Relocating to Switzerland
Understand the country before you commit to the move.
44% verifiedSwitzerland is a Western European federal semi-direct democracy (confederation of 26 cantons), a Schengen member but not an EU member, with significant canton-by-canton variation in tax and residency rules.
Ask about moving to Switzerland
Answered only from Atlas's verified Switzerland guides — if it's not covered yet, we'll say so rather than guess.
Life in Switzerland
What will life actually be like?
Where should I live?
Living: Major Cities
What will daily life cost?
Living: Cost of Living
What is healthcare like?
Healthcare: Average Costs
What about schools?
Living: Education
How will I bank?
Banking: Best Banks
How will I get around?
Living: Transportation
Cities
Where should I live?
Switzerland's resident population was 9,127,125 on 31 December 2025, up 0.8% on 2024 (Federal Statistical Office). The five biggest cities by resident population are Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne and Bern; the FSO yearbook figures for 2019 are about 420,200 for Zurich, 204,000 for Geneva, 173,200 for Basel, 139,400 for Lausanne and 134,600 for Bern, and about half of the population lives in the five largest agglomerations. Current commune-level figures are in the FSO's STATPOP tables.
Read the cities guide →Residency
Find your residency route
Your best route depends on how you plan to live, work and invest. These are the guides Atlas currently holds for Switzerland.
How do you plan to support yourself in Switzerland?
Residency: Citizenship
Swiss citizenship may be acquired through ordinary naturalisation by eligible foreign nationals who satisfy residence, integration and legal requirements est…
Residency: Digital Nomad Visa
Switzerland does not currently operate a dedicated Digital Nomad Visa. Foreign nationals wishing to live in Switzerland while working remotely are generally …
Residency: Permanent Residency
Permanent residence in Switzerland is generally granted through the C Permit, which allows foreign nationals to reside in Switzerland without the renewal req…
Residency: Processing Times
Processing times for Swiss visas and residence permits vary according to the visa category, nationality, canton responsible for the application and whether a…
Residency: Required Documents
Document requirements depend on the type of Swiss visa or residence permit being requested. Cantonal migration authorities and Swiss diplomatic missions may …
Residency: Retirement Visa
Switzerland does not operate a dedicated retirement visa under a single national programme. However, financially independent foreign nationals may qualify fo…
Residency: Visa Overview
Switzerland distinguishes between short-term Schengen visas and long-term national visas for foreign nationals intending to reside, work or study in the coun…
Residency: Work Visa
Switzerland issues work-related residence permits primarily to individuals with a confirmed offer of employment from a Swiss employer. The employment of non-…
Property
A home is a relocation decision
Taxes
Understand the cost of your move
Banking
Banking
Healthcare
Healthcare
Lifestyle
Lifestyle
Business
Business
Business: Accounting
Verified guideBusiness: Annual Compliance
Verified guideBusiness: Company Formation
Verified guideBusiness: Hiring Employees
Verified guideBusiness: Limited Company
Verified guideBusiness: Payroll
Verified guideBusiness: Social Security
Verified guideBusiness: Sole Proprietorship
Verified guideFrom the Journal
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