Residence permits
L · short-term residence. For people wey dey stay less than one year normally. EU/EFTA people dey get am with work contract of three to twelve months; e valid as long as di contract.3
B · residence. For longer stay with clear purpose, like work or family. For EU/EFTA people wey get contract of at least twelve months or wey no get end date, e valid for five years.4
C · settlement. Right to stay wey no get limit. Normally after ten years for Switzerland, di last five without break on B permit; after five years for people from some countries wey get treaty, or for people wey don integrate well.59
G · cross-border worker. You dey live for EU/EFTA country, you dey work for Switzerland and you dey go back house at least once every week.2
If you come from outside EU/EFTA, work permits get yearly quota and na mostly qualified specialists dey get am. Na your future employer go apply to di canton authorities, no be you.15
Other permits na for special situations: F for people wey dem admit provisionally, N for asylum seekers and S for people wey need protection.10
Register when you arrive
Register with your commune inside 14 days after you arrive, and before your first work day. Carry valid passport or ID card and your work contract or letter wey confirm di job.12
If you be EU/EFTA national, you no need permit for up to three months of work every year: your employer go report you online at least one day before you start.1
Ordinary naturalisation need C permit and ten years of residence for Switzerland; di years between age 8 and 18 dey count double.8
Language matter too: naturalisation need level B1 for speaking and A2 for writing for one national language. Di fide system get courses and tests wey dem recognise.811
Health insurance
Basic health insurance na must for everybody wey dey live for Switzerland. Buy am inside three months after you arrive; di cover go start from di day you arrive.6
Basic cover na di same for every insurer, and every insurer must accept you, no matter your age or health. Na only premium and service dey different: compare dem for priminfo, di federal comparison website.612
You go pay part of your costs by yourself: di deductible wey you choose, from CHF 300 to CHF 2,500 for adults, then 10% of di remaining costs up to CHF 700 every year (CHF 350 for children).612
If your income small, your canton go reduce your premium. Whether you need to apply, and how, depend on di canton.6
To change insurer from 1 January, your notice must reach your current insurer by 30 November.6
Rent house
Rent deposit no fit pass three months rent. Dem must pay am into blocked account for your name, no be to di landlord.7
Di minimum notice for house na three months, to di moving date wey people dey use for di area, unless your contract talk longer time.7
For some conditions you fit challenge your first rent as abusive inside 30 days after you move in. You go apply to di conciliation authority, and di conciliation procedure na free.713
Where you fit get help
Sources
- 1ch.ch · Working in Switzerland as a foreign national · ch.ch →
- 2SEM · FAQ on the free movement of persons · sem.admin.ch →
- 3SEM · L EU/EFTA permit (short-term residents) · sem.admin.ch →
- 4SEM · B EU/EFTA permit (resident foreign nationals) · sem.admin.ch →
- 5Fedlex · Foreign Nationals and Integration Act, Art. 20–23, 33–34 · fedlex.admin.ch →
- 6Fedlex · Health Insurance Act, Art. 3–7, 64–65 · fedlex.admin.ch →
- 7Fedlex · Code of Obligations, Art. 257e, 266c, 270 · fedlex.admin.ch →
- 8Fedlex · Swiss Citizenship Act, Art. 9–12, and its ordinance · fedlex.admin.ch →
- 9SEM · C EU/EFTA permit (settled foreign nationals) · sem.admin.ch →
- 10SEM · Overview of permit types · sem.admin.ch →
- 11fide · Language requirements, courses and tests · fide-service.ch →
- 12FOPH · priminfo · Premiums and cost sharing in basic insurance · priminfo.admin.ch →
- 13Fedlex · Civil Procedure Code, Art. 113 · fedlex.admin.ch →
Na general information, no be legal, tax or financial advice. Rules fit different from canton to canton and commune to commune, and amounts dey change. Check with di authority wey we name for di sources before you act.