Are you new to Switzerland or are you planning to move to Switzerland in the near future? The following links will help you to feel at home and find your way around soon.

New to Switzerland

Entry, residence and working permit

The agreement on free movement between Switzerland and the EU / EFTA allows a fairly straightforward cross-border movement of travellers.

More details and information for citizens of non-EU/EFTA states are available at the website of the State Secretariat for Migration or on www.ch.ch.

Social insurance system

Switzerland has a very comprehensive social insurance system.

This brochure from the Federal Office for Migration offers you a good overview:

[PDF] Brochure social insurance

Can I be self-employed in Switzerland?

EU / EFTA citizens (with the exception of Romania and Bulgaria) can become self-employed in Switzerland.

People from non-EU/EFTA countries can become self-employed in Switzerland under certain conditions.

For more information, please visit the Swiss SME portal (german).

Is my foreign driver's licence valid in Switzerland?

You may use your valid foreign driver's license in Switzerland for 12 months. After this period, you have to exchange your foreign driver's licence for a Swiss driver's licence at the road traffic office of your canton of residence.

List of all road traffic offices in Switzerland (german):

asa - Vereinigung der Strassenverkehrsämter

No responsibility is taken for the correctness of this information. We welcome further information & tips with regard to these topics – thank you for your e-mail - Thank you.