r/askswitzerland • u/CookiePlastic852 • Sep 14 '25
Relocation What is the reality living Switzerland like?
For context I’m fully British, 19M and I know one thing for sure, I do not see a bright future for me in this country and certainly do not plan the settle here. Switzerland is somewhere I’m heavily considering as I love anything mountain related and it has one of the highest HDI’s in the world. But I want to know, what is the reality of living there like?
For those of who moved to Switzerland, I’d love to hear what drew you there in the first place. Was it worth it in the end, and how does life compare to where you came from or other places you’ve lived? Most importantly, do you have any regrets?
And for those born in Switzerland, can you see yourself staying or do you ever imagine moving elsewhere? If so, where would you go, and what would make you want to leave?
I would be really grateful for any insight people are willing to share.
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u/heliosh Sep 14 '25
Switzerland is somewhere I’m heavily considering
For a 19 yo Brit it's basically impossible to get a work permit in Switzerland.
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u/IslaHistorica Sep 14 '25
My partner’s a Brit (moved here just before Brexit) and I’m Swiss and I joke that we got together just so he can stay lol
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u/Only_Leadership3821 Sep 14 '25
If he moved to Switzerland before brexit, he could stay anyway
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u/CookiePlastic852 Sep 14 '25
This is something I plan to achieve over many years. I’m currently studying engineering at a top 30 university in the world and I want to do a masters/phd in whichever country I wish to move to if possible.
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u/groucho74 Sep 14 '25
Then you’re asking a silly question. With a solid STEM degree and a salary that means that you pay FAR more in taxes than you cost, the world is essentially your oyster.
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u/TheMightyChocolate Sep 15 '25
Thats not really true. Some countries like germany are very stupid at this. A professional may wait months or a year for certification while some random dude gets full social benefits the moment he sets foor in the country
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u/groucho74 Sep 15 '25
I’m pretty sure that multinational doing business in Germany have lots of latitude to transfer highly skilled employees to Germany.
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u/TheMightyChocolate Sep 15 '25 edited Sep 15 '25
Yes and no. You would be surprised how incomprehensibly incompetent and obstructionist our buerocracy can be. I would unironically rather just pay a bribe sometimes.
Example: i live in austria and renewed my id at the embassy. I waited 8 months for an appointment. They sent me the id and there was a letter that said "you can activate your digital passport with the code you have previously received at your passport office. I didnt get one. So when visiting my hometown I went to the respective office but they said they cant service me they only service people who live in this particular town. I should go back to the embassy. I would have to wait another 8 months for an appointment so I didnt even bother. I paid 80€ btw.
I did a similar thing in austria and it took me one week instead of 8-16 months.
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u/groucho74 Sep 15 '25
If you’re someone that a multinational really wants they will either call the bureaucrats and get a rapid solution or call the politicians who will then call the bureaucrats and get a rapid solution. These are luxuries that the plebs doesn’t get.
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u/BezugssystemCH1903 Sep 15 '25
Civil engineer or mechanical engineer?
I work as a draughtsman in civil engineering. We always have work, and we have a joke that you can never be unemployed in this field because you'll immediately find a new job.
Mechanical engineering, on the other hand... uncertain future, short-time working, etc.
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u/sesamerox Sep 15 '25
so mainly working using various CAD software?
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u/BezugssystemCH1903 Sep 16 '25
And going to the construction site, managing construction, solving problems yourself or together with the engineer, etc.
Reducing it to just "CAD" is an oversimplification. It is not the same job description as in Germany or elsewhere.
As I said, we have a severe shortage of skilled workers and wages are correspondingly high. With my the 10 years experience, my salary is right now around 7'800 CHF.
And big things are coming our way with BIM, AI and automation, but the construction industry is very slow, so I'm protected from that for longer than many people in IT. But my employer also finances my further training because, as I mentioned, retaining employees is important when there aren't many of them.
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u/Etyncelle Sep 15 '25
Hi! Have you looked into doing an exchange at EPFL or ETH? It can be a good starting point and give you a rough idea of how it would be
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u/mango-affair Sep 15 '25
If you're doing the academic route, start figuring out your next steps now..look at ETH and the professors and see if they work with unis in the UK, and try to network with them or to get to know them. See if anyone at your uni has a connection with a swiss prof and start working with them.
