 6–12 month research stay from 1 September 2027. Born after 31 December 1991, master's by 31 July 2027. – Where: SERI; your Swiss academic supervisor

Rules that apply to you
PhD status lasts until the dissertation is finished, usually 3–4 years and at most 8; a side job of up to 15 hours a week outside the university is allowed.
Postdocs: at most 8 years including any PhD stay; if you start more than 2 years after your doctorate, the maximum is 4 years.
Non-EU graduates of Swiss universities get 6 months to find qualified work. Canton of Zurich: a postdoc alone gives no right to this job-search permit.
Regulated professions (e.g. doctors) need recognition of your qualification; non-regulated ones (e.g. chemists) do not.

Source: SEM, SERI, FDFA, Fedlex, FOPH, Federal Chancellery portal, Canton of Zurich Migration Office, read 23 September 2026

Student

Fees are rising: since autumn semester 2025 ETH Zurich charges most foreign students CHF 2,190 per semester instead of CHF 730. From outside the EU/EFTA you must apply for your permit before arriving and prove your funds – the Canton of Zurich asks for CHF 21,000 for 12 months, the Canton of Geneva CHF 20,000 a year.

Step	What to do
Apply directly to your university	Applications go straight to the institution. Most programmes have no enrolment limit; medicine (aptitude test), chiropractic and sport are exceptions. – Where: The university's admissions office
Non-EU: apply for your permit before arrival	Apply before you travel with proof of admission, funds, insurance, a study plan, CV and a commitment to leave after studies. Canton of Zurich: file at the Swiss representation abroad. – Where: Swiss embassy or consulate; cantonal migration office
Register with your commune within 14 days	EU/EFTA students show admission, means and health insurance and get a B permit for the course or 1 year, renewable; apply for renewal 14 days before it expires. – Where: Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants (residents' office); cantonal migration office
Sort out health insurance	EU/EFTA/UK students who do not work here keep their EHIC cover. Non-EU students can ask the canton for exemption with equivalent private cover, for 3 years plus 3 more. – Where: Cantonal health insurance office
Pay the minimum AHV/AVS contribution	Students aged 20 or over who do not work pay AHV/AVS (old-age and survivors' insurance) contributions of at least CHF 530 a year. Your university requests your AHV number. – Where: Cantonal compensation office (Ausgleichskasse / caisse de compensation)
Work within the limits	Non-EU students may work from 6 months after starting, up to 15 hours a week in term time (Canton of Geneva: 40 in university holidays). Canton of Zurich: get approval before any job. – Where: Your employer; cantonal labour market office (Canton of Zurich: Amt für Wirtschaft)
Bring your belongings duty-free	Students may import furniture, personal belongings and study materials free of duty, even without transferring their residence. – Where: Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS)
After graduating: 6 months to find a job	Non-EU graduates of Swiss universities get 6 months to look for qualified work and can be hired without the priority test if there is significant academic or economic interest. – Where: Cantonal migration office

Rules that apply to you
Study permits are normally granted for at most 8 years in total.
University of Zurich: CHF 720 per semester plus a CHF 500 foreign-student surcharge at bachelor's level (CHF 100 at master's and PhD level).
EU/EFTA students can bring only their spouse and dependent children.
Canton of Zurich: students over 30 must justify their studies, and one change of study programme may be allowed.
Compulsory internships for non-EU students need a permit and are only allowed if integral to your studies, usually via IAESTE or AIESEC.

Source: SEM, Fedlex, FOPH, ETH Zurich, University of Zurich, Federal Chancellery portal, cantons of Zurich and Geneva, read 23 September 2026

Joining a partner or family

Who can join depends on the nationality and permit of the person already here. Since 1 January 2026 future spouses of UK nationals with acquired rights face the stricter FNIA rules, and under a SEM directive of 4 December 2025 non-EU family applications go through the Swiss representation abroad. Individual taxation, approved on 8 March 2026, takes effect in 2032.

Step	What to do
Check who may join	EU/EFTA citizens: spouse, children under 21 or dependent, dependent parents. Swiss citizens and non-EU B or C holders: spouse or registered partner and unmarried children under 18. – Where: Cantonal migration office (Migrationsamt / office de la population)
Apply in the right place	Non-EU relatives apply at the Swiss representation abroad, which passes the file to the canton. Canton of Zurich: visa-required relatives of EU/EFTA citizens also apply before entry. – Where: Swiss embassy or consulate; cantonal migration office
Meet the conditions	Family of B and C holders: live together, have suitable housing, rely on no social assistance or supplementary benefits (EL), and the spouse speaks the local language at A1 or enrols in a course. – Where: Cantonal migration office (Migrationsamt / office de la population)
Respect the deadlines	Family reunification must be requested within 5 years; children over 12 must join within 12 months. – Where: Cantonal migration office (Migrationsamt / office de la population)
Register and insure everyone	Register within 14 days (City of Zurich: all family members attend in person). Each person needs basic health insurance within 3 months; the 2026 average child premium is CHF 122.50 a month. – Where: Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants (residents' office); a health insurer
Enrol your children at school	Children who join must attend free compulsory school at least until 16. Under the HarmoS concordat they start once they have turned 4, with 31 July as the cut-off date. – Where: Your commune or the head of the local school
Claim family allowances	At least CHF 215 per child and CHF 268 per child in education each month, via the employer; cantons may pay more (Basel-Stadt CHF 275/325, Geneva CHF 311/415). – Where: Your employer's family allowance fund

Rules that apply to you
Spouses and children of EU/EFTA nationals, Swiss citizens and B or C holders may work without a separate permit; family of L holders need one.
C holders have a right to family reunification; for B holders it is at the authorities' discretion.
Canton of Zurich: unmarried partners need a stable relationship of at least 3 years and a prior shared household.
After divorce or a spouse's death, a B permit can be kept after 3 years of marriage and shared household if well integrated, or for important personal reasons.
A federal childcare allowance (at least CHF 100 a month) has been adopted but is not in force; no start date has been set.

Source: SEM, Fedlex, Federal Chancellery portal, FSIO, FOPH, EDK, Federal Tax Administration, Canton and City of Zurich, read 23 September 2026

Cross-border commuter

Since 1 July 2023 (from Italy since 1 January 2024) you can telework up to 49.9 % from home and stay insured in Switzerland, if your employer requests an A1 certificate. From tax year 2026 employers must also report staff living in France, and Italy's new commuter agreement has applied since 1 January 2024.

