Moving to Switzerland checklist
Tick your situation and the list adapts. Your ticked boxes stay in this browser.
0 of 8 ticked
Before you leave
At the border
Within 14 days
Within 3 months
Later on
Assumptions and sources
Sources: SEM; communes and cantons; FOPH (LAMal/KVG, deductibles); FOCBS (forms 18.44 and 15.30); FSVO (pets); OAC/VZV, art. 42; FTA (withholding tax); FNIA, art. 47. Your commune or canton may ask for other documents. Ticked boxes stay in this browser, nothing is sent.
What the generator does
The tool above builds a moving to Switzerland personalised checklist from a few answers about your transferee. It sorts the usual tasks of an international move into an order: before departure, on arrival, and in the weeks that follow.
It is built for HR and mobility teams. Each task is framed as a decision or a responsibility: who in your policy owns it, and what it depends on.
How to use it
- Answer the questions about the assignment: nationality group, family situation, housing approach and start date.
- Read the list the tool returns, task by task.
- Mark what your policy already covers and what your transferee handles alone.
- Send the list with the request at the bottom of the page if you want a specialist to review it.
For a fixed, general list, see the moving to Switzerland checklist and the checklist before departure.
What the tool takes into account
Fixed rules the list relies on
Two rules appear on almost every list.
- Registration with the municipality. Arrival is reported to the commune within 14 days. On site, the transferee shows an identity document, the residence or work permit, and proof of health insurance. The period can vary by commune or canton (ch.ch).
- Basic health insurance. Anyone living in Switzerland has to take out basic cover within three months of taking up residence. If that period is met, cover is backdated to the date of residence. If it is missed, cover starts at enrolment, with a possible premium surcharge, and the cantonal authority may assign an insurer (FOPH).
Reading the result
The output is an orientation. It does not decide a permit, a tax position or an insurance choice. Those depend on the authorities and on the individual file. Where a task turns on personal circumstances, the list marks it for review by a specialist rather than giving an answer.
The tool makes some assumptions. It treats the move as an arrival from abroad, and it does not cover cross-border commuting or moves between Swiss cantons.
Related tools and pages
- Permit finder for the likely permit route.
- Relocation calendar for timing.
- Rental file checker for housing documents.
- Common mistakes when moving to Switzerland.
Frequently asked questions
Is the checklist a substitute for immigration advice?
No. It is a planning aid. Permit decisions rest with the authorities, and a specialist can review the specific file through the relocation support request.
Can I use it for several employees?
Yes. Run it once per transferee, because family situation and start date change the list.
Does it include costs?
No. It lists tasks and responsibilities, not prices.
What happens to the list after I send it?
It goes with your request, and a suitable relocation company can be matched to the need. The request form at the bottom of the page explains the next steps.