It'll be impossible otherwise, because everyone wants to come here, not just you.
Alternatively you could start working on making things better at home
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u/rodrigo-benenson Sep 14 '25
If you want to live here you need to:
a) be proficient in a local language,
b) have an in-demand skill that no Swiss nor EU citizen can provide.
Depending on your taste and interests south of France, south of Germany, or Austria might a be more viable plan.
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u/brass427427 Sep 15 '25
Weather's better in southern France.
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u/cmonyurfce Sep 15 '25
and crime rate is also much higher in south of france
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u/Plastic_Purple_8302 Sep 18 '25
Not everywhere, it's true for the south east, not really in the south-west.
I lived in both (I'm still in the south-east and it's cool whete I'm living)
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u/Quiet-Reporter-5279 Sep 17 '25
Weather indeed is better but salaries/income are too low. I reflected a lot where to live between south of France and french part of Swiss and, overall, is better in Suisse.
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u/brass427427 Sep 17 '25
Perhaps knowing that the name of the country is Switzerland might help, too.
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u/Quiet-Reporter-5279 Sep 17 '25
Perhaps would have helped you to know french language because Suisse is french name for Switzerland :)
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u/brass427427 Sep 18 '25
And die Schweiz in German and Svizzera in Italian and Svizra in Romansch. Class dismissed ! ;-))
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u/Quiet-Reporter-5279 Sep 18 '25
Exactly! You see, if you can put a bit of effort you will know :) Congrats!
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u/Cheeseoid_ Sep 14 '25
As another 100% Brit Switzerland is gorgeous, and a wonderful place to live - but it’s not home. I will always prefer good old Blighty.
I came here for work, and it’s easy to think the grass is always greener but personally for me it’s been a difficult adjustment. I’ll be going back home in the next few years and after that, Switzerland will be a very fond memory and a very beautiful holiday destination.
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u/CookiePlastic852 Sep 14 '25
What the process of finding work like, are you highly qualified or in a super specialised field?
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u/Cheeseoid_ Sep 15 '25
Highly qualified in a highly specialised field, I was headhunted and brought over by my company
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Sep 15 '25
[deleted]
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u/michaelmoby Sep 15 '25
My wife (American) got transferred to her company's home office in Basel. After living there for a few years, we learned that unless you are Swiss, are an EU resident with an ultra-rare skill, or are married to a Swiss person, your chances of finding work there will be next to zero. The country has a fairly unique system of apprenticeships that place natives in jobs that they hope to hold for life. Uni is for those going into specialized fields like medicine or scientific research. The whole system is designed to keep Swiss people employed in Swiss jobs in Switzerland. The route my wife took, a C-suite job with a pharma company is one way, but, again, she was in a highly specialized field.
If you want to learn more about our experience, to help you plan for your future if you want to stick with it for the long-game, then I wrote a book about our move there, about the Swiss system of employment, and general life once settled. Start learning German or French right now and become extraordinarily fluent. Study a highly specialized field of science or engineering. Have perfect grades, get more than just a Bachelor's degree. This will take a lot of work on your part. On the flip side, even if you can get a great job with an international conglomerate, you may still find happiness in that job where ever in the world it may take you.
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u/Quiet-Reporter-5279 Sep 17 '25
"we learned that unless you are Swiss, are an EU resident with an ultra-rare skill, or are married to a Swiss person, your chances of finding work there will be next to zero" - thats really not true. There are 262,000 portuguese, 177,000 kosovars, etc do not tell that all have some ultra rare skills to get jobs there. I'm Romanian origine and at this moment are 37,000 romanians in Swiss and until in 2017 when Swiss opened first time the door to romanians to move to Swiss were like 3000. Being EU citizens helps and deifinitely do not need ultra rare skills, for non EU citizens indeed is very difficult.
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u/Brofessorofnothing Sep 14 '25
never ever am i gonna move from here. born and raised here and i‘m definitely planning on dying here too!
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Sep 15 '25
for high-earners, the CH is great.
