Before you come
One question decides almost everything: your passport
Whether — and how — you may live in Switzerland depends first on your nationality: EU/EFTA or non-EU. Here are the two routes set out plainly side by side, with the exact statute and no gloss.
There isn't “one” way into Switzerland — there are two legal systems. Which one applies to you is set by your passport, and with it almost every deadline and rule that follows.
By nationality
Two fundamentally different routes
EU/EFTA nationals have a right to free movement. Non-EU nationals are admitted under quotas, usually through an employer. This isn't a detail — it's the switch that sets everything else.
EU/EFTA nationals
Free movement · FZA
You have, in principle, the right to enter, look for work and settle. The permit confirms that right — it doesn't create it.
- Entry to look for a job is allowed.
- No quotas, no labour-market priority test.
- C settlement permit after five years instead of ten, depending on nationality (Art. 34 AIG).
Non-EU nationals
AIG / VZAE
Your admission is tied to a purpose and usually to a specific job. The employer must apply for the permit before you enter — and priority for resident workers applies.
- Admission only with a quota and a labour-market priority test.
- Permit tied to the job and the canton.
- Settlement permit C, as a rule, only after ten years.
Not sure which group you're in? Special cases — British nationals, newer EU states — can differ; Clara helps you place yourself.
Visit first?
Get to know Switzerland beforehand
If you want a feel for the country before moving, a visa-exempt visitor may travel the Schengen area — but only for a limited time. That does not allow work; work needs a permit.
Deadline
from first entry into the Schengen area
EU/EFTA nationals are not subject to this 90/180 limit. Visa-required non-EU nationals also need a Schengen visa for the visit.
Before you decide
Is the move worth it for you?
Your passport sets the frame
For EU/EFTA nationals the route is open; for non-EU nationals it is narrow and usually tied to an employer. Settle this first — it decides whether a move is realistic at all.
No job, no non-EU permit
As a non-EU national you generally need a concrete job offer; the employer must show that no resident or EU/EFTA candidate is available. “Just move and look” is not a workable route here.
The cost of living is high
Rent, health-insurance premiums and a deposit hit immediately — often several months' salary before the first paycheque. Budget soberly, not on the gross wage.
The language region shapes daily life
German, French, Italian or Romansh: where you settle changes the language of the authorities, schooling and integration — and partly the cantonal practice.
If you come — in order
What to prepare
Confirm your nationality class
EU/EFTA or non-EU — your whole route follows from it. When in doubt, start here.
EU/EFTA: plan residence and work
You may enter and look; plan to register with the commune within 14 days.
Non-EU: secure a job offer
Without a promised job and an employer application, there's no permit. Clarify quota and the priority test with the employer early.
Line up budget and documents
Set aside funds for the deposit, premiums and the first months; have your passport, civil-status documents and, where needed, a criminal-record extract ready.
Where this information comes from
Last verified: 03.06.2026
General information based on the statute articles cited — not individual legal advice. Independent lawyer sign-off is pending; the official statutory text prevails.
Statutory basis
Are you fleeing danger or persecution?
Then asylum is a different route of its own — this planning overview doesn't fit your situation. You'll find the right service quickly here.
A concrete question before your move?
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