Step	What to do
Get your G permit from the canton of work	EU/EFTA: live anywhere in the EU/EFTA, work anywhere in Switzerland, return home at least weekly. G is valid 5 years for contracts over 1 year; under 3 months, online notification only. – Where: Migration office of the canton where you work
Non-EU nationals: check the border-zone rules	You need permanent residence in a neighbouring country and 6 months in its border zone. The G permit is usually valid 1 year and limited to the issuing canton's border zone. – Where: Migration office of the canton where you work
Decide on health insurance within 3 months	You are insured in Switzerland from your first working day. Residents of Germany, France, Italy or Austria may insure at home instead by applying to the canton of work within 3 months. – Where: Health insurance office of the canton where you work
Check your tax at source	Your employer deducts Quellensteuer / impôt à la source at cantonal rates. Germany: capped at 4.5 % with form Gre-1. Italy: new commuters pay 80 % of the Swiss rate plus Italian tax. – Where: Your employer; Cantonal tax office (Steueramt / administration fiscale)
Keep telework within the limits	Social security: up to 49.9 % with an A1 certificate (max. 3 years) via ALPS. Tax, France (1983 agreement cantons): up to 40 % of working time, e.g. 96 of 240 days. – Where: Your employer; Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO)
Register if you stay during the week	If you stay in Switzerland during the working week, register with the local commune – within 14 days if it lasts more than 3 months a year. – Where: Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants (residents' office)
Ask for a tax return if most income is Swiss	Canton of Zurich: you can request an ordinary assessment only if at least 90 % of your family's worldwide income is taxed in Switzerland; apply every year by 31 March. – Where: Cantonal Tax Office Zurich (Kantonales Steueramt)

Rules that apply to you
France: if you insure in France, complete the form «Choix du système d'assurance-maladie» within 3 months and have it stamped by the CPAM.
The 1983 agreement with France covers Bern, Solothurn, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Vaud, Valais, Neuchâtel and Jura; Geneva has its own 1973 agreement.
Telework below 25 % has no effect on social insurance; the telework framework agreement does not cover the self-employed.
Canton of Geneva: the indicative processing time for a G permit is 3 months (OCPM, 21 September 2026).
Missing the 3-month deadline for Swiss health insurance can mean a premium surcharge.

Source: SEM, FOPH, FSIO, Federal Tax Administration, Fedlex, cantons of Zurich and Geneva, read 23 September 2026

Refugee, F or S status

Status S has been tightened twice: for SEM decisions after 1 November 2025 it goes only to people from Ukrainian regions under concrete danger, and since 20 August 2026 new applicants must meet Ukrainian military obligations. On 19 August 2026 the Federal Council extended status S until 4 March 2028. Refugees, F and S holders may work anywhere once the job is reported.

Step	What to do
Apply for asylum in Switzerland	Apply orally or in writing at an open border crossing, a Swiss airport's customs checkpoint or a federal asylum centre. You cannot apply from abroad. – Where: SEM federal asylum centre
Ukraine: register for status S	You must have lived in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 and already be in Switzerland. Apply online via RegisterMe; all registrations take place in Urtenen-Schönbühl. – Where: SEM federal asylum centre Sand-Schönbühl, Moosstrasse 28, 3322 Urtenen-Schönbühl
Follow your asylum procedure	You stay in a federal asylum centre for at most 140 days. Clear cases are decided within 8 days of the interview; appeal within 7 working days (accelerated) or 30 days (extended). – Where: SEM (State Secretariat for Migration)
Report your job before you start	Refugees (B), F and S holders and stateless people may work anywhere in Switzerland; the job only has to be reported first, e.g. via the EasyGov online desk. Asylum seekers (N) need cantonal approval. – Where: EasyGov online desk; cantonal migration office
Keep your permit valid	S: card valid up to 1 year; hand it in no later than 2 weeks before expiry and report a new address within 8 days. F: ordered for 12 months, extended by the canton 12 months at a time. – Where: Cantonal migration office (Migrationsamt / office de la population)
F permit: plan family reunification	By law you can bring your family 3 years after provisional admission at the earliest (SEM can examine an application after 18 months). Needed: shared household, housing, no social assistance, A1 or a course. – Where: SEM; cantonal migration office
Learn the local language	Language skills are one of the 4 integration criteria. For status S the Confederation pays cantons CHF 3,000 per person a year until 4 March 2028 for language, education and job support. – Where: Cantonal integration office

Rules that apply to you
From March 2027 the first S holders reach 5 years: they are entitled to a B permit linked to status S, which lapses if S is revoked.
Planned, not law: the Federal Council wants cantons to set support levels for S holders from 1 March 2027; the consultation is due in autumn 2026.
Proposal only: cutting the F-permit waiting period for family reunification from 3 to 2 years. The law still says 3 years.
S holders may travel abroad and return without a travel permit. Protection status from another EU/EFTA state does not let you work here.
Dublin rule: if you already applied for asylum in another Dublin country, you will be sent back there.

Source: SEM, Federal Council, FDJP, Fedlex, Federal Chancellery portal, read 23 September 2026

Returning Swiss citizen

Paper Swiss driving licences lost their validity on 1 November 2024, so swap yours for a credit-card licence. The e-ID approved on 28 September 2025 was postponed on 30 June 2026 with no new date, so bring your ID card or passport. You can return at any time: register with your commune within 14 days and take out health insurance within 3 months.

Step	What to do
Register with your new commune	Register within 14 days of arrival (the canton sets the deadline), bring your certificate of origin, and report your new address to the Swiss representation abroad. – Where: Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants (residents' office)
Take out basic health insurance within 3 months	Cover is backdated to your entry date, regardless of age and without reservations. The 2026 average premium is CHF 393.30 a month; 2027 premiums are not yet published. – Where: A health insurer of your choice
Restart AHV/AVS contributions	Contributions are due again. Each missing year cuts your pension by about 2.3 %, and gaps can only be filled within 5 years; keep proof of foreign contributions. – Where: Cantonal compensation office (Ausgleichskasse / caisse de compensation)
Bring household goods duty-free	Goods you have used for at least 6 months can be imported duty-free within 2 years of moving; apply with form 18.44. A car must be cleared at customs when it first enters. – Where: Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS)
Sort out your driving licence	Contact your canton's road traffic office within 14 days of returning; a foreign licence is valid here for 12 months. Exchange any old blue paper Swiss licence. – Where: Cantonal road traffic office (Strassenverkehrsamt / service des automobiles)
Report for military or civilian service	Report to your section head within 14 days of arrival. After more than 6 years abroad in a row you are exempt from military service, but civilian service and the exemption tax still apply. – Where: Your cantonal section head (military administration)
Claim unemployment benefit if needed	From outside the EU/EFTA: 12 months' paid work in Switzerland in the last 24 months, or 12 abroad plus 6 here; claim within 1 year. From the EU/EFTA, claim where you last worked. – Where: Regional employment centre (RAV/ORP)

Rules that apply to you
Your non-Swiss spouse is in principle entitled to a residence permit through family reunification; a visa may be needed.
The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad can grant small interest-free loans to Swiss citizens who returned within the past year.
Serafe household fee: CHF 335 in 2026, CHF 312 from 1 January 2027, invoiced automatically from your commune's register.
Canton of Basel-Stadt: after at least 1 year abroad you get a voucher for a free German course up to B2. Canton of Geneva: a voucher funds a first French course.
FDFA helpline: 0800 247 365 or 058 465 33 33 from Switzerland.