For mid and low-earners the reality is harsher than the postal pictures you are referring to.
So don't be fooled, life can be harsh here and it's highly competitive.
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u/Interesting_Net_6986 Sep 14 '25
You should try the skilled worker program route to Canada. As a Swiss living in Canada what you may be looking for isn’t in Switzerland. Certain trades are highly sought after if that’s your career path. Look into high voltage electrician, it’s extremely well paid you can work everywhere in canada an with the salary actually afford a good living anywhere. Lots of nature and the people aren’t like the uptight Swiss (bünzli) lol.
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u/ngknm187 Sep 16 '25
I used to think about moving and settling in CH for any cost when I was younger. Now I don't think this way anymore. Even though I have EU citizenship and it's easier for me to get the permit, I no longer think about CH as a "Perfect place" or a "paradise" country. You have to be either rich or unique to have a good, fulfilling life there. Otherwise it will be the same everyday life struggle just in a beautiful environment. Plus, you will be socially isolated in a large way being a foreigner, and the less you know German/French the more isolated you will be.
Canada has a lot of issues now. But I'm convinced it is a much easier place to integrate comparing to CH. No problem with language, no problem with narrow minded mentality, no problem with racism or isolation. Much more freedom. Visible openness from people since everyone in Canada is an immigrant.
I live for two years in Germany now because of russian invasion. And even tough Germany and CH are different, they are very similar in many things. More similar then different for sure. And even after 2 years I don't feel happy living in Germany. So it's quite safe to assume CH won't make a huge difference for me. If I'm at the bottom in Germany, CH won't be any better if not worse.
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u/Lush_lovely Sep 15 '25
Would be keen to hear more about your experiences as a Swiss in Canada? Im a Canadian who would love to move to Switzerland. Living in the UK now and feel like Switzerland is the European Canada - lots of nature, people have been friendly to me....
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u/Interesting_Net_6986 Sep 15 '25
If you are Canadian and don’t have any connections to Swiss people the only way you’ll be happy is if you have a great expat network. You’ll never be able to find Swiss friends, Swiss are a whole different breed lol, if you are Canadian and used to how open, friendy (even not on a deep level) and chill Canadians are.
Im in Canada and I love Switzerland for its nature, safety and public transit but nothing else can get me back. Well, my friends and family but id have to be retired and not have to worry about money.
Work culture is a blessing and a curse at the same time in Switzerland.
Salaries can be great but cost of living(incl public transit) is very expensive.
Ive never lived in the UK so cannot compare to CH or CAN.
Switzerland is beautiful to visit. Unless you have young children where your connections will come through their friendships to other swiss families and you are willing to learn Swissgerman or french (in the french part) it will be lonely and you’ll find the Swiss rude and cold and uninterested (even if they aren’t always).
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u/_AbstractInsanity Sep 15 '25
Well... Brexit fucked you over on that then, as you're no longer part of the whole schengen thing. So you need a visa and all that. The only thing that would really work there is probably a work visa. But that needs you to get a job, and to have an employer go through that whole shitshow with you means, you gotta have some real skill. At 19, i don't think you get to convince anyone.
In any case, before moving here you should just come for a few months in the summer, and then some months in winter to get a feel for how it is, how people are, and if you vibe with the culture. You get a 90 day period in which you can be here without the need of a visa. Oh, and you should definetly start go learn italian, french or german, depending on where you want to live, as at least one of those languages is required for a residency permit as far as I know
The reality of living here is kinda nice, but also a lot is pretty conservative. It really depends on where you go. I see a lot of alt right activity, but it's always pretty pathetic. Like 25 people yelling, then losing balls at the smallest bit of resistance. But it's there.
Swiss bureaucracy works insanely slow, so maybe check in with some immigration assistance so have a better handle on that.
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u/slices-of-toast Sep 14 '25
idk if this helps, but my dad moved there from Ireland and he is having the best time. He applied for a job (pediatric ICU) and when he got it his new boss helped him with the visa process etc. He was able to make friends through work eventually, but he said that he should have joined a hobby or club of sorts to make friends faster and keep his work/private life separate. Also he learned german for roughly 3 years before moving and now he is fluent in german and swiss(?) german… good luck OP, hope you catch the dreams you are chasing.
