Moving and Living in Switzerland
Since 1969, OSS have provided complete global door to door moving services. That’s 50 years of specialist international moving, and over 200,000 moves.
Moving and Living in Switzerland
Expats moving to Switzerland will find that the prosperous, orderly cities and cantons of mountainous Switzerland make for an ideal destination for relocation. Foreign workers have long been integrated into the economy. In the financial and diplomatic sectors, the demand for international expat workers is high. In fact, over 20 percent of Switzerland’s overall population are expats. Most of these are employed, skilled professionals.
Three Swiss cities ranked in the top ten from the 2010 Mercer Quality of Life Survey. (Based off 221 Global destinations.) This is a reflection of the nation’s safe, wholesome lifestyle and solid economy. The few drawbacks to living here include an occasionally insular population of locals that don’t fully welcome expats. Switzerland also has comprehensively cold and snowy winters. But as they say, if life gives you snow, go skiing! And that is precisely what many expats find themselves doing at world class Alpine slopes around Geneva, Interlaken and St Moritz.
Moving to Switzerland from Australia with OSS
At OSS World Wide Movers, our network of FIDI / FAIM accredited partners cover the whole of Switzerland.
Our partners in Switzerland are well versed in all aspects of the requirements for importation of personal and household goods.
This guarantees you a seamless, tailor made move to Switzerland right through to your new home. Not only do we look after your personal effects and vehicles, but your much loved pets as well.
Expats moving to Switzerland will find that the prosperous, orderly cities and cantons of mountainous Switzerland make for an ideal destination for relocation
Moving your household goods to Switzerland
Can I pack my own goods when I move to Switzerland?
It is recommended that you do not ship items to Switzerland which have been “owner packed”. They will attract stringent inspection by Customs on arrival. It is advisable to have your goods packed by OSS. This ensures the clearance process can be conducted with a minimum of fuss.
Can I move to Switzerland with pets?
It is recommended to send your pet through a registered pet transportation agent. They will be able to contact all the relevant agencies in Switzerland.
How do I move my car to Switzerland?
Moving motor vehicles and motorbikes to Switzerland is possible provided Customs criteria are met.
This service is usually depot to depot, meaning the motor vehicle will be collected by you from our partners depot in Switzerland following customs clearance.
Customs may require evidence that the owner of the vehicle has lived abroad for 12 months or longer. A copy of your passport with date stamp showing arrival in Switzerland, or copy of lease or rental agreement on in Switzerland would be sufficient.
Can I move my boat to Switzerland?
Moving a boat to Switzerland has similar requirements to moving a car to Switzerland when it comes to registration requirements and process.
Customs and Quarantine in Switzerland will have a special interest in the boat due to its exposure to marine life. As Australia has a fairly clean marine environment, your boat should pass customs and quarantine without any problem.
What insurance should I have when moving to Switzerland?
OSS offers a full range of moving insurance options depending on your needs.
Your shipment to Switzerland will be packed to export standards. (Designed to withstand the longest journey.) The small cost of insurance gives you complete peace of mind with regard to the exposure and rigors that are always inherent when moving from one side of the world to the other.
Ask us about MoveCover, our Marine Transit Insurance product
How long will my move to Switzerland take?
When moving your household goods to Switzerland by sea freight, this will typically take 5-7 working days for an FCL service. For services such as LCL and shared container services (i.e. groupage), these will take longer to reach your destination as your goods will need to be consolidated with other consignments heading to the same destination. Please discuss these options & shipping times with your removal consultant, as shipping times will vary greatly for each destination when using this type of service over an FCL service.
Restricted and Prohibited items when moving to Switzerland
When looking to relocate to Switzerland you will need to consider the extensive list of restricted and prohibited items. The following PDF has an extensive list of prohibited and restricted items when moving to Switzerland. Moving to Switzerland – FIDI Guide
Tax implications when moving to Switzerland
Electrical Goods and Compliance when moving to Switzerland
In Switzerland there are two associated plug types, types C and J. Plug type C is the plug which has two round pins and Plug type J is the plug which has three round pins. Switzerland operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
Visa and Immigration Information
When travelling or moving to Switzerland, make sure your passport and visas are correct and valid. These links will help you find out some of the latest requirements.
Consulate / Embasy in Australia
Contact the Swiss Embassy by visiting 7 Melbourne Avenue, Forrest, ACT 2603, Australia. Phone +612 6162 8400 Fax +612 6273 3428 Email can.vertretung@eda.admin.ch or follow this link to the Embassy website: http://www.eda.admin.ch/australia
Visa Information
General visa information can be found here: https://www.eda.admin.ch/countries/australia/en/home/visa.html
Passport Information
General passport information can be found here: https://www.ch.ch/en/applying-passport-identity-card/
Immigration Information
Follow this link for immigration information and related services: https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/de/home.html
Citizenship Information
A guide to citizenship: https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/de/home.html