Source: FDFA, Federal Chancellery portal, FOPH, FOCBS, Federal Office of Justice, cantons of Basel-Stadt and Geneva, Serafe, read 23 September 2026

Starting a business or self-employed

Since 1 January 2025 missed pillar 3a years can be bought back (gaps from 2025, so the first buy-ins are in 2026), and without a pension fund you may pay in 20 % of earned income, up to CHF 36,288. On 29 November 2026 voters decide on raising VAT from 8.1 % to 8.5 % – a proposal, not law. Your permit route depends on your nationality.

Step	What to do
EU/EFTA: register and prove self-employment	Register within 14 days with ID and proof of (planned) self-employment and means to support yourself; start only once the documents are in. You get a B permit valid 5 years. – Where: Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants (residents' office); cantonal migration office
Non-EU: show a lasting economic benefit	Prove a lasting positive effect on the Swiss labour market with a 3-year business plan, deed of foundation and commercial register entry. L and B permits count against the quotas. – Where: Cantonal migration office; SEM
Choose your legal form	A GmbH (Sàrl) needs at least CHF 20,000 capital, fully paid; an AG (SA) CHF 100,000, at least CHF 50,000 paid in. At least 1 person resident in Switzerland must represent the company. – Where: A notary; SECO SME Portal
Register in the commercial register	Sole proprietorships must register once turnover exceeds CHF 100,000 a year; partnerships, GmbH and AG always, the last two via a notary. For fees, see the agency's website. – Where: Cantonal commercial register (Handelsregisteramt / registre du commerce)
Join the AHV/AVS as self-employed	In 2026 you pay 10.0 % of income from CHF 60,500, less below that (down to 5.371 %), at least CHF 530. Canton of Zurich: for an EU/EFTA permit the SVA must recognise your self-employment. – Where: Cantonal compensation office (Ausgleichskasse / caisse de compensation)
Register for VAT from CHF 100,000	Businesses with taxable turnover of CHF 100,000 or more a year must register. Rates: 8.1 % standard, 3.8 % accommodation, 2.6 % reduced. – Where: Federal Tax Administration (FTA)
Insure yourself	Arrange your own health, loss-of-earnings and accident insurance; the self-employed are not covered by unemployment insurance. The free EasyGov online desk handles company admin. – Where: EasyGov online desk (SECO); insurers of your choice

Rules that apply to you
EU/EFTA self-employed service providers based abroad may work up to 90 working days a year after an online notification at least 8 days ahead.
UK-based service providers can use the same 90-day notification under the Services Mobility Agreement until 31 December 2029.
C permit holders and spouses of C holders or Swiss citizens have the legal right to set up their own business.
EU/EFTA L permit holders who become self-employed must report it and receive a new B permit valid 5 years.
Profit tax: federal 8.5 %; total burden 16.6 % in the Canton of Zurich and 12.5 % in St. Gallen (BAK index 2022, quoted by SECO).

Source: SEM, SECO SME Portal, AHV/IV Information Centre, Federal Tax Administration, Fedlex, Canton of Zurich Migration Office, read 23 September 2026

Retiring or living on your own means

Since 1 January 2026 the federal minimum base for lump-sum (expenditure-based) taxation is CHF 435,000, and the first 13th AHV/AVS pension is paid in December 2026. EU/EFTA citizens with enough money and insurance get a 5-year B permit; others must be 55 or older, have close ties to Switzerland and apply before arriving.

Step	What to do
EU/EFTA: register within 14 days	Show means above the level at which a Swiss person could claim benefits, plus adequate health and accident insurance. You get a B permit for 5 years, extended automatically. – Where: Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants (residents' office); cantonal migration office
Non-EU: apply before you arrive	You must be 55 or over, have special ties to Switzerland (longer earlier stays or close relatives here), means above the supplementary-benefit level, and do no paid work here or abroad. – Where: Swiss embassy or consulate; cantonal migration office
Canton of Zurich: prepare for a strict check	Meeting the conditions gives no legal right to a permit. From age 70 your assets must also cover nursing-home costs; relatives or property here are not enough on their own. – Where: Migration Office of the Canton of Zurich (Migrationsamt)
Arrange health insurance within 3 months	Basic insurance is compulsory; the 2026 average adult premium is CHF 465.30 a month. EU/EFTA/UK nationals drawing a pension only from an EU/EFTA state or the UK are exempt. – Where: A health insurer; the cantonal office that decides on exemptions
Pay AHV/AVS until reference age	Below reference age (65 for men, 64 years 6 months for women in 2026) you pay CHF 530–26,500 a year based on wealth and pension income, unless a working spouse pays at least CHF 1,060. – Where: Cantonal compensation office (Ausgleichskasse / caisse de compensation)
Consider lump-sum taxation	For non-Swiss people who do not work here and are newly taxable (or back after 10 years). Federal minimum base: CHF 435,000 (2026), CHF 437,000 (2027); cantonal rules differ. – Where: Cantonal tax office (Steueramt / administration fiscale)
Budget for fixed household costs	The Serafe radio and TV fee is CHF 335 per household in 2026 and CHF 312 from 1 January 2027; people receiving supplementary benefits (EL) can apply for exemption. – Where: Serafe AG

Rules that apply to you
UK retirees without acquired rights follow the same rules: aged 55 or over, personal ties to Switzerland and sufficient means.
Canton of Zurich: wealthy non-working third-country nationals may be admitted for fiscal interest if they would pay roughly CHF 1 million in tax a year.
Buying property gives no residence permit. Holiday homes for foreigners are capped at 1,500 a year and cannot be sold to foreigners in Geneva or Zurich.
Proposal, not law: under the EU package, economically inactive EU citizens would gain no right of permanent residence.
A full AHV/AVS old-age pension is CHF 1,260–2,520 a month; a 13th pension is paid each December from 2026.

