A settling-in service in Switzerland takes over the administrative first weeks after your transferee lands. It covers registration with the local authority, a bank account, health insurance and the practical set-up of daily life. This page explains what the service includes, what your policy can cover without outside help and how the introduction to a specialist company works.
What a settling-in service covers
The service starts on arrival, not before. Pre-departure work such as permits and home search sits in separate services. Settling in is the sequence of formalities that turns a new arrival into a resident who is registered, insured and able to pay bills.
Typical scope:
- Registration with the municipality (Gemeinde, the local commune), with the documents the office asks for.
- Banking: opening a resident account, understanding local payment habits and bills.
- Health insurance: choosing and concluding basic cover within the legal period.
- Daily set-up: mobile contract, utilities, transport pass, waste rules, mail.
- Orientation: neighbourhood, schools, doctors, local customs.
Not every employer buys all of this. A policy often selects two or three items and leaves the rest to the transferee.
The two deadlines that shape the first weeks
Two rules set the pace. Both depend on the municipality, canton and the situation of the person, so confirm details locally.
Registration with the municipality
Arrival is reported to the municipality, in general within 14 days. On site, the office asks for an identity document, the residence or work permit and proof of health insurance (ch.ch, Swiss federal authorities' portal). The exact period can vary by commune and canton. See registering with the municipality within 14 days for the detail.
Note the link between the two steps: the office asks for proof of insurance, so insurance work starts early, even though its own deadline is longer.
Basic health insurance
Anyone living in Switzerland is required to take out basic health insurance no later than three months after taking up residence (Federal Office of Public Health, FOPH). If the period is respected, cover is retroactive to the date of residence and premiums are due from that date. If it is exceeded, cover starts at affiliation, a premium supplement can apply for an unexcused delay, and the cantonal authority may assign an insurer.
For your HR team, the practical point is simple: an employee who arrives and delays this step pays for the gap in premiums or risks a supplement.
Settling-in sequence
What an employer can handle alone
Many HR teams cover the basics with a clear internal guide. Self-service works when:
- the transferee comes from a country with similar administrative habits;
- the destination commune publishes clear instructions in a language the employee reads;
- the policy has a short list of formalities and no family logistics.
Useful free tools on this site help here: the personalised checklist generator, the relocation calendar and the permit finder. For a wider view of the early period, read the checklist for the first three months.
When outside help makes sense
A specialist company is worth considering when:
- several transferees arrive at once in a group move;
- the family needs schools, childcare or partner support at the same time;
- the employee has no German, French or Italian and the local office works only in that language;
- the policy promises a managed service and HR does not want to chase each step;
- registration, insurance and banking depend on one another, and a delay in one blocks the next.
Related services: school search, spouse and partner support, temporary housing, home search and immigration support. The wider offer is described under relocation services in Switzerland and corporate relocation service.
Settling in alone or with a service
How the introduction works
This site does not carry out the formalities itself. It is a matching service. The steps:
- You send a request describing the transferee, the arrival timing, the city and the items to cover.
- The request is analysed against the services needed.
- You are put in touch with the relocation company that fits the need, among the best companies working in Switzerland.
- A first exchange sets the scope, the language of service and the reporting you expect.
The how it works page shows the full process, and the form at the bottom of the page starts it. For a specific location, see relocation services in Zürich or relocation service in Lucerne.
Questions to ask a provider
- Which formalities are included and which are billed separately?
- Who attends the municipality appointment, and in which language?
- How is the insurance step explained, and who handles the proof of cover?
- What happens if the transferee is delayed or the permit is late?
- How is progress reported to HR?
- What data is kept, and for how long?
Prices are agreed directly with the company; none is quoted here.
Frequently asked questions
What is a settling-in service in Switzerland?
It is a package of practical support for the first weeks after arrival. It usually covers municipality registration, bank account, health insurance and daily set-up, and sometimes orientation visits.
Is it different from a home search service?
Yes. Home search finds a place to live. Settling in starts once the transferee is there. Both are often combined in a relocation policy. See the home search service.
When does the service begin?
On arrival. Some providers meet the transferee on the first day, others schedule the first session once the housing details are known, because the municipality asks for them.
How soon is arrival reported to the municipality?
In general within 14 days, but the period can vary by commune and canton. The local office confirms the rule that applies (ch.ch, Swiss federal authorities' portal).
What does the municipality ask for?
An identity document, the residence or work permit and proof of health insurance. Some communes add further documents, so check locally.
What is the deadline for health insurance?
Basic health insurance is compulsory no later than three months after taking up residence (FOPH). If the period is respected, cover is retroactive to the date of residence.
What happens if the insurance deadline is missed?
Cover starts at affiliation. A premium supplement can apply for an unexcused delay, and the cantonal authority may assign an insurer (FOPH).
Can a transferee open a bank account before arriving?
This depends on the bank and the permit status. Many banks want proof of residence first. A specialist can explain the options for a given case; this page does not give personal advice.
Does the employer pay for settling in?
That is a policy decision. Lump sum and managed packages treat the service differently. Define in writing which items are covered and which remain with the employee.
Does this site carry out the registration?
No. The site matches your request with a suitable relocation company. The company then provides the service, and the authorities decide on every permit and registration.
Who decides on permits?
The authorities. A service can prepare documents but cannot assure an outcome. See immigration support and the departure service for the other ends of the assignment.
Can family members be included?
Yes, in many services. School search, childcare and partner support can be added. See school search and the school choice guide.