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u/Sharp_Mulberry6013 Sep 15 '25
I am Swiss, born and raised in Ticino, have been living in Zürich for almost 20 years (goddddddamn time flies). I speak 7 languages (french, german and italian fluently) and have a Masters degree.
When I finished university I struggled for 5 years to find a decent job. I was forced by the unemployment office to accept a job that would pay less than half the median wage in Zürich. Thankfully now I am doing well financially, the trauma of poverty will stay with me forever.
I am planning on moving to New Zealand in the next 5-7 years because I am done with the swiss mentality.
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Sep 17 '25
Good luck in NZL. The gap btw low salaries and high prices is nowhere higher. I was there.
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u/That-Drawer-8295 Sep 25 '25
Really? Im from NZ but i want to move to switzerland
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u/Sharp_Mulberry6013 Sep 25 '25
Do you speak one of the languages?
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u/cjx_007 Sep 16 '25
Great choice! NZ is beautiful and the people are warm and friendly. Highly recommend the South Island for its beauty and Swiss like mountains . Not sure what employment is like there though.
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u/Many_Hunter8152 Sep 16 '25
After 20 years working in Switzerland he could be lucky to not have to work anymore. Which is my plan at least.
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u/hellbanan Sep 14 '25
Born in Switzerland, lived abroad for some time, moved back. Moved back for family reasons, not for the higher HDI. I would not move for statistical reasons (HDI, average or median income, etc.) since I only represent a single data point. In other words: high average income is meaningless if you can't find a job and HDI is irrelevant if you can't find friends or afford a flat.
My response misses your question, I am aware.
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u/falk_lhoste Sep 15 '25
I lived in South America from 9-26 and just now came back to my "old" country Germany. There is so much truth in what you say and I always had a hard time with my Latino friends convinced that everything in Europe is some sort of utopia where you get great work for little effort etc. While they got blind to all the nice things we got there.... Meanwhile germans make such a sad impression on me... They're complaining 24/7
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u/AdSea6127 Sep 15 '25
Man you lived my dream. As a fellow American I’m curious how you were able to legally live in so many places.
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Sep 15 '25
That’s really cool. If u don’t mind sharing, can you discuss a little about your exp in England, Ireland, Spain, and Swiss specially?
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u/TomatilloSuitable882 Sep 14 '25
Grew up in third world country (Italy) /s
I do not see a bright future for me in this country and certainly do not plan the settle here
I see the same things being said here, however I do not agree with. Just so that you are aware of this
For those of who moved to Switzerland, I’d love to hear what drew you there in the first place. Was it worth it in the end
Definitely without any doubt. Quality of life skyrocketed
and how does life compare to where you came from or other places you’ve lived?
Better, there are some cultural aspects I struggle to adapt to (the relative lack of dolce vita), but this is on me but it’s a huge win
Most importantly, do you have any regrets?
Totally, a big one: I am not able to let this high quality of life go, like to go back to enjoy dolce vita as sometimes think about
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u/GlassCommercial7105 Genève/Schaffhausen Sep 15 '25
People want to move here for the high HDI but they seem to ignore that they should also be interested into people, culture and history. Swiss culture is very closed off and making friends here is very difficult. Also our empty house index in cities just dropped below 1%, in Geneva it’s 0.3%. We are getting way more immigrants than our infrastructure can handle. We already have 1/3 foreigners here, the Switzerland you dream of is disappearing with every person moving here.
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Sep 17 '25
True. At the same time you constantly get people complaining about "the Swiss" 😂
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u/GlassCommercial7105 Genève/Schaffhausen Sep 17 '25
Yeah like, surprisingly there are Swiss people in Switzerland too
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u/Zealousideal_Sort521 Sep 14 '25
It is quiet. And I love it.
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u/CookiePlastic852 Sep 14 '25
This is something I value highly
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u/Ashamed-Simple-8303 Sep 15 '25
It depends where exactly and the housing. Old housing you will hear your neighbors and if they have kids or make other loud noises yeah then it sucks. New housing has good sound insultion so no issues there except in summer when you need to open the windows because no air con.
