Arriving in Switzerland means a lot of paperwork in a short time. Here are the 7 steps that matter for your budget, in order.
- Register with your commune (municipality). The deadline is short: check with the Residents’ Office (Contrôle des habitants) as soon as you arrive.
- Choose your health insurance within 3 months. It is compulsory (LAMal, compulsory basic health insurance) and backdated to your arrival date: premiums are due from that day (City of Lausanne).
- Insure your home. In the canton of Vaud, insuring your household contents against fire and natural hazards is compulsory (State of Vaud). Add personal liability insurance: many letting agencies require it.
- Open a Swiss bank account to receive your salary and pay your bills.
- Understand your taxes. Depending on your permit and your income, they are deducted at source or declared every year.
- Check your pension certificate (LPP) from your employer. The LPP is the occupational pension, or 2nd pillar: the certificate shows what is being saved for you.
- Think about the third pillar from your first year. The tax deduction also applies to an incomplete year.
And if you drive: a foreign driving licence must be exchanged for a Swiss one within 12 months (State of Vaud).
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