Source: SEM, Fedlex, Federal Tax Administration, FSIO, AHV/IV Information Centre, FOPH, Serafe, Canton of Zurich Migration Office, read 23 September 2026

The 15 guides

Move

1. Part 1First 30 days in Switzerland
2. Part 2B permit, L permit, C or G
3. Part 3AHV number and commune registration in Switzerland
4. Part 6Working in Switzerland
5. Part 7Quellensteuer explained

Live

1. Part 4Opening a Swiss bank account
2. Part 5Renting a flat in Switzerland
3. Part 8Health insurance in Switzerland
4. Part 10Childcare and school in Switzerland
5. Part 11Language requirements in Switzerland
6. Part 12Driving licence exchange in Switzerland
7. Part 13Serafe fee, electricity and waste bags

Settle

1. Part 9Social insurance in Switzerland
2. Part 14Public holidays in Switzerland 2026
3. Part 15C permit and Swiss citizenship

Switzerland in numbers

Official statistics, fetched from the source. Each figure shows where it comes from and which period it covers.

Figure	Latest	Source and period
Population	9.05 million	Eurostat · 1 January 2025
Economy (GDP)	€926 billion	Eurostat · 2025
GDP per person	$114,769	World Bank · 2025
GDP growth	+2.6%	Eurostat, compared with a year earlier · Q2 2026
GDP growth, full year	1.3%	World Bank · 2025
Unemployment	5.1%	Eurostat, seasonally adjusted · June 2026
Employment rate	82.1%	Eurostat, age 20–64 · Q2 2026
Inflation	0.9%	Eurostat, EU-harmonised (HICP) · August 2026
Central bank rate	0.00%	Swiss National Bank policy rate · August 2026
Median income	€51,926 a year	Disposable, per adult equivalent · Eurostat · 2024
Price level	184	EU = 100 · Eurostat · 2024
Born abroad	31.7%	Eurostat · 1 January 2025
€1 buys	0.939 CHF	European Central Bank · 23 September 2026

Source: Swiss National Bank, Eurostat, World Bank and European Central Bank, read 23 September 2026, 23:40 Paris time (CET).

Pros
Very high incomes: median disposable income €51,926 – 40% above the EU average even after adjusting for prices (Eurostat, 2024).
The richest per person of the six: GDP of $114,769 per resident (World Bank, 2025).
The lowest inflation of the six: 0.9% (August 2026, HICP) and a central bank rate of 0.00% (Swiss National Bank).
A very high employment rate: 82.1% of 20–64-year-olds are in work (Q2 2026, Eurostat).
Nearly a third of residents were born abroad – 31.7% (Eurostat, 1 January 2025).

Cons
The most expensive of the six: consumer prices 84% above the EU average, housing and energy 114% above (Eurostat, 2024).
Housing weighs heavily: 15.3% of residents spend more than 40% of their income on housing (Eurostat, 2024), against 8.2% in the EU.
A long usual working week for full-time employees: 42.6 hours, against 39.5 in the EU (Eurostat, 2025).

Your first steps in Switzerland, in order

Step	What	Where	Typical time
1	Settle your right to live and work. EU/EFTA citizens can do the permit steps after arrival. Others need a permit first: only highly qualified workers are admitted, within quotas	Non-EU: your employer applies to the cantonal migration office, SEM (State Secretariat for Migration) gives final approval and the canton authorises your visa	Non-EU work permit: six to eight weeks, according to SEM
2	Bring your household goods in duty-free – they must have been in personal use for at least six months. Fill in customs form 18.44 with a list of the goods	A staffed customs office at the border, on working days during office hours (Federal Office for Customs and Border Security)	Within two years of moving; a car is cleared the first time it crosses the border
3	Register your arrival, before you start work. Bring your passport or ID card, lease and employment contract	Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants (residents' office) of your commune – in the City of Zurich in person and by appointment at the Personenmeldeamt Zürich Süd; in Basel-Stadt at the Einwohneramt; in Geneva with the OCPM	Within 14 days of arrival (see the Geneva note below)
4	Give your biometric data and receive your permit card. Non-EU citizens get a card with a chip holding two fingerprints and a facial image; EU/EFTA citizens get a card without a chip	Cantonal migration office – in the Canton of Zurich EU/EFTA citizens also book a biometrics appointment (photo and signature); in Basel-Stadt it is done at the Einwohneramt appointment	Canton of Geneva: biometrics appointment within 2 to 4 weeks
5	Get your AHV/AVS number (old-age and survivors' insurance) – the 13-digit social security number that starts with 756	Created by the migration services when you settle; if you work and have none, your employer's compensation office requests it	Automatic when you settle
6	Open a payment account and get a Swiss SIM card. For the SIM you must show a passport, ID card or Swiss permit card	PostFinance, which must offer a CHF payment account to people living in Switzerland, or another bank; any mobile provider	PostFinance: online in about ten minutes
7	Enrol your children in kindergarten or school – public schooling is compulsory and free	Canton of Zurich: your commune or the head of the local school; Geneva: first-year (1P) registration with the child present; Basel-Stadt: in person, after booking an appointment by phone	Canton of Zurich: kindergarten from age four; Geneva: children aged 4 by 31 July
8	Take out basic health insurance – Krankenversicherung / assurance-maladie – for every family member. Insurers must accept you	Any health insurer; compare premiums with the premium calculator of the Federal Office of Public Health (Priminfo)	Within three months of arrival; cover is backdated to your arrival
9	Find a family doctor (GP). In Switzerland you usually see your GP first, and finding one is your own job	A practice near you; in Basel-Stadt the Medical Emergency Call Centre gives free advice if you have none yet	Early – Basel-Stadt advises registering with a GP as soon as you can
10	Exchange your driving licence. EU/EEA licences are exchanged without a test; for most other countries you take a control drive	Cantonal road traffic office (Strassenverkehrsamt)	Within 12 months of taking up residence
11	Start a course in the local language – language skills are one of the legal integration criteria for permits	Basel-Stadt: free 80-lesson German course voucher (value CHF 1,300) at the welcome interview for newcomers entitled to a B permit; City of Zurich: Welcome Desk and co-financed courses; Geneva: BIC; City of Bern: FMR	Basel-Stadt voucher: valid 12 months

Geneva is the exception to watch. The canton's French page says everyone must announce their arrival to the OCPM within 14 days, while its English 'Welcome to Geneva' page gives EU citizens 3 months. Register within 14 days to be safe, and check with the canton. Permit fees are cantonal but capped by federal law: for EU/EFTA citizens the permit procedure and card cost at most CHF 65 in total; for others the caps are CHF 95 for the permit, CHF 22 for the biometric card and CHF 20 for taking the biometric data. Basel-Stadt also charges CHF 25 per person for registering at the Einwohneramt.