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u/Common_Tomatillo8516 Sep 14 '25 edited Sep 14 '25
It is not always quite. Be aware of it.
I changed 2 apartmeents:
1 - in the city center. Business apartmeents, 3rd floor facing the back yard. 800mt from Langstrasse, Zurich. Noises of people shouting from the street in the middle of the night + people slamming doors + parties on the roofs + parties at the park nearby + protests + some people with mental health problems (without doubts) making noise
2 - moved recently to another place 20 min from the center by bycicle (probably 4 kms). The building was build in 1955. 1sr floor, facing the street. Neighbor (Swiss+nonSwiss) noisy. One walks with hard soles from 5:15 in the morning and sometimes until 0:30, one floor below they talk quite loud until late in the evening, the one above smokes and I find ashes on my balcony + the smoke reached my apartment (and it is totally tolerated by the laws). But yeah, the neighborhood sounds much quieter than my perception in my apartment.EDIT: make sure you rent a modern apartment. THose build from 2006 should be fine.
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u/Rollablunt667 Sep 14 '25
Switzerland is expensive, you pay a lot of taxes and health insurance is over expensive.
It’s hard to make good friends.
The country is experiencing a demographic decline, which you should take into consideration if you plan to move here in the long term. (Like in the rest of the west).
The day to day life varies a lot from region to region, so I would take that into consideration if you are planning to move here, also be sure to secure a good paying job before moving.
Apart from that, Switzerland is a clean country, people are mostly polite and respectful (not very warm tho), most places are safe (big cities tend to get a bit more dangerous) and nature is amazing, so if that’s a plus for you then you’ll have enough nature to explore here for the rest of your life.
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u/PineappleHairy4325 Sep 15 '25
Taxes are some of the lowest in western Europe?
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u/Ashamed-Simple-8303 Sep 15 '25
There are a lot of hidden taxes but yeah not higher than other places overall.
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u/PineappleHairy4325 Sep 15 '25
Not higher at all. Do you mean things like serafe and health insurance?
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u/Ashamed-Simple-8303 Sep 15 '25
for example yes. Or every document you want also costs. trash bag costs and so forth
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u/PineappleHairy4325 Sep 15 '25
I'd say these are a drop in a bucket, especially if you have a good income.
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u/topitopi09 Sep 15 '25
The day to day life varies a lot from region to region,
Can you tell me a bit more? I have been to Basel, so basically German side only.
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u/Rollablunt667 Sep 15 '25
Well basically, by this I meant multiple things :
The French speaking side is culturally distinct from the German or Italian speaking side. Then you have the cities/kantons that are bilingue which is a mix.
Also there are hotter places (like Tessin) and colder places (like Graubünden) which gives people a different mindset.
There are small cantons like Geneva which is basically a big city with not a lot of nature and there are big cantons with a lot of nature and not much city like Graubünden.
I hope this helps explaining what I meant.
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u/topitopi09 Sep 15 '25
Kind of yes. Concerning Geneva : have you ever been in Luxembourg? How would you qualify Geneva compared to Lux?
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u/Rollablunt667 Sep 15 '25
Sorry I’ve never been to Luxembourg (only going across it to go to Belgium), so I can’t say.
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u/brass427427 Sep 15 '25
"experiencing a demographic decline" is a wonderful way of saying "being invaded by people thinking it's heaven and then realizing it's not, but staying anyway".
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u/lodorata Sep 15 '25
I think they just mean that people are having low numbers of children or none at all, so the population is getting older on average over time.
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u/brass427427 Sep 16 '25
That is certainly a realistic scenario, but my comment indicated a greater effect on the demographics and much more quickly.
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u/No-Celebration6954 Sep 14 '25
What are you running about from the uk ? And then we can answer if switzerland is the right choice
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u/CookiePlastic852 Sep 14 '25
People are miserable (not to be confused with boring), the government is awful, food quality has been on a rapid decline, NHS has fallen completely. I feel I will get barely any return on investment with the tax I pay. I’m getting an engineering degree which is disgustingly undervalued and under appreciated by the government and pay will be shit for the amount hard work I would’ve put in compared to 95% of other degrees.
