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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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For members

LIVING IN SWITZERLAND

EXPLAINED: What exactly are ‘Swiss values’ and do you need to know them?

If you are a foreigner living in Switzerland, and especially if you have applied for naturalisation, you are probably no stranger to the phrase ‘Swiss values.’ But do you know what this means?

Published: 22 May 2024 15:25 CEST
Updated: 25 May 2024 08:02 CEST
EXPLAINED: What exactly are 'Swiss values' and do you need to know them?

You could say that there are two kinds of ‘values’ in Switzerland: official and unofficial ones.

Let’s look at the official ones first — that is, the ones that you are expected to live up to if you hope to become a Swiss citizen.

Among the criteria that the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has set out for naturalisation candidates is integration.

The word “integration” has a broad definition of course, but in Switzerland it means assimilating into, rather than standing apart from, the mainstream — in other words, adopting to the local laws, customs, and way of life.

These are the integration requirements laid out in the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act:

Respect for public safety, security and order

This is self-explanatory: you should not have committed any serious offences, and your actions should not pose a threat to the country’s security.

You may think this means you cannot have a criminal record, but even ‘trivial’ infractions such as speeding can be taken as lack of integration, as some applicants have found out.

READ ALSO: Frenchman barred from Swiss citizenship over speeding offence 

In this particular case, the naturalisation committee took the man’s careless driving to mean than he was “not successfully integrated.”

Respect for the values of the Federal Constitution

In addition to being a law-abiding person, you need to uphold the constitutional rights, such as the right to life and personal liberty, while eschewing torture and any other form of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of others.

Language skills

A requirement to know a local language is not specific to Switzerland — many other countries have such a rule as well.

What is different (and more complicated) in Switzerland is that there are four national languages — German, French, Italian and Romansh.

Fortunately, you don’t have to know all four, but you do need to be proficient in the language of your place of residence.

This is determined by SEM, which has based its requirements on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), a definition of different language levels written by the Council of Europe. 

The required level, according to SEM, “differentiates between oral and written language proficiency,” with the requirement for spoken proficiency higher than for written one.

This is because oral communication is considered more important for the integration into working and social life.

Be aware, however, that SEM’s levels are a minimum requirement, and some cantons might have stricter criteria.

This SEM chart indicates language proficiency on the federal level for both permits and citizenship, for different population groups.

Participation in working life or efforts to acquire an education

This too, is self-explanatory: you must either actively study or be gainfully employed.

This goes under the heading of self-responsibility, which the Swiss value a lot.

It means you should be self-sufficient and not rely on public assistance.

It also extends to good financial habits — that is, paying your bills on time and not going into debt. If you do get social aid or have debt collection proceedings against you, this is a clear sign that you are not living up to Swiss values.

READ ALSO: Which minor offences could prevent you becoming a Swiss citizen? 

And then there are the ‘unofficial’ values — those that the society expects of you:

Be tidy

This implies not only not littering, but also disposing of your trash correctly.

Putting trash into random garbage bags rather than official ones, not taking it out on designated days, or not sorting the recyclables and disposing of them in proper containers, goes against everything the Swiss believe in.

Greet people

Wherever you happen to be, you are expected to greet everyone you pass with a friendly ‘Grüezi’, ‘bonjour’ or ‘buongiorno’.

You should greet people you pass in the street, at the railway station, when hiking and even at the ski lift — regardless of whether you know them or not.

Shake hands

This habit was temporarily suspended during Covid, but now handshaking is in again — whether in business or social environment.

Kindergarten children are trained to shake hands with their teacher at the beginning and end of lessons, so they learn this habit earl on.

That’s why this story about two Muslim schoolboys refusing to shake their female teacher’s hand was seen as an affront to Swiss culture. 

Be discreet

The Swiss believe in discretion and privacy, the two traits often mistaken for aloofness.

Therefore, being too nosy, gossipy, or butting into people’s personal sphere uninvited is a definite ‘no-no’.

Be quiet on Sundays

In Switzerland, Sundays and public holidays are for resting, which means silence should prevail.

Therefore, DO NOT use noisy tools, lawn mowers,  have parties or loud social gatherings, or recycle bottles on this sacrosanct day.

If you do, you are sending out a signal that you don’t care about Swiss values, which could cost you your citizenship, as this fellow has found out:

READ ALSO: Frenchman denied Swiss passport over ‘mowing his lawn on public holidays’

Be active in your community

The Swiss appreciate seeing everyone, and especially foreigners, participate in the life of their local community.

Whether you join the fire brigade, sing in a choir, volunteer at school, or merely attend local football games and other events, you will show everyone just how integrated and respectful of Swiss values you are.

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