Tax at a glance for 2026

Item	2026 figure	Applies to
AHV/AVS, IV/AI and EO/APG (old-age, disability and income-compensation insurance)	5.3 % of your salary, deducted from your pay; your employer adds another 5.3 % (10.6 % in total), with no upper limit	Everyone in work, nationwide
Unemployment insurance (ALV/AC)	1.1 % of salary up to CHF 148,200 a year (2.2 % in total with your employer); nothing on income above that	Employees, nationwide
Occupational pension (BVG/LPP, pillar 2)	Compulsory if you earn more than CHF 22,680 a year from one employer; the salary between CHF 26,460 and CHF 90,720 must be insured; each pension fund sets its rates, and the employer pays at least as much as its employees	Employees, nationwide
Non-occupational accident insurance	Premium normally deducted from your pay if you work at least 8 hours a week for one employer; maximum insured salary CHF 148,200	Employees, through the employer's insurer
Quellensteuer / impôt à la source (tax at source)	Deducted monthly by your employer; covers federal, cantonal and communal income tax; the rate is set by each canton	Foreign workers without a C permit, unless married to a Swiss citizen or a C-permit holder; cross-border commuters
Tax return instead of tax at source	Compulsory from a gross salary of CHF 120,000 a year; below that you may request one by 31 March of the following year, and the request cannot be withdrawn	Federal rule for all cantons; the Canton of Zurich stresses that the deadline cannot be extended
Direct federal tax	Starts at taxable income of CHF 18,500 (single) or CHF 32,200 (married); CHF 2,684.35 on taxable income of CHF 100,000 (single); a flat 11.5 % at the top, from CHF 794,600 (single) or CHF 941,400 (married)	Everyone taxed in Switzerland; cantonal and communal tax come on top
Cantonal tax multiplier, Canton of Zurich	95 % of the simple cantonal tax in 2026 and 2027; each commune adds its own multiplier	Residents of the Canton of Zurich
Pillar 3a (private pension saving)	Deductible up to CHF 7,258 with a pension fund, or 20 % of earned income up to CHF 36,288 without one	Direct federal tax
Main federal deductions	CHF 6,800 per child; childcare costs up to CHF 25,800 per child; car commuting CHF 0.75 per km, with total travel costs capped at CHF 3,300	Direct federal tax; cantonal limits differ
VAT	8.1 % standard rate, 2.6 % reduced rate (for example everyday goods), 3.8 % for accommodation	Nationwide

Two changes are decided but not yet in force. Individual taxation of married couples was accepted by voters on 8 March 2026 with 54.23 % yes and takes effect in 2032 at the latest – until then, married couples file one joint tax return. The imputed rental value on owner-occupied homes is abolished from 1 January 2029. On 29 November 2026 voters also decide on raising the standard VAT rate to 8.5 % to help fund the 13th AHV/AVS pension – a proposal, not law. The Relocate in Europe salary calculator applies these 2026 rates to your own salary.

Switzerland emergency numbers and health lines

Number	For what
112	General European emergency number – connects you to the police emergency centre and works with a foreign SIM card or a prepaid card with no credit
117	Police
118	Fire service
144	Ambulance
145	Poison control (Tox Info)
1414	Rega air rescue (listed by the City of Bern)
143	Die Dargebotene Hand / La Main Tendue – the 'Helping Hand' counselling line, CHF 0.20–0.70 per call
147	Pro Juventute helpline for children and young people, by phone or SMS
0800 117 117	SBB Transport Police
0800 247 365 or 058 465 33 33	Helpline of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) for consular services; from abroad +41 800 247 365 or +41 58 465 33 33
+41 61 261 15 15	Basel-Stadt: Medical Emergency Call Centre (MNZ) – free medical advice around the clock if you have no GP or yours is unavailable
0848 133 133	Vaud: on-call doctors' line (local rate) when your GP cannot be reached and it is not life-threatening; a nurse assesses you

The nationwide siren test takes place on the first Wednesday in February. A real general alarm is a rising and falling tone lasting one minute, repeated once within five minutes.

The address book

Here are the agencies you are most likely to need, with the local name first and the English name in brackets. Where an agency is cantonal or communal, we give the offices in Zurich, Geneva, Vaud, Basel-Stadt and Bern; elsewhere, ask your commune.

Residence and identity

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
SEM – Staatssekretariat für Migration / Secrétariat d'État aux migrations (State Secretariat for Migration)	Federal rules on entry, visas, work permits, asylum, integration and naturalisation. It does not process individual permits – your canton does – and never asks for payment by phone or e-mail	+41 58 465 11 11 (Mon–Fri 9:00–11:00 and 14:00–16:00)	SEM website (online contact forms by canton)	Quellenweg 6, Wabern (post: 3003 Bern)
Migrationsamt des Kantons Zürich (Migration Office of the Canton of Zurich)	Permits, renewals, family reunification and biometrics in the Canton of Zurich; work permits can be applied for online via EasyGov	+41 43 259 88 00 (Mon–Fri 08:00–11:45 and 13:00–16:30)	Canton of Zurich website (contact form only, no e-mail)	Berninastrasse 45, 8090 Zürich; counter Mon–Fri 08:00–16:30
OCPM – Office cantonal de la population et des migrations (Geneva Cantonal Population and Migration Office)	Announcing your arrival and all permits in the Canton of Geneva	+41 22 546 46 46 (foreigners' service Mon–Fri 9:00–12:00)	Canton of Geneva website	Route de Chancy 88, 1213 Onex – by appointment only
SPOP – Service de la population, Division étrangers (Vaud Population Service, Foreigners Division)	Permits in the Canton of Vaud; most documents must be sent by post	+41 21 316 46 46 (8:30–11:30)	Canton of Vaud website	Av. de Beaulieu 19, 1014 Lausanne; Mon–Fri 8:00–11:30 and 13:30–16:00, Thursday until 16:30
Migrationsamt Basel-Stadt (Migration Office of the Canton of Basel-Stadt)	Permits and permit cards in the Canton of Basel-Stadt	+41 61 267 70 70 (Mon–Fri 9:00–12:00)	Canton of Basel-Stadt website (contact form)	Spiegelgasse 12, 4001 Basel; Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri 9:00–16:00, Thu 13:00–16:00
Einwohneramt Basel-Stadt (Residents' Office of the Canton of Basel-Stadt)	Registering your arrival in Basel-Stadt (CHF 25 per person); arrivals from abroad give their fingerprints and photo at the appointment	See the agency's website	Canton of Basel-Stadt website (online booking)	Spiegelgasse 6, Basel
Personenmeldeamt Zürich Süd (Residents' Office of the City of Zurich)	Registering in the City of Zurich after arriving from abroad – in person, by appointment and with all family members; certificates of residence (CHF 20 in German, CHF 30 in English)	See the agency's website	City of Zurich website	Stadthausquai 17, 8001 Zürich
Service du contrôle des habitants (Residents' Office of the City of Lausanne)	Announcing your arrival in Lausanne within 14 days – in person by appointment, with ID, a passport photo, lease, employment contract and civil-status documents	See the agency's website	City of Lausanne website	Rue du Port-Franc 18, 1001 Lausanne
Einwohnerdienste, Migration und Fremdenpolizei – EMF (Resident Services and Migration, City of Bern)	Registration, address changes, residence permits and ID cards in the City of Bern; non-EU arrivals send the form with entry authorisation, passport and lease within 14 days	+41 31 321 53 00 (Mon–Fri 08:00–11:30 and 14:00–16:00)	City of Bern website	Predigergasse 5, 3001 Bern
Amt für Bevölkerungsdienste, Migrationsdienst (Migration Service of the Canton of Bern)	Permits in the rest of the Canton of Bern – the cities of Bern, Biel and Thun have their own offices	+41 31 633 53 15	Canton of Bern website	Ostermundigenstrasse 99B, 3006 Bern