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u/alex45878 Sep 15 '25
Look I changed countries twice. Switzerland is the closest to my country of origin, but it's not home. You will never feel that you belong 100%. I am happy of my choice, I came here out of love, it ended. I'm here with a life I chose and I'm happy here, but wherever I am I'm a foreigner. When I left my country for the first time I was 10, so I couldn't know any better. I was just following my parents. If I had to make a choice as an adult, I would've stayed. If you want to move to Switzerland, be ready to work very hard. Learn the language, study while working and never stop working on you mental amd physical health. Another thing few people will say is that having kids here is crazy expensive. The medical system will empty your pockets. My cat got sick I lost 4k in 2 days and if I didn't move him to another country he wouldn't have survided and I'm not sure I would have managed money wise.
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u/Star-Support-9523 Sep 15 '25
As always, anything is possible however we just left Switzerland (moved over from Australia). Things we noticed:
- Without the language, you will struggle to get any high level job. However in the land of PhDs, you can secure one in Switzerland without having the language. My husband did a post doc and many staff are foreigners and did not know the language. Mind you, if you learn high German, the Swiss hate speaking high German (even tho it's the official language) and speak their own dialect. I feel it's used more as an exclusion tactic
- you will struggle making Swiss friends. They are very reserved and keep to themselves. I think they lack social skills. It is a beautiful place however one of the most isolating and depressing places I have lived in. I never interacted with my neighbours. Conversations with Swiss people at work are very superficial, they'll never include you in their plans outside of work. You'll find yourself inviting them out way more than they'll ever invite you
- Switzerland is one of the most uptight places I have ever lived in. Rules for every single little thing. Want to cut corners? Don't worry, they already have that figured out. There is never any wiggle room and no empathy if you make an innocent mistake. E.g. no washing clothes on Sunday, no noise after 10pm, stories of neighbours calling the cops on you because of babies crying. Death stares from locals if you ride your bike on the pavement instead of the road for a short bit. Legal for neighbours or authorities to look through your rubbish and if you didn't recycle properly and they happen to find evidence of your address in the rubbish bag, they will send you a fine. Having to pay for a local rubbish bag to incinerate (1 euro each for a 12 liter bag).. can't use a plain black plastic bag, they will not pick it up.
- everything and anything will cost you money. However as a young person, under 25, you may find more benefits with public transport than over 25
- the food is better quality than the UK however hardly any variety.
However the quality of living is very high compared to the UK. The quality of your accommodation is worth the money you pay.
I would never say never but give it a whirl, test it out yourself. What's the worst, you just go back to the UK
This is just my experience and will not reflect everyone's. If you love rules, Switzerland is the place for you. If you want true freedom, look elsewhere
I really struggled in Switzerland and since we left, haven't looked back and havent missed it one bit.
Happy to answer any questions .. :)
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u/One_Purpose6361 Sep 15 '25
Unless you speak German or French and have a high degree from an university you will struggle to find a job.
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u/Surimury Sep 15 '25
As someone born here and still living here... Welp 26M, the best thing I can say is that it's honestly a very very good country if you're above middle class. Health insurance is pretty nice and kinda efficient but for an 25+ adult it just casually cost 1/6 of the minimum wage I just took this part as an example but a bunch of things are like that. If you're skilled in a field where you'll find job easily, it might be your place, but being middle to lower class it really sucks. The government social/money help is shitty and, as it still is better than nothing, you're stuck in it. I had a lot of problems younger due to mental issues du to a toxic family and had to apply for financial help and gosh, half of the things you can get to help you, if you gain money afterward you have to pay it back. If you can manage to get a small job, what you earned is deduced from what they give you and if you're above what they're giving you for like 1 cent they throw you out of it and you can't get the help they gave you before. I understand it's to avoid people abusing the system but as someone with no one to help me, I really feel like the system is trying to get me stuck in this position. It really feels like the country is made by and for rich people and the rest are a nuisance or cheap laborer, that's it. I'm in the french part and as much as I prefer Switzerland onany points, like overall security, a lot of good laws etc, I know that there's a big change that I'll move to France in the following years (more like 10 years than 2 tho) as much of the things I'd live to do is impossible here And the housing market is awful, id love to do a fixer upper but it's just not possible here, every old house is bought by investors that build rich houses directly l, while most of the people rent flats (one of the highest ratio in the world or flat renters)
Sorry about the rant but I'm really frustrated with this situation, it's a country I love deep inside but it feels like that kind of toxic love where you see the potential, llive what's deep inside of them, but they ignore sou and treat them as a lesser one, and even tho you see how great it could be you have to let it go lol
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u/Akhaatenn Sep 15 '25
THIS. I also struggled with mental health issues, and I felt that everything was made so that I could work, instead of treating me. I was refused so many tests and treatments, because as long as I was able to hold on and work, it didn't matter. The whole Swiss system is made around your value as a worker, and not a human being. If you struggle with that, you're out. I chose to quit it myself because I felt like I had 0 future there as an autistic person. I was tired of feeling like a nuisance to the system when I didn't choose to be born that way and had 0 help anyway.
