Relocate to Switzerland

Key Facts

Official Name: Swiss Confederation
Capital: Bern
Continent: Europe
Population: 8.37 million
Official Languages: German, French, Italian, French and Romansh
Religions followed: Christianity
Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)
Time Zone: CET (UTC+1) CEST (UTC+2)
Country Tel Code: +41Official Name: Canada
Capital: Ottawa
Continent: North America
Population: 36 Million
Official Languages: English and French
Religions followed: Christianity and Atheism
Currency: Canadian Dollar ($)
Time Zone: GMT – 5 hours
Country Tel Code: +1

Living in Switzerland

Why is Switzerland turning heads?

Switzerland is the home to numerous lakes, villages and high peaks of the Alps. Nestled in the mountainous regions of Europe, the country has captured eyeballs across the globe.

The exclusive landmarks of the country

Having a landmark like Lucerne’s wooden chapel bridge, Bern’s Zytglogge clock and architecture resembling medieval times the country is a centre of tourist attraction.

Languages spoken

70% of the population speak Swiss German, followed by 20% of people having a French dialect. The remaining 10% speak Italian and a very small percentage have opted for Rumantsch.

A brief description of the Constitution

Switzerland is declared as a small federal country. It is segregated into 26 states with Bern as its capital.

With a stable economy, it had attracted investors around the world. Zurich followed by Geneva are the prime economic centres of the country.

Living standards of the Swiss are high

The Swiss believe in leading a top quality of life. This is reflected in their cities, houses and food.

They are also able to keep their crime rate at low. Making it safe to stroll around in its streets even during night hours. These attributes have flared Zurich as one of the best city in the world to live in.

Cleanliness is what the Swiss people crave for, with immaculate outdoors you will get immersed in its beauty.

The work culture of Switzerland also encourages work-life balance. They follow the norms of 8 am to 5 pm working hours with a strict no to working on evenings or weekends. Sundays are declared as national holidays for all.

Their inclination towards sports on regular basis have made the Swiss people so fit. Adorned with varied landscape and distinct climate, Switzerland offers varieties of sports with winter sports as its favourite pass time accompanied by football and hockey on its popular list.

Politics in Switzerland

With direct democracy and federalism as a tradition, Swiss political system is governed by its people who through referenda directly influence the activities of government.
In Swiss democracy, citizens have the last word on all constitutional changes including the ones which are proposed by the government and parliament. The international treaties of the country too can be scrutinised by the Swiss.

The constitutional framework of Switzerland

Being a democratic federal republic its federal legislative power is with the two chambers of federal assembly. Those chambers are the national council and the council of states.
Federal Assembly plays its role in electing federal councillors and judges who represent federal council and the federal supreme court of Switzerland respectively.

Economy in Switzerland

The Swiss economy is composed of

With low on unemployment, high on the skilled labour force, reaping the highest per capita GDP in the world has enabled Switzerland to transform itself into a modern market economy.

Factors contributing to Switzerland’s economic benefits

Economy benefits which are brought to Switzerland are from the service sector which is led by financial services, and a manufacturing industry that specialises in high-technology, knowledge-based production.

Services contribute extensively to the economic growth of the country. This includes banking, assurances and tourism.

The Swiss economy is segregated into three sectors

The Primary sector, the secondary sector and the tertiary sector have together contributed to the economic stability of Switzerland.

Agriculture falling under primary sector is strongly supported by the government. It employs less than 10% of the population.

Industry, trade and handicraft which falls in the secondary sector employ 40% of the population. The Swiss are more focused on exports to European nations.

The tertiary sector which accommodates banks is the most important business of the country. More than 50% of the people are employed in this sector. The two most renowned banks of Switzerland with extensive branch network throughout the country and across the world are Union Bank of Switzerland(UBS) and Credit Suisse.

Buying and renting property in Switzerland

In Switzerland, over 60% of the people rent their residence. The Swiss in rural areas are more inclined towards owning the property than those in urban. With the rising house prices and the tight property market, both the options are expensive to avail.

