Switzerland rewards preparation like few other countries. The rules are clear, the offices answer, the trains run to the minute. In return, the country expects you to follow each step in the right order: register, insure, pay the deposit into the right kind of account, and don’t start work before you’re allowed to.
This guide covers the practical side of the first 90 days: permits, registration, insurance, flat, bank and costs. It’s general information as of September 2026, not advice. For the tax detail (cantonal rates, dividend withholding, company taxes) see our Switzerland country guide.
Which permit fits you#
| Route | Who it’s for | Key requirement (as of 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| EU/EFTA employee (B or L) | EU/EFTA citizens with a Swiss job | Employment contract; B permit for 5 years with a contract of a year or more, L permit for shorter contracts |
| EU/EFTA self-employed (B) | EU/EFTA founders and freelancers | Proof of a real self-employed activity in Switzerland: registered business, business plan, accounts, customers |
| EU/EFTA without work (B) | Retirees, savers, people living on their capital | Sufficient financial means and Swiss health insurance |
| Third-country employee | Non-EU specialists with a Swiss job offer | Annual quota (4,500 B and 4,000 L in 2026), priority for local and EU/EFTA workers, qualifications and customary salary |
| Third-country founder | Non-EU entrepreneurs | Quota slot plus lasting economic benefit: jobs, investment, innovation, a solid business plan and capital |
| Lump-sum taxation (with a permit) | Wealthy non-Swiss newcomers who don’t work in Switzerland | Taxed on living expenses; federal minimum base CHF 435,000, cantonal minimum often higher; not available in Zurich, Schaffhausen, both Basels and Appenzell Ausserrhoden |
The cantons decide on permits, and for non-EU applicants the State Secretariat for Migration must also agree. UK nationals have their own quota since Brexit (2,100 B and 1,400 L permits in 2026).
EU and EFTA citizens can come first and look for work, but they need the permit before they take up a job. For self-employed permits, a one-person consultancy with Swiss clients qualifies; a Swiss letterbox for a business run elsewhere doesn’t.
Your first 90 days#
From moving van to Swiss routine
Before you go: choose canton and commune
Compare cantons for tax, schools, language and commute. Zug and Schwyz are low-tax, Zurich and Geneva are big-city, Basel and Bern are cheaper to rent. If you’re leaving Germany, check exit tax and the extended limited tax liability first; see leaving Germany and exit tax.
Before you go: permit groundwork
Non-EU workers: your employer applies to the cantonal authorities, and you get an entry visa once the permit is approved. Lump-sum candidates negotiate the tax base with the canton, ideally with a written ruling, before signing a lease.
Week 1: flat or temporary base
Many newcomers start in a furnished flat or serviced apartment. A regular lease is worth chasing from day one, because you need an address to register and the good flats don’t wait.
Within 14 days: register with the commune
Register at the residents’ office (Einwohnerkontrolle, contrôle des habitants) within 14 days of arrival and before you start working. Bring passport, lease, passport photos, employment contract or business documents, and civil status documents for the family. This is also where your permit application starts.
Month 1: health insurance
Take out basic health insurance (KVG/LAMal) for every family member within three months of arrival; cover then applies retroactively. Premiums differ by insurer, region and deductible, so compare on priminfo.admin.ch. Employees get accident insurance through the employer.
Month 1: social security
Employees are registered for AHV/AVS (old age and survivors’ insurance) by their employer. Self-employed people register with the cantonal compensation office (Ausgleichskasse) and pay their own contributions.
Month 1: bank and phone
With a permit or registration confirmation, PostFinance, cantonal banks and the big banks open accounts; some want the permit card. Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt are the main mobile and internet providers.
Month 1: small print that arrives by post
The radio and TV fee (CHF 335 per household a year in 2026) is billed automatically by Serafe. Some communes want you to register a dog or pay a waste bag fee. Welcome to Switzerland.
Month 3: tax
Employees with a B permit are usually taxed at source through payroll; above a certain income you have to file a normal tax return, and you can apply to do so anyway. Self-employed people and C permit holders file normally. Keep your arrival date and documents for your old country.
Month 3: driving licence and schools
Exchange your foreign licence at the cantonal road traffic office within 12 months of arrival. EU licences are exchanged without a test; licences from other countries may need a control drive or a test. Public schools are free and in the local language; international schools have waiting lists.
Finding a flat#
Rents are our estimate as of September 2026 for long-term, unfurnished flats in decent areas; they’re not official statistics. Swiss listings count rooms including the living room: a “2.5-room flat” is a 1-bedroom.
| City | 1-bedroom (2–2.5 rooms) | 2–3 bedrooms (3.5–4.5 rooms) |
|---|---|---|
| Zug | CHF 2,000–2,800 | CHF 3,000–5,000 |
| Zurich | CHF 1,900–2,700 | CHF 2,800–4,500 |
| Geneva | CHF 1,800–2,600 | CHF 2,700–4,500 |
| Basel, Bern | CHF 1,300–1,900 | CHF 1,900–3,000 |
| Lugano | CHF 1,200–1,800 | CHF 1,700–2,800 |
Advertised rents are usually net plus a monthly service charge (Nebenkosten, charges) for heating, water and building costs. Ask which figure you’re looking at.
- The dossier. Landlords choose between many applicants. Bring a complete dossier: application form, passport and permit, employment contract or proof of income, and a debt collection register extract (Betreibungsauszug). As a newcomer you can’t get one yet, so add a letter from your old landlord and bank statements.
