Switzerland has a robust economy that attracts professionals from different parts of the world, but the job market can be competitive, and housing can also be in very high demand. Naturally, this shouldn’t be a problem people relocating anywhere should have to deal with, if it were not for the fact that two of the biggest priorities for anyone relocating to Switzerland are: finding a job, and finding a place to live.
In line with that, this friendly guide will walk you through what to expect and how to succeed in both arenas.
Working through the Swiss Job Market
Switzerland is well known for its low unemployment rate and high salaries across industries. It’s home to international companies, banks, pharmaceutical giants, tech firms, and NGOs, meaning there are a ton of opportunities available to anyone who has specialized skills.
A diverse group of business professionals in a meeting, smiling and collaborating around laptops in a modern office.
However, landing a job isn’t always easy, especially for non-Europeans. Like you’ve seen, jobs are highly competitive because of the attractive salaries and quality of life in Switzerland, so Swiss employers can be quite selective most of the time.
So, if you’re job-searching, keep these points in mind:
Work Permits and Hiring
If you’re an EU/EFTA citizen, you’ll benefit from agreements that allow relatively free movement to work in Switzerland. This is not to say you won’t still need a residence permit, but employers are used to hiring EU nationals without much red tape.
Now, for non-EU nationals, Swiss employers have to consider their quotas and certain strict conditions before they can hire you. For instance, they have to prove that no Swiss or EU candidate could fill the role, and on top of that, the government issues a limited number of work permits for third-country citizens each year. This doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get a good job – because many non-Europeans do get hired – but it means your skillset should be in demand.
Typically, specialists in IT, engineering, finance, pharmaceuticals, or academia, especially with advanced degrees or unique expertise, have an edge. Usually, larger companies will handle the work permit application for you once you have an offer.
Language Requirements
The language factor is a big player in the job hunt. English may be the working language at many multinational companies, but a lot of Swiss jobs require knowledge of the local language, i.e., German, French or Italian, depending on the region.
For instance, a sales job in Lausanne might require fluent French, while a government job in Bern will need German. Even in largely English-speaking offices, companies appreciate if you have at least conversational ability in the local tongue for day-to-day life and integration.
Job Hunting Strategies
Make good use of Swiss and international job portals like jobs.ch, JobUp, LinkedIn, Indeed, or specialty sites for your industry in your job search.
Networking is also equally important – many jobs here are filled through connections. So don’t hesitate to reach out to contacts, attend industry events, or join expatriate professional groups.
You can also consider recruiting agencies; Switzerland has agencies focused on expats and specific fields.
Expect Patience
Hiring in Switzerland can be a slower process than you might expect. Companies usually have multiple interview rounds, and decisions can take time. It’s not unusual for a hiring process to stretch over a few months from first interview to final offer. Also, if you’re relocating from another country, think of the time for the work permit approval after you get the job offer – that can add several weeks.
This is why we encourage people to start their job hunt as early as possible, and to try to remain patient and professional through the process. Switzerland’s system tests your persistence but in the end, it pays off.
The key also, is not to get discouraged by initial rejections – keep refining your approach until you land your dream job.
Swiss Work Culture 101
For when you finally get that job you’ve always wanted, it’ll be good to know what it’s like to work in Switzerland ahead.
Generally, you’ll find Swiss workplaces to be professional, efficient, and fairly conservative in certain industries like banking or insurance. More casual workplaces might be in the tech industry, for example.
A few hallmark traits of Swiss work culture you ought to know include:
Punctuality and Reliability
Just as in social life, Swiss workplaces value timeliness. Meetings start promptly and deadlines are expected to be met. If a meeting is set for 9:00, being in the conference room at 8:59 is being on time. Also, delivering quality work on schedule is part of the professionalism here.
In return, you’ll find that things are well organized for you, meetings have clear agendas and action points, and projects are meticulously planned.
Formality and Respect
Swiss colleagues tend to address each other a bit more formally, at leas initially. In German-speaking offices, you might use last names and the formal “Sie” until invited to switch to first names and “du”. Titles like Dr., Prof., etc. are used more commonly than in, say, American workplaces. The hierarchy in companies can also be pronounced, and respecting the chain of command is a customary factor.
Of course, every company is different, and international teams may be more laid-back. What is expected of you is to observe and mirror how your colleagues behave, especially in how they communicate with managers versus peers.
One thing you’ll likely appreciate in a Swiss workplace, is a general culture of respect and politeness. Workplace conflicts or criticism are usually handled in a more subtle or private way because we Swiss tend to avoid open confrontation.
Work-life Balance
There is a hard stereotype working against Swiss workplaces – the idea that there is no work-life balance, particularly because of the attractive salaries. This is wrong; Switzerland places a strong emphasis on work-life balance.
A standard full-time work week here is around 40 to 42 hours, and employees typically enjoy at least 4 weeks of vacation per year by law (many companies offer more).
Overtime is often compensated or tracked to be taken as extra time off, and while you’re expected to be efficient during work hours, burning the midnight oil is not necessarily seen as a virtue. In fact, leaving the office on time is common and accepted, assuming your work is done.
Group of friends hiking along a green mountain ridge overlooking a Swiss lake and alpine valleys.