Money, work and social insurance

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
ESTV / AFC – Eidgenössische Steuerverwaltung / Administration fédérale des contributions (Federal Tax Administration, FTA)	Federal tax rules and the online tax calculator; you file your tax return with your canton, not the FTA	+41 58 462 21 11	FTA website	Eigerstrasse 65, 3003 Berne
Kantonales Steueramt Zürich (Cantonal Tax Office of Zurich)	Tax returns, tax at source and refund claims in the Canton of Zurich	+41 43 259 40 50; tax at source +41 43 259 37 00	Canton of Zurich website (ZHservices)	Bändliweg 21, 8090 Zürich; Mon–Fri 8:00–11:45 and 13:30–17:00
AFC – Administration fiscale cantonale (Cantonal Tax Administration of Geneva)	Tax returns, tax at source and extensions in the Canton of Geneva	+41 22 327 70 00 (Mon–Fri 9:00–16:00)	Canton of Geneva website	Rue du Stand 26, 1204 Genève; counters Mon–Fri 8:00–13:00
SVA Zürich – Ausgleichskasse / caisse de compensation (compensation office, Canton of Zurich)	AHV/AVS registration and contributions if you are self-employed or not in work	+41 44 448 50 00	SVA Zürich website	Röntgenstrasse 17, 8087 Zürich
Caisse genevoise de compensation – OCAS (compensation office, Canton of Geneva)	AHV/AVS registration and contributions if you are self-employed or not in work	+41 22 327 27 27	OCAS website	Rue des Gares 12, 1211 Genève 2
Caisse cantonale vaudoise de compensation (compensation office, Canton of Vaud)	AHV/AVS registration and contributions if you are self-employed or not in work	+41 21 964 12 11	Caisse cantonale vaudoise de compensation website	Rue des Moulins 3, 1800 Vevey
Ausgleichskasse Basel-Stadt (compensation office, Canton of Basel-Stadt)	AHV/AVS registration and contributions if you are self-employed or not in work	+41 61 685 22 22	Ausgleichskasse Basel-Stadt website	Wettsteinplatz 1, 4001 Basel
Ausgleichskasse des Kantons Bern (compensation office, Canton of Bern)	AHV/AVS registration and contributions if you are self-employed or not in work	+41 31 379 79 79	Ausgleichskasse des Kantons Bern website	Chutzenstrasse 10, 3007 Bern
SECO – Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft / Secrétariat d'État à l'économie (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs)	Federal labour-market figures and the public employment service portal with Job-Room	+41 58 462 56 56	SECO website	Holzikofenweg 36, 3003 Bern
RAV / ORP – Regionales Arbeitsvermittlungszentrum / Office régional de placement (regional employment centre)	Registering as a jobseeker and claiming unemployment benefit – at the latest on the first day you want benefit	See the agency's website	Public employment service portal (SECO)	The RAV/ORP responsible for your commune
PostFinance (Swiss Post's financial services)	A CHF payment account in a banking package from CHF 5 a month; you must be of legal age and live in Switzerland	+41 58 448 14 14 (Mon–Fri 8:00–20:00, Sat 8:00–17:00)	PostFinance website	Identity check at a PostFinance or Swiss Post branch, or by online video chat
Serafe AG (collection agency for the radio and TV fee)	The household radio and TV fee – CHF 335 in 2026, CHF 312 from 1 January 2027; your commune registers you automatically	+41 58 201 31 67	Serafe website (contact form)	Postal address: SERAFE AG, P.O. Box, 8010 Zurich

Health and safety

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
BAG / OFSP – Bundesamt für Gesundheit / Office fédéral de la santé publique (Federal Office of Public Health, FOPH)	Health insurance rules and the official premium calculator (Priminfo)	+41 58 462 21 11	FOPH website	Schwarzenburgstrasse 157, 3097 Liebefeld
SVA Zürich – Prämienverbilligung (premium reduction office, Canton of Zurich)	Reduced health insurance premiums for people on modest incomes in the Canton of Zurich	044 448 53 75	SVA Zürich website	Röntgenstrasse 17, 8087 Zürich
Service de l'assurance-maladie (Health Insurance Service, Canton of Geneva)	Premium reductions in the Canton of Geneva	022 546 19 00	Canton of Geneva website	Route de Frontenex 62, 1207 Genève
Office vaudois de l'assurance-maladie (Health Insurance Office, Canton of Vaud)	Premium subsidies (subsides) in the Canton of Vaud, which aim to limit premiums to 10 % of household income	021 557 47 47	Canton of Vaud website	Rte des Plaines-du-Loup 1, 1014 Lausanne
Amt für Sozialbeiträge (Office for Social Contributions, Canton of Basel-Stadt)	Premium reductions in the Canton of Basel-Stadt	061 267 87 11	Canton of Basel-Stadt website	Grenzacherstrasse 62, 4058 Basel
Amt für Sozialversicherungen (Office for Social Insurance, Canton of Bern)	Premium reductions in the Canton of Bern	031 636 45 00	Canton of Bern website	Forelstrasse 1, 3072 Ostermundigen
Medizinische Notrufzentrale – MNZ (Medical Emergency Call Centre, Basel-Stadt)	Free medical advice around the clock when you have no GP or yours is unavailable	+41 61 261 15 15	Canton of Basel-Stadt website	Walk-in Permanence clinics are open 365 days a year
Centrale des médecins de garde (On-call Doctors' Line, Canton of Vaud)	Problems that are not life-threatening when your GP cannot be reached; a nurse assesses you and directs you	0848 133 133 (local rate)	Canton of Vaud website	Phone first; in a life-threatening emergency call 144
Gemeinsame Einrichtung KVG (Swiss health insurance liaison institution)	Registering an S1 form if you are insured in an EU/EFTA state but live in Switzerland	See the agency's website	Gemeinsame Einrichtung KVG website	See the agency's website

