The elegance and beauty of Switzerland’s cities do not go unnoticed and are the dream of many expatriates around the world attracted by the charms of this country.
Added to this are the idyllic alpine landscapes with deep greens, lakes and nature in the middle of large commercial cities, headquarters of major luxury brands thanks to the legendary watch industry. Switzerland can be said to be a “peaceful” country thanks to its neutrality in various wars, the country has an extremely low level of crime and exceptional economic and political prosperity. It is not surprising that, together with Denmark, it is one of the countries with the best quality of life in the world.
Switzerland is a country divided into three linguistic regions where French, Italian and German are spoken. There are native Rhaeto-Romance languages such as “Romansh” spoken by 60,000 people in some villages in the mountainous canton of Grisons.
An international move to Switzerland will allow you to settle in one of the most prosperous countries in the world, the country of the most important watch industry internationally and also one of the pioneer countries in the manufacture of chocolate.
International Move to Switzerland: Anticipation
Switzerland is not part of the European Union but respects the Schengen agreements, and citizens Europeans who decide to visit the country do not need a visa, only an identity card or passport will suffice. However, if it is an establishment, you must apply for a residence permit with the authorities of the canton to which you plan to move.
Spanish citizens who are in Switzerland can obtain one of the following residence permits:
- Permit “L” (purple) – (Short-term): stays of less than one year
- Permit “B” (grey) – (Residence permit): stays of a duration equal to or greater than one year
- Permit “C” (green) – (Establishment permit): stays of five uninterrupted years
On the website of the Federal Office of Foreign Affairs, you can obtain a residence permit from the following: Spanish Embassy
Important information: Any person who has lived in Switzerland for 12 years can apply for nationality.
Administrative formalities for an international move to Switzerland
At customs you must present a detailed inventory of the goods for your international move to Switzerland in duplicate, and form 18.44 from the Federal Customs Administration for the total exemption from taxes on furniture, animals and vehicles that you move in the country. href=”https://www.grupoamygo.com/international-moving-to-switzerland.html”>international moving. If you are transporting your pets, you must present a vaccination certificate, a blood test, an identity card and a microchip.
Preparing an international move to Switzerland
The day before your move to Switzerland, we recommend that you notify Swiss customs of your border crossing. You will need to complete certain formalities and prepare the necessary documents. At Grupo Amygo, we support each client in this complex process of crossing borders with goods. Below is a non-exhaustive list of the documents that you must present at customs:
- A detailed inventory of the goods to be moved in duplicate, reflecting their value.
- For members of the European Union, such as Spaniards, they must present the employment or rental contract.
- The documentation of the vehicle you wish to transport.
- An identity card or passport.
- Form 18.44 of the Federal Customs Administration for total exemption from taxes on furniture, animals and vehicles.
Amygo Group advises and counsels you throughout the duration of the move to Switzerland from its conception, its development and arrival at destination. Good preparation is the key to a successful move, and Grupo Amygo’s experience in moving to Switzerland will help ensure that your move goes as smoothly as possible.
WHAT TO DO UPON ARRIVAL?
The great reputation of Swiss banks is well known, and it is therefore easy to open an account in Switzerland. The required documentation is an identity card and a recent proof of address. Some banks require a minimum balance at all times, so we recommend that you find out about any conditions.
Regarding telephone and internet, the main provider is Swisscom. Telephone communications to landlines and mobiles, as well as internet connection, are of high quality but are expensive compared to Spain and other European countries.
COST OF LIVING
Salaries may seem high, but the cost of living is also high, which means that Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in Europe. Prices can vary in the different cantons. The canton of Uri is the most affordable and Geneva the most expensive.
LABOUR MARKET
Switzerland owes its appeal to its dynamism and its low unemployment rate of only 4.3%, one of the lowest in Europe.
The sectors that are on the rise are construction, public and social services and hospitality.
The banking, energy, finance, real estate and transport sectors are relatively stable. Agriculture and trade are revised downwards.
In this encouraging labour market, expatriates are often able to find work easily, and the number of foreign workers in Switzerland is constantly increasing, mainly thanks to the bilateral agreement between Switzerland and the European Union that allows EU citizens to work freely in Switzerland.
An important aspect to bear in mind is that recent Swiss graduates are very well prepared with a high level of education and often supplemented by training abroad, and most Swiss people are fluent in several languages, unlike most Spaniards. Although multinationals use English as their main working language, local languages such as French, Italian, Romansh or German will be preferred in the region where you establish yourself.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Expatriates must register with Swiss social security within a maximum of three months after their arrival or after having started a professional activity.
EDUCATION
Thanks to the exceptional quality of public education, 95% of children are educated in public schools. The Swiss education system differs from canton to canton, for example, German cantons have their own school system.
EXPATRIATE COMMUNITIES
Most expatriates work in multinationals, the United Nations and CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Geneva.
CONCLUSIONS
Switzerland is ranked 34th among countries with the best quality of life in the world and is one of the favorite destinations for expatriates. If you are planning an international move to Switzerland, Grupo Amygo has international agreements with IAM (International Association of Movers) that guarantee us quality services for our clients in international mobility.
We take care of the entire administrative and customs management process and the packaging and transport of your goods. For a move to Switzerland, we prefer road transport given the proximity and good connections of the road networks in Europe.
Our containers guarantee the safety and protection of all your furniture and belongings during transport. Grupo Amygo teams will pack each piece of furniture and belongings with the utmost protection and care to avoid damage during transport.
Our experience of more than 25 years of international removals and our knowledge of the terrain are solid arguments to consolidate us as a highly specialized moving company in international removals to Switzerland. Amygo Group helps you get to and from any point in Switzerland.