This balance is also reflected in the culture: you’ll notice the office emptying out on Friday afternoons in summer as people head to the mountains or lake for the weekend. Also, in many industries, it is considered rude to routinely email or call staff during their off hours or vacation. So when you’re off, you’re truly off – which can be a refreshing change for many expats coming from more workaholic environments.
International and Local Mix
Depending on your employer, you might be in a very international team, or the only foreigner in a Swiss company. If the latter is the case, understanding a bit of local workplace etiquette will help – for example, greeting everyone with a friendly “Morgen” each day, or bringing a cake for the team on your birthday, which is a common custom.
If you happen to be in a very international team, you’ll have a very diverse environment, but you can still make an effort to integrate with Swiss colleagues and not only socialize with your fellow expats. You can learn a bit about Swiss current events, sports like ice hockey, or local holidays. Those can be good water cooler conversations that show you’re interested in your new home.
Finally, you should remember the basics of Swiss labor rights: if you work here, you’ll likely contribute to the Swiss social security system, unemployment insurance, and possibly a second-pillar pension through your employer, all of which are beneficial for you in the long run.
House Hunting in Switzerland
Remember, we’ve mentioned that housing is a hot commodity here, so when it comes to finding your home-sweet-home in Switzerland, it can feel competitive and even intimidating. Vacancy rates in many Swiss cities hover around or below 1%, which means hardly any apartments are empty at a given time, and it’s a landlord’s market at the end of the day.
In popular cities like Zurich, Geneva, Basel, or Lausanne, you might attend an open house viewing along with 20+ other applicants. It’s also common for landlords or agencies to ask for a dossier including your personal info, income/employment details, references, and sometimes a copy of your credit report or an “Betreibungsauszug” (debt register extract) if you’ve been in Switzerland long enough to have one.
As a new arrival, you obviously won’t have a Swiss credit record, but proof of income and a letter from your employer (or university if you’re a student) stating your salary (or stipend) can help reassure landlords.
Panoramic daytime view of Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, with Lake Zurich and distant Alps visible: an attractive yet competitive location for housing.
Also, rent prices vary widely by region. Zurich and Geneva are the top cities for expenses, where you can expect to pay a premium for a central location or modern building. In Zurich, for example, a modest 2-bedroom apartment can easily cost CHF 2,500 to 3,500 per month, depending on location.
Now, here are some channels and tips that will help your housing search:
Online portals
Websites like homegate.ch, immoscout24.ch, immomarket.ch, and anibis.ch are popular for listings. There’s also city-specific newsletters like Ron Orp and Facebook groups for expats looking for housing, especially sublets or flatshares. You can set up email alerts if possible, so you can respond quickly to new listings.
Timing
The rental market in Switzerland has peak times, often around spring and fall, when people tend to move because of job changes or school terms. Also, leases usually run yearly or quarterly, so you’ll notice many listings for occupancy around common notice period dates, e.g., end of March, end of June, end of September, etc. That’s because Swiss tenants usually have fixed contract end dates unless otherwise agreed. So if you can align your search with these cycles, you might hit more availability.
Temporary Accommodation
Don’t be afraid to rent short-term at first (like a month-to-month sublease or serviced apartment) to give yourself time to find something long-term. That way, you can physically go to viewings, which increases your chances.
There are agencies that offer furnished flats for 1 to 6 months, although at high prices, but it can be a worthwhile buffer as you search for a permanent home.
Some employers also provide initial housing or a housing allowance for a couple of months, so check if that’s part of your relocation package.
Consider Nearby Towns
For example, if you work in Geneva, also search for places within Vaud that are along the train line. You might get more space for your price.
If you’re in Zurich, try well-connected suburbs like Thalwil, Adliswil, Wallisellen, or even Aargau canton for cheaper rents; trains from those places to central Zurich might be just 15 to 30 minutes.
Basically, broadening your geographic scope can open you to hidden gems, and like we’ve noted before, commuting is pretty easy in Switzerland.
Finally, one upside of the Swiss rental system is: once you have a lease, tenant protections are strong. It’s rare to be kicked out or have rent raised dramatically as long as you follow the contract.
Many Swiss live in rented apartments for decades, and that’s because their landlord can only increase rent under certain conditions, like interest rate changes or after making value-adding renovations. You can also appeal unfair increases with a rental arbitration board. This stability means that when you get your home, you can truly settle into it without fear of sudden changes.
Support for your Move
If all of this sounds like a lot to manage, i.e., job hunting, permits, house search, remember that there are resources and services to assist you – one of them being we here at Swiss Platinum Relocation.
Swiss Platinum Relocation exists to make these processes easier, offering you services like area orientations (showing you around neighborhoods), handling apartment search and lease negotiations for you, setting up your utilities, and even helping with things like school enrollment or registering with doctors.
If your relocation is by a company, there is every likelihood that your employer might cover or subsidize these services, but if not, you can always hire our team independently.
We are a relocation service here to significantly reduce your stress, especially if you don’t speak the local language or you have a very short timeline to move. So, think of partnering with us as investing in your peace of mind.
We also pride ourselves on offering personalized, comprehensive relocation solutions, which means we deal with the nitty-gritty so you can focus on your new job and settling in.To learn more about our services and prices, click here and get a quote from us today.