Moving goods, cars and pets

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
BAZG / OFDF – Bundesamt für Zoll und Grenzsicherheit / Office fédéral de la douane et de la sécurité des frontières (Federal Office for Customs and Border Security, FOCBS)	Duty-free removal goods (form 18.44), importing a car, and the CHF 40 e-vignette for motorways sold on its Via portal	+41 58 467 15 15 (Mon–Fri 08:00–11:30 and 13:30–17:00)	FOCBS website	Staffed customs offices at the border, Monday to Friday during office hours for commercial goods; no appointment needed
Strassenverkehrsamt (cantonal road traffic office)	Exchanging your foreign licence (more than CHF 100) and getting Swiss number plates (usually CHF 50 to 100) – at the latest one year after you move	See the agency's website	Your canton's road traffic office website	The office of your canton of residence
BLV / OSAV – Bundesamt für Lebensmittelsicherheit und Veterinärwesen / Office fédéral de la sécurité alimentaire et des affaires vétérinaires (Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, FSVO)	Pet entry rules: microchip, valid rabies vaccination and pet passport; an import licence for direct flights from countries with a high rabies risk	See the agency's website	FSVO website	Pets flying in: Basel, Geneva or Zurich airport (unaccompanied pets: Geneva or Zurich only)
Your commune (dog registration in the AMICUS database)	Registering a dog and paying the annual dog tax – about CHF 100 to 200 depending on the commune; in the City of Zurich within ten days of moving in	See the agency's website	Your commune's website	Your commune – in the City of Zurich the dog registration office (Hundekontrolle)

Education and qualifications

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
SBFI / SEFRI – Staatssekretariat für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation / Secrétariat d'État à la formation, à la recherche et à l'innovation (State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, SERI)	Recognition of foreign professional qualifications: CHF 550 for a regulated profession, CHF 350 for a level certificate; SERI warns of significant delays	+41 58 462 21 29 (Mon–Thu 8:00–12:00 and 13:00–16:00, Fri 8:00–12:00)	SERI website and online portal	Einsteinstrasse 2, 3003 Bern; applications online; closed 24 December 2026 to 3 January 2027
fide – language test secretariat working on behalf of SEM	The fide language test (levels A1 to B1), accepted as proof of language skills for permits – CHF 250 for the full test	See the agency's website	fide website	Examination centres – register at least 15 days before the exam
swissuniversities (accredited Swiss higher education institutions)	Checking that a university or university of applied sciences is accredited	See the agency's website	swissuniversities website	See the agency's website
Your commune or local school (kindergarten and school enrolment)	Enrolling your children: Canton of Zurich via the local authority or school head; Basel-Stadt in person after a phone appointment; Geneva first-year (1P) registration with the child present	See the agency's website	Your commune's or canton's website	In person, with your child's ID and permit
Kita advice and placement office (Education Department, Canton of Basel-Stadt)	Finding a Kita (nursery) place and childcare contributions – start looking six to eight months ahead	061 267 46 14 (Mon–Fri 08:30–12:30)	Canton of Basel-Stadt website	Walk-in advice Mon–Fri 09:00–12:00, no appointment
Deutschkursberatung (German-course advice, Canton of Zurich)	Free advice on German courses in 16 languages, plus the canton's German-course database	See the agency's website	Canton of Zurich website	See the agency's website

Cities

Agency	What you use it for	Phone	Website	Visit / service office
Welcome Desk der Stadt Zürich – Fachstelle Diversität, Integration, Antirassismus (Welcome Desk, City of Zurich)	Free information and short consultations for newcomers from abroad, without appointment; advice on German courses	+41 44 412 37 37	City of Zurich website (Information in English)	Stadthaus, room 18 (ground floor), Stadthausquai 17, 8001 Zürich; Mon–Thu 13:00–17:00
BIC – Bureau de l'intégration et de la citoyenneté (Integration and Citizenship Office, Canton of Geneva)	Information and orientation for all foreign residents: jobs, training, French courses, permits	+41 22 546 74 99 (Mon–Fri 9:30–12:00)	Canton of Geneva website (Welcome to Geneva)	In-person appointment offered if needed
Fachstelle Integration und Antirassismus (Integration Office, Canton of Basel-Stadt)	Newcomer information in 20 languages on the Hallo Basel-Stadt portal, and the government's Willkommen in Basel welcome event	+41 61 267 66 81	Hallo Basel-Stadt (Canton of Basel-Stadt)	Schneidergasse 7, 4051 Basel
BLI – Bureau lausannois pour les immigrés (Lausanne Office for Immigrants, City of Lausanne)	The city's centre for integration and the prevention of racism; the city also holds a welcome evening for newcomers	+41 21 315 72 45	City of Lausanne website (Bienvenue à Lausanne, in French)	Place de la Riponne 10, 1001 Lausanne; Mon–Fri 08:30–12:00 and 13:30–16:30
FMR – Fachstelle für Migrations- und Rassismusfragen (Office for Migration and Racism Issues, City of Bern)	Free personal counselling for newcomers from abroad on German courses, work, school, health and leisure, in Albanian, German, English, French and Spanish	+41 31 321 72 00	City of Bern website (English portal)	By appointment

The biggest cities

Zurich

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
440,935 residents, of whom 150,726 foreign nationals (2025, Federal Statistical Office, STATPOP)	ZVV fare network: personal adult NetzPass for the city (zone 110, priced as 1–2 zones) CHF 88 a month, 2nd class	ETH Zurich, University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), PH Zürich	Zurich Airport, a national airport	Welcome Desk in the Stadthaus, free and without appointment; the City of Zurich's 'Information in English' pages

Altstetten is the most populous quarter, with 36,874 residents of 136 nationalities in 2025; Oerlikon, with 24,205 residents, has the most nationalities – 139. Langstrasse counts 11,978 residents from 116 nationalities and lakeside Seefeld 5,798 from 91 (Statistik Stadt Zürich). Flats are scarce: on 1 June 2026 only 252 dwellings in the city stood empty, 0.11 % of the stock, and the median net rent for a three-room flat was CHF 1,875 on 1 April 2024.

Geneva

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
211,152 residents, of whom 106,763 foreign nationals (2025, Federal Statistical Office, STATPOP)	tpg, unireso network: adult 'Tout Genève' pass (zone 10) CHF 70 a month, 2nd class; adult means from 25 to AHV/AVS age	University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the HES-SO Genève schools (HEG-GE, HEAD, HEPIA, HEdS-GE, HETS-GE)	Geneva Airport, a national airport entirely on Swiss territory	Bureau de l'intégration et de la citoyenneté (BIC); the canton's 'Welcome to Geneva' pages in English

Pâquis-Sécheron is a multicultural lakeside quarter close to the international organisations. Eaux-Vives/Cité takes in the Old Town, the seat of the cantonal government and parliament and the Bastions, Eaux-Vives and La Grange parks, though road traffic is heavy. Plainpalais-Jonction is lively, with many university institutions and the hospital nearby, while Champel is green and calm and changing with the new CEVA station (City of Geneva). The Canton of Geneva's vacancy rate was 0.31 % on 1 June 2026, and a four-room flat on the free market averaged CHF 1,639 a month in 2025 – CHF 2,006 for new tenants.