- Deposit. Capped by law at three months’ rent, paid into a blocked rent deposit account in your name, not to the landlord. Deposit insurance is an alternative.
- Handover. Moving in and out comes with an inspection protocol. Note every scratch on day one, or you’ll pay for it on the last.
- Laundry. Many buildings share a laundry room with a booking schedule. It’s a cultural institution; respect it.
What it costs per month#
Estimate as of September 2026, based on our own research and typical asking prices; health insurance based on the federal average premium. Single in a 1-bedroom, couple in a 2-bedroom. No car, no school fees.
| Item | Single | Couple |
|---|---|---|
| Rent incl. service charges (Zurich) | CHF 1,900–2,700 | CHF 2,800–4,000 |
| Basic health insurance | CHF 350–550 | CHF 700–1,100 |
| Electricity and other utilities | CHF 100–200 | CHF 150–280 |
| Mobile and internet | CHF 60–110 | CHF 80–140 |
| Groceries | CHF 500–750 | CHF 900–1,300 |
| Public transport (local pass up to GA travelcard) | CHF 90–340 | CHF 180–680 |
| Eating out and other | CHF 400–800 | CHF 700–1,300 |
| Radio and TV fee | CHF 28 | CHF 28 |
| Total, Zurich | CHF 3,428–5,478 | CHF 5,538–8,828 |
| Total, Basel or Bern | CHF 2,828–4,678 | CHF 4,638–7,828 |
The cheaper-city total swaps in the lower rents from the flat table and leaves the rest roughly the same. A higher health insurance deductible cuts the premium, and raises what you pay when you’re ill.
Documents to bring#
What goes in the folder
Tick them off – your progress is saved in this browser only.
EU/EFTA citizens can use their ID; non-EU citizens need a passport and the entry visa.
Contract for employees; commercial register extract, business plan, accounts and customer contracts for the self-employed.
Birth and marriage certificates, children’s birth certificates; some communes want apostilles or certified translations.
For non-working permits and lump-sum taxation: bank and asset statements, pension statements.
Proof of foreign cover for the transition period, then the Swiss policy.
Letter from your previous landlord, employer confirmation, bank statements.
For the permit and the driving licence exchange.
Original, for the exchange within 12 months.
Proof that you’ve left your old country, useful for the permit and later for your old tax office.
Common traps#
Where Swiss moves go wrong
Working before registering.
EU/EFTA citizens must register and apply before they start work. Starting early is an offence, even if the permit is certain.
Forgetting health insurance.
It’s compulsory within three months. Miss it and the canton assigns an insurer, possibly with a late payment surcharge.
Choosing a commune by postcode only.
Tax differs sharply between cantons and even communes. Zug, Zurich and Geneva are different worlds.
Lump-sum taxation plus a Swiss job.
The regime requires that you don’t work in Switzerland. Managing your own wealth is fine; running your company from your living room isn’t.
Paying the deposit to the landlord.
It belongs in a blocked account in your name. Anything else is a red flag.
Assuming your old country lets go.
Moving from Germany, the treaty keeps some German taxing rights for years after you leave, and exit tax may apply to company shares.
Taxes and days#
Switzerland has no fixed day count: you’re resident when you live here with the intention to stay, or if you stay 30 days while working, or 90 days without work. Once resident, you pay federal, cantonal and communal income tax plus a cantonal wealth tax. Our tax residency guide explains how your old country’s rules and the treaty interact, and taxes when moving abroad covers the year of the move.
This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Want canton, permit and exit planned together? Book a strategy session, or compare Switzerland with Liechtenstein and others in the Jurisdiction Finder.
FAQ#
Do EU citizens need a visa to move to Switzerland?
No. You can enter with your ID, but you must register with the commune within 14 days and before starting work. The permit follows from your job, self-employment or sufficient means.
Can a non-EU founder move with their own Swiss company?
Only if the business passes the economic-interest test and a quota slot is free: lasting jobs, investment or innovation. A one-person consultancy rarely qualifies.
How much is health insurance?
The federal average for adults is CHF 465.30 a month in 2026, but it varies a lot by canton, insurer and deductible. Children are much cheaper.
Who can use lump-sum taxation?
Non-Swiss citizens moving to Switzerland for the first time, or after ten years abroad, who don’t work in Switzerland. The tax base is at least CHF 435,000 federally in 2026, seven times the rent, or the cantonal minimum, whichever is highest.
How long can I drive with my foreign licence?
Twelve months from arrival. Then you exchange it at the cantonal road traffic office; EU licences without a test.
When do I get a C permit?
Usually after ten years; many EU citizens after five. Citizenship needs ten years of residence and a C permit.
Sources#
- State Secretariat for Migration – FAQ on free movement of persons
- State Secretariat for Migration – residence
- Federal Department of Justice and Police – unchanged third-country quotas for 2026
- ch.ch – working in Switzerland as a foreign national
- Federal Office of Public Health – compulsory health insurance
- Federal Office of Public Health – 2026 premiums (average adult premium)
- Canton of Uri – leaflet on lump-sum taxation from 1 January 2026
- Fedlex – Federal Act on Direct Federal Taxation (DBG)
- Fedlex – Code of Obligations, Art. 257e (rent deposit)
- Serafe – radio and television fee
- ESTV – Swiss tax calculator