Regulations regarding the purchase of properties

There are strict rules to adhere if you are a foreigner planning to buy property in Switzerland.

You must be
• European Union (EU) or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) national with a Swiss residence permit who resides in Switzerland or,
• you must hold a Swiss C Permit.
In both the cases, your rights will be same as the Swiss citizen.

Regulations for the purchase of property without the Swiss work permit or with the short-term or seasonal work permit

For the individual who falls outside these categories have to apply for a licence to purchase the property.

The criteria for licensing too varies from canton to canton. These rules favour for the applicants who have been settled in the Canton for 5 years and more with an intent to purchase for the primary residence.

The means to find the properties in Switzerland

The Swiss properties are listed online. You can search the property listing through the main newspapers as well as specialist property papers. These means are distributed by estate agents and in the shopping malls for free.

Here are the quirks for renting the Swiss house

There is a fierce competition for Swiss rental properties. You need to act fast to get your choice of rental property.

You can find the rental property at lower rates in rural areas compared to the cities like Zurich, Basel and Geneva.

With the demographic statistic composed of varied age group, you are exposed to a broad range of property types from city-centre apartments to farmhouses. You can also experience your rental stay at the odd chateau or stately homes.

To grab an affordable housing, being a tenant you have to apply for the property as if you are applying for the job.

The rental cost in Switzerland

On an average, you must be ready to spend CHF 1284 per month on rent. For the same amount, you can expect an average home size of 99sqm.

Description of the Swiss rental apartment

The description of the apartment is usually exclusive of bathroom and kitchen. For your clear understanding about the size of the property, adverts will list the total living space and the total plot size of the house.

The properties are often unfurnished ones without light fitting. You must check out whether kitchen appliances are included in your tenancy agreement or not. The laundry facilities are usually communal in an apartment building with a time slot allocated to you for your usage.

Here are the online property portals to smoothen your process of finding a house for rent

• Homegate.ch
• ImmoStreet.ch
• ImmoScout24.ch
• UMSTemporaryHousing

Visa and Immigration

Writer Relocations provides visa and immigration services for Switzerland (https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/switzerland-visa/) and many other countries across the globe. You can get in touch with our executives for further assistance.

Switzerland schools

The Swiss schools are renowned for their high academic standards and international focus. The education in Switzerland is compulsory and unconventional compared to other nations.

The education system is decentralised with every canton governing the public school within its jurisdiction with its own laid standards.

The compulsory education lasts from 9 years to 11 years until about 15 years. Switzerland’s school year begins between August and September and is carried out for the two periods of twelve weeks at a time.

The framework of Switzerland education system is as follows
• Begins with primary education
• followed by lower secondary education
• Succeeded by an upper secondary education which may include vocational training
• Taken after by tertiary level education Which is considered to be the highest level.

Weather in Switzerland

Location of Swiss Alps has defined the climate of Switzerland

Switzerland experience cooler and warmer types of climate because of the location of the Swiss Alps which are on the border between the cooler northern European climate and the warmer southern European climate.

The country experiences an unpredictable weather

The weather in Switzerland is very unpredictable. A cloudy, drizzly morning is not a sign for a full day of bad weather. On the other way round there is also a possibility of a beautiful day which may suddenly become cloudy and rainy.

Switzerland experience mild temperature caused by the winds of Atlantic which carry moist and maritime air into Switzerland. July and August are the warmest months whereas the coolest months are January and February.

Contact Us for Moving into, or out of Switzerland

We specialize in International Moves and have over 3000 corporate clients worldwide.

Writer Relocations has partnerships with moving companies across Switzerland to help you with a seamless move. Call Us @022-334-91787 or request a quote.

You may also want to check out the Case Studies on International Relocation, along with the FAQs, and Moving Tools & Tips that we have put together for the best moving and packing experience.

Do read our Blog for tips and articles on how to make your moving experience smoother.

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