Basel

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
180,097 residents, of whom 72,884 foreign nationals (2025, Federal Statistical Office, STATPOP)	TNW fare network, run in Basel by BVB and BLT: adult U-Abo CHF 86 a month, 2nd class, if you are registered in the TNW area (CHF 111 if not)	University of Basel	Basel-Mulhouse (EuroAirport), a national airport governed by a 1949 Swiss–French treaty	Fachstelle Integration und Antirassismus; the Hallo Basel-Stadt portal in 20 languages; the Willkommen in Basel welcome event

In the Canton of Basel-Stadt's 2025 district figures, green Bruderholz has 25.1 % foreign residents and 71.3 % green space, while Gundeldingen (42.3 %), St. Johann (43.0 %) and Kleinhüningen (51.1 %) are more international. The old town, Altstadt Grossbasel, has the most living space per person, 53.7 square metres, but only 6.7 % green space. Basel-Stadt is a canton of tenants: 85 % of households rented or lived in a cooperative at the end of 2024.

Lausanne

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
145,596 residents, of whom 62,466 foreign nationals (2025, Federal Statistical Office, STATPOP); the city's own register counts 151,284 (2025)	tl, in the Vaud-wide Mobilis network: adult monthly pass CHF 71 for 1 zone or CHF 78 for 2 zones, 2nd class	EPFL, University of Lausanne (UNIL), ECAL, HEMU, La Source	No national airport in the city – Switzerland's three national airports are Zurich, Geneva and Basel-Mulhouse	Bureau lausannois pour les immigrés (BLI) and a welcome evening for newcomers; the 'Bienvenue à Lausanne' page is in French only

The Centre quarter has 13,254 inhabitants, 46.8 % of them foreign, at 106.6 inhabitants per hectare; lakeside Sous-Gare/Ouchy has 10,869, 37.2 % foreign. Sallaz/Vennes/Séchaud is the largest quarter with 16,428 inhabitants, and Bossons/Blécherette has grown from 6,335 in 2000 to 10,349 in 2025 (City of Lausanne).

Bern

Population	Public transport	Universities	Nearest airport	Newcomer service
138,562 residents, of whom 35,896 foreign nationals (2025, Federal Statistical Office, STATPOP); the city's statistics office counts 147,124 on 30 June 2026, 25.3 % foreign	Bernmobil, Libero fare network: adult monthly pass for zones 100/101 CHF 82, 2nd class	University of Bern (UniBE), Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), Bern University of the Arts, PHBern	No national airport in the city – Switzerland's three national airports are Zurich, Geneva and Basel-Mulhouse	Fachstelle für Migrations- und Rassismusfragen (FMR), counselling by appointment; the city's English portal with 'New residents' information in 15 languages

The City of Bern describes itself as the political centre of Switzerland, home to international organisations and a place of research. Bümpliz is the largest statistical district, with 16,757 residents at the end of 2025, 6,262 of them foreign nationals; Mattenhof has 6,996 (1,637 foreign), Breitenrain 6,529 (1,389) and Kirchenfeld 3,858 (663). Average net rents in November 2025 were CHF 1,338 for three rooms and CHF 1,666 for four (Statistik Stadt Bern).

Embassies in Switzerland

Your embassy issues passports, registers births and helps in an emergency. These are the embassies most people moving to Switzerland need – 43 countries. Addresses, phone numbers and e-mails were read on each embassy’s official website or the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs’ list of the diplomatic corps on 23 September 2026. Most consular services are by appointment only – book before you go.

Good to know about living in Switzerland as a foreigner

Housing is the hardest part. The national vacancy rate was 0.93 % on 1 June 2026, and the average net rent was CHF 1,485 a month in 2024 (Federal Statistical Office). A landlord may ask for at most three months' rent as a Mietkaution / garantie de loyer (rental deposit), which must go into a bank account in your name, and many want an extract from the debt enforcement register (CHF 17 plus postage). You can challenge an unfair initial rent within 30 days of moving in. Never pay a deposit through a money-transfer service before you hold a valid lease and have seen the flat, warns Swiss Crime Prevention. Personal liability insurance is not compulsory by law, but it is hard to rent without it; in the Canton of Vaud, household contents insurance with the cantonal insurer ECA is compulsory for every resident.

Health insurance is the other big fixed cost. The 2027 premiums had not been published when we checked, so these are the 2026 figures from the Federal Office of Public Health: the average adult premium is CHF 465.30 a month, and the cantonal averages for adults are CHF 451.60 in Zurich, CHF 470.30 in Bern, CHF 527.10 in Vaud, CHF 545.10 in Basel-Stadt and CHF 586 in Geneva. On top you pay the franchise (deductible) of CHF 300 to CHF 2,500 a year, a Selbstbehalt / quote-part (retention fee) of 10 % up to CHF 700, and CHF 15 per day in hospital; for a medicine with a considerably cheaper equivalent, the retention fee is 40 %. To change insurer for 1 January, your cancellation must reach your insurer by 30 November, and cantons reduce premiums for people on modest incomes.

Every household pays the radio and TV fee to Serafe: CHF 335 in 2026, falling to CHF 312 from 1 January 2027. You do not register yourself – your commune passes your details on – and all adults in the household are jointly liable. Electricity comes from your local grid operator; households cannot choose their supplier, and a typical household pays a median 27.7 centimes per kWh in 2026 (ElCom). In the City of Zurich, rubbish goes in the official blue Züri-Sack, whose price includes the waste fee, while glass, small metal items and PET bottles are collected separately free of charge.

Switzerland has four national languages – German, French, Italian and Romansh – and each canton sets its own official language. In German-speaking areas people write standard German but speak Swiss German; 12 % of the population have no national language as their main language, and English is the most common of the others. Quiet hours matter: in many places 22:00 to 06:00 is quiet time, often also 12:00 to 13:00 and all day on Sundays and public holidays; in the City of Zurich, night-time quiet runs from 22:00 to 07:00. 1 August is the only national public holiday, and each canton can add up to eight more.

Some changes are still on their way. Voters approved the e-ID on 28 September 2025, but its launch was postponed on 30 June 2026 with no new date; meanwhile you log in to government services with AGOV, which is open to everyone. Parliament has adopted a federal childcare law that would create a new childcare allowance, but it is not in force yet. Family allowances already exist: at least CHF 215 per child a month nationwide, and more in many cantons – in Geneva, CHF 311 for each of the first two children.

Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice. Numbers, prices and opening hours were checked on 23 September 2026 – check with the agency before you visit.