A temporary accommodation service in Switzerland covers the period between your employee's arrival and the start of a permanent lease. It is a bridge. It does not replace the home search, and it does not decide anything for your transferee.
This page explains what the service covers, when it makes sense for your policy, and how the introduction to a specialist relocation company works.
What the service covers
Most requests involve a furnished unit for a defined period. The specialist company handles the search for a suitable unit, the booking and the practical details of check-in. Depending on the request, it may also cover the check-out and the handover.
Typical formats include:
- A furnished studio or apartment for a single assignee.
- A larger furnished apartment for a family.
- A short stay for a business traveller who is not yet an assignee.
Your employee can book a short stay alone. Specialist support makes more sense when the unit must be available on a fixed date, when a family is involved, or when you manage several arrivals at once.
Why a gap appears
Permanent housing rarely lines up with the first working day. Your transferee often cannot view flats in person before arriving. Landlords and agencies usually expect a rental application with proof of identity, residence status and income, which a person still abroad may struggle to assemble.
The home search service addresses the permanent flat. Temporary housing covers the weeks before it. For longer stays with more structure, see corporate and temporary housing for assignees and temporary and furnished housing.
Permit status shapes the timeline
Switzerland applies two regimes: nationals of EU/EFTA states and nationals of third states (outside the EU/EFTA). The route to a residence and work permit differs, and so does the planning your HR team must do (State Secretariat for Migration (SEM)). Detailed conditions depend on the case. The immigration support service covers that side.
For housing, the point is practical. Your employee cannot fix an arrival date until the permit position is clear. Agree the temporary stay as a range, not a single date, and ask the provider about extension terms before booking.
Why the address matters after arrival
Your transferee must register with the municipality on arrival. Cantonal and municipal rules apply, and the commonly reported deadline is 14 days (ch.ch). On site, the municipality typically asks for an identity document, the residence or work permit and proof of health insurance. The exact requirements vary by canton and commune, so confirm them with the municipality concerned.
Ask the provider early whether the temporary address can be used for registration. Not every short-stay arrangement can.
Health insurance follows the same logic. A person who becomes resident must take out basic health insurance within three months of taking up residence. If the deadline is met, cover is backdated to the date of residence. If it is missed, cover starts at affiliation and the cantonal authority may assign an insurer (Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)).
How the process runs
This site is an introduction service. We work with leading relocation companies in Switzerland and, depending on the request, put you in touch with the one that fits. We do not search, book or advise ourselves. The relocation services overview shows the wider range, and how it works describes the steps.
Questions to ask a provider
- Is the unit fully furnished, and which utilities and services are included?
- What are the notice and extension terms if the permanent lease slips?
- Can the address support municipal registration?
- Who handles check-in, and who is the contact if something breaks?
- Is there a family option, and how are children and pets treated?
- What happens at check-out, and who inspects the unit?
Using the service in your policy
Decide in advance who pays for temporary housing, for how long, and what happens if the stay overruns. Write it into your policy. A lump sum policy and a managed service policy handle this differently, and your transferee should know which applies before departure. The corporate relocation service page explains how the managed route works.
To start, use the request at the bottom of the page, or go straight to request relocation support. A specialist then examines your case.
Frequently asked questions
What is a temporary accommodation service?
It is a service that places your employee in a furnished unit for a limited period. The stay covers the gap between arrival and the start of a permanent lease. It is arranged by a specialist relocation company.
Who should use it?
HR teams moving staff from abroad, especially when the permanent flat cannot be secured before arrival. It also suits families, group moves and cases where the start date is fixed.
Does the service find the permanent flat?
No. That is a separate home search. The two often run in parallel, so your transferee does not feel pressure to accept the first available lease.
Can my employee arrange this alone?
Yes. A short stay can be booked directly. Specialist help is most useful when the date is fixed, a family is moving, or you handle several arrivals together.
Does permit status affect the booking?
It affects the timeline. EU/EFTA nationals and third-state nationals follow different routes (State Secretariat for Migration (SEM)). Plan the stay as a range, and confirm extension terms.
Do we need to register the address?
Your transferee must register with the municipality on arrival. The commonly reported deadline is 14 days, but rules vary by canton and commune (ch.ch). Check whether the temporary address qualifies.
When must health insurance start?
Basic health insurance must be taken out within three months of taking up residence. Within that deadline, cover is backdated to the date of residence (Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)).
How long can a temporary stay last?
It depends on the provider and the unit. Ask about minimum and maximum terms, and about extension conditions, before you commit.
Do you give prices?
No. This site gives no prices. The specialist company sets out its terms once it understands the request.
What happens after I send the request?
The request is reviewed. We then put you in touch with the company that fits the need. The first exchange is with that company. A specialist examines your case from there.