I want to move to switzerland.. how do I do it?

Question

I'm sorry, let me re-phrase... I'm moving to switzerland, this is not a fantasy or a "Dream"... I'm going to do it, and my deadline is 2 months... How do I go about accomplishing this feat. I'm not college educated, but I do have some college, and I do have a career.

Answer 1

You will need to contact the Swiss Embassy in your country to get correct details on how to apply to migrate to Switzerland.  I understand it's difficult to do, especially if you do not have qualifications that are needed there, and/or do not speak the language.

The following is taken from the USA Embassy of Switzerland website:

"Living and working in Switzerland

Under the current rather stringent regulations it is very difficult for foreigners from overseas countries to obtain a work and residence permit since the Swiss Government pursues a strict policy of stabilisation of the already quite large number of foreigners living and working in Switzerland (approx. 21% of the total population).

If despite of the above facts you would like to give it a try, it is suggested that you either contact a local job agency which is familiar with overseas labour markets or, alternatively, you browse through relevant Swiss websites on the Internet.

Should you be successful, you will have to apply for an appropriate entry visa (3 application forms + 3 recent photographs) at this Embassy. Parallel to that, your future employer must, on your behalf, launch the necessary procedure for obtaining a work and residence permit with the competent Swiss authorities. Once all the required authorisations are issued, a visa may be delivered to you - and it is only then you are allowed to travel to Switzerland.

For more information, please consult the website of the Federal Office for Migration"

Answer 2

There are at least 4 ways for you to come to live in Switzerland:

1) work

2) marriage

3) live here illegally

4) study

1) As stated above, to come and work in Switzerland, you'll have to find a company that is willing to hire you and obtain a work permit for you frm the immigration authorities. This is NOT easy, particularly if you do not have a college degree. Education is VERY important to the Swiss They're not into our (American) "wishy-washy" educational and work system where you can study, say, fine arts, but then be hired to become, say, a systems engineer in a learn-on-the-job system. You study to become something, then you go into that field here.

Work visas are limited and usually held for people in high positions. However, if a company can prove that you have some skill that no one else in Switzerland or the EU has, then it's easy to get a work visa. I just got hired a few days ago and will get a work visa... finally!!! so it's not impossible! If worse comes to worse, you could make money tutoring English.

2) You can always try to find a nice Swiss girl/boy to marry. Once you are married, you will have the right to live in Switzerland. However, I know of quite a few situations where American or European men have married women here and then couldn't find a job because they didn't have the right degree and/or didn't speak the language. SO, be careful of what you ask for...

3) This is another possibility but not the easiest for a few reasons. I did this for a couple of years, but since I had a residence permit for Germany, the Swiss never thought that I was living here... and illegally. I NEVER had any problems for this reason. Also, I wasn't living off the Swiss system. But then the airlines started having a problem with selling a one-way ticket to Europe and would ask for a visa or residence permit for a European country. I was lucky I still had my German residency permit!

4) Studying will be your easiest option but it will cost you a bit of money. How good are your foreign language skills in German, French, Italian or Romansch? If not good, you should apply to a language school in the part of the country where you wnt to live. Be aware that the German-speaking part is diglossic- their formal language is Swiss High German, but EVERY German-speaking Swiss speaks Swiss German, a dialect, and dialects differ from canton to canton. Anyway, once you havegood language skills, you can apply to a university. Of course if you find a degree program in English (many IT and business classes are taught in English), you won't need the language for class, but you still need to learn in order to deal with everyday life. After my bout with living here illegally, I became a student. I still have a student visa, but my job offer will allow me to get a regular B visa.

Answer 3

You have to have a work visa if you're not a Swiss citizen.  My boss

got me one before I could go there to work.  My advice would be to

go there as a tourist and find a job, then let them help you with the

Visa process.  

Answer 4

Well since Switzerland is very neutral and sort of isolated from world affairs alot, it is very very hard to receive citizenship. I assume you are already learning or already know German and some French if you arent you better start right away. I might also point out that every male citizen in Switzerland is also in the Swizz Military, most are reserve force though. Again with the citizenship you must have a family relative or ancestor who was a Swiss citizen.Also before, if you would like to be citizen you have to have lived there for 12 years and show that you are used to the Swiss way of life. None the less, it is great that you have some college and a career since Switzerland is home to many corporations and business (especially insurance).Life in Switzerland is very very enjoyable and I think you will like it there. If you have been to Switzerland before then that will give you a head start. Also become familiar with French and German culture (also a little Italian and Romanish, but French and German are the main ones) so you wont have any surprises the way things are done. I had the wonderful oppurtonity to live in both Germany and Switzerland, because I was born in Germany and became a citizen, then moved to Switzerland and since on side of my family was living in Switzerland I became a citizen and I enjoyed my life in both countries very much. Now I moved to America because of a job oppurtinity that i took. Have fun and good luck. Hope I helped

Answer 5

I strongly recommend you to read this website:

http://www.justlanded.com

It will answer all your questions. I have been in the same situation as you, 7 years ago. I went traveling through Europe. I ended up in Switzerland, and it is very hard to get a job, if you don't speak your languages (German / French) fluently. I ended up working in the wintersport business, as you can get away with it in mostly English, as you work with tourists. The wages are high, but so is the cost of living. Anyway, you need a little luck too. Just read the website and I really think you should be prepared well.