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LIVING IN SWITZERLAND

EXPLAINED : What you need to do when moving to another Swiss canton

A move to a different canton in Switzerland, especially within the same linguistic region, doesn’t sound like a big deal. But you may soon realise that it feels like you just moved to another world.

Published: 29 March 2023 14:51 CEST
Updated: 2 April 2023 10:33 CEST
EXPLAINED : What you need to do when moving to another Swiss canton
Moving to another canton can be like moving to another world. Photo: Nubia Navarro on Pexels

Yes, Switzerland is a small country, but it is divided into 26 cantons within three linguistic regions, with each one having its own laws, as well as various rules and regulations (although, for logical reasons, cantonal law must not contravene federal legislation).

Many of the general rules are similar from one canton to another, but when you move, you will realise just how much autonomy each of them holds, and the adjustments you will need to make in your life when you relocate.

READ MORE: EXPLAINED: Why Switzerland’s cantons are so powerful

We are not talking just about different culture and local customs, or even different public holidays from where you used to live.

Rather, the main burden lies in administrative tasks you will have to complete before you feel settled.

From health insurance to taxes

When you move from one town to another within the same canton, the process is fairly simple: you de-register in your former commune of residence and register in the new one. Everything else stays the same.

But moving from one canton to another is more of a headache.

First, regardless of whether you are a Swiss or foreign national, you will have to announce your arrival to local authorities (Einwohnerkontrolle / Contrôle des habitants/ Controllo abitanti) which, depending on the canton, can be done online.

Many cantons allow to register online. Photo by Thomas Lefebvre on Unsplash
 

Whether you register online or in person, you will need to provide the following documents:

  • A passport or ID card for each member of the family, in addition to a passport-sized photo for everyone
  • Documents about your family status — whether you are single, married, and with children
  • Your work or residency permit 
  • Your lease contract or proof of home ownership

After you register and pay a fee — which varies from one canton to another and depends on the type of work / residency permit you have — you can request a proof of residence document (Wohnsitzbescheinigungen/ Attestation de domicile / certificate di residenza), which you may need to show in some situations to prove your address.

This in itself doesn’t sound too complicated, but then you will receive a letter from the authorities telling you to take out a health insurance policy.

It doesn’t matter that you already have one from your previous place of residence; each canton has its own  health infrastructure and levels of government funding, which determine what premiums you will pay.

Demographics and statistics also play a role: health premiums in cantons with younger and healthier population will be lower than in those with higher incidence of disease, and older, chronically ill people.

But the mere fact of living in a particular canton doesn’t necessarily mean premiums will be the same for everyone: cantons can also be divided into zones with different premiums.

All this to say that your ‘old’ health insurance will no longer be valid for most medical treatments (except for emergencies), so you will either have to purchase a new plan or have your current one adapted by the carrier to match the new canton’s price structure.

And then there are taxes…

Taxation is also based on your canton of residence, so, depending on where you move, you may end up paying either less or more taxes.

And that is one of the reasons for registering in the canton when you first arrive — so that authorities know where you live and what taxation rate applies to you.

READ MORE: Where do I pay taxes if I move from one Swiss canton to another?

Last but not least, If you own a vehicle at the time of your move, you will have to swap your number plates and update your driving licence and vehicle registration certificate.

To do this, you will need the following documents:

  • Current vehicle registration certificate
  • Completed application form for registering a vehicle
  • Proof of liability insurance

Depending on whether you are moving with children or pets, there could also be other requirements and things you need to do.

Comparis consumer platform explains all the details in this link. 

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MONEY

Do adult children in Switzerland have to support their parents financially?

Usually, it is the parents’ responsibility to ensure their kids are well taken care of financially. But can Swiss authorities force the children to return the favour in times of need?

Published: 30 April 2024 15:31 CEST
Updated: 5 May 2024 08:14 CEST
Do adult children in Switzerland have to support their parents financially?

In most cases, once children are grown up and out of the house, they are (or at least should be) self-sufficient in terms of finances.

Parents too should breathe a sigh of relief that they are no longer obligated to pay for their children’s expenses, except perhaps for giving them some money here and there as a gift.

This is what happens in the best-case scenario.

But what if things don’t go according to this plan — for instance, if the parents find themselves in financial straits and can’t  afford to pay their bills?

Family obligations

Generally speaking, the truly needy people who don’t have enough income to pay for their basic living expenses will receive financial help from the government, in the very least in the form of the health insurance and housing subsidy.

READ ALSO: Can I get financial help in Switzerland if I’m struggling to pay the bills?

However, before doling out public money, authorities will see whether relatives should be made to help the struggling individuals pay their bills.

(In this context, ‘relatives’ means only those in the direct line of descent: grandparents, parents, and children.)

They will do it by checking the tax status of these relatives — how much they earn and what other financial assets they have — to determine whether, and how much, they should be paying toward their parents’ expenses.

Obviously, you will be expected to pay up only if your own financial situation allows it; you will not be forced to part with your money if you have very little of it yourself.

 ‘Favourable financial circumstaces’

Based on a Federal Court ruling, if the adult child  lives in ‘favourable financial circumstances’ they are required to help out their struggling parents.

The Court defined ‘favourable financial circumstances’ as income and assets allowing a comfortable life.

‘Comfortable life’, in turn, was defined by the Swiss Conference for Social Welfare (SKOS), as a taxable annual income of 120,000 francs for a single person, and 180,000 francs for married couples.

“If you have minors in your household, the limit is increased by 20,000 francs per child,” according to AXA insurance.

It goes on to say that you can deduct an exempt amount from your taxable assets.

“Your annual depletion of assets is deducted from the remaining amount. This means that if you are obligated to provide financial support, you are permitted to use part of your assets yourself each year; you don’t have to devote your entire assets to providing support.”

At between 18 and 30 years of age, this is 1/60th per year; from 31 to 40, 1/50th per year; 41 to 50, 1/40th per year; 51 to 60, 1/30th per year; and from the age of 61,1/20th per year. 

Are there any exemptions to these rules?

Aside from not having sufficient funds, you could be exempted from paying if, say, your parents, or parent, have not lived up to their own financial obligations toward you.

In Switzerland, parents are required to  provide financially for their children until the age of majority, and even beyond that if they are still studying or undergoing vocational training — typically, until the mid-20s.

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