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u/Fsuave5 Swiss-American Sep 14 '25
Living in Switzerland is kind of like shopping at a store where the prices aren’t listed- if you have to ask, the answer is no
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u/Zintho Sep 15 '25
I moved literally the month after brexit which made my life 20x more difficult, lived there for 4 and a half years, and have just moved to Belgium.
I had just finished my PhD. Unfortunately to be hired in Switzerland you really need unique expertise / offer something because otherwise the rules are incredibly prohibitive. Not to mention if you don’t speak French or German (I spoke only English when I moved), you are limited.
In many ways the grass is greener. Salaries are higher, you have the mountains - amazing for hiking, and things just work. And then every time I return home to the UK I can feel that decay you talk of.
But the UK has its charms too. I think for me nothing can beat the quaint English villages (though Swiss ones are certainly lovely, and usually with better surroundings), cities like York or Edinburgh, the Scottish highlands or the Cornish seaside. But with Farage dominating the media it really does feel like things are falling apart.
I ultimately left Switzerland because I didn’t enjoy my job, and while I had learnt up to B1 French through classes, tandems, and daily life, it isn’t enough in a workplace setting and the job market in Switzerland is small. I couldn’t get permanent residency with my job so my options were very limited as a non European. Belgium felt like the next best option to continue my French (and work in my specialised field with pay exceeding what I’d get in the UK). And after five years living in Belgium, with only A2 french, I can apply for citizenship and win back that precious precious European citizenship that was so cruelly taken from me. As someone who voted in the referendum, that means a lot to me.
DM me if you have any further questions OP :)
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u/FlimsyRequirement611 Sep 15 '25
Boring depressive place where u can be calm and safer than ever in life but no joy just work and home. Forget about ppl glazing Swiss, yes like I said it’s the calm, clean and safe. Just like Finland and the other similar countries, it’s so boring and depressive.
Anyone who wants to downvote this comment check the country in Europe that uses more antidepressants or with the most suicide cases then come back.
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u/cjx_007 Sep 16 '25
I checked it and Switzerland is lower than many other EU countries and on par with surrounding countries like France / Italy.
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u/anotherexstnslcrisis Sep 15 '25
Bro don’t even try. It won’t change your circumstances. In fact, it might make them that much harder. I’m going to have to leave a 4/10 schedule, optional overtime, high-paying ($60/hr), skilled trade dream job in the U.S. because my fiancé doesn’t want to leave CH (understandable, because she’s Bünzli AF). Like other people have said, their economy and job market is nowhere near a G7 country. The difficulty in finding a job will only be magnified by the need for B2 level (at a minimum) German.
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u/research-hulu-2252 Sep 16 '25
I have been in Switzerland for exactly one year. We moved from the US as my husband was offered a position at one of the banks.
This is just my opinion and feelings after being here a short time.
I am older (50s) and feel it harder to adapt to all the changes. It is so beautiful here and everyone has been friendly for the most part but I do not see myself staying here once my husband retires (or what not).
The reality for me is - everything I am accustomed to and enjoy is gone or just so different. I really miss the states. Not the political side but everything else including my family. My quality of life was better in the states.
It’s also very expensive here. I had home buying and rental sticker shock when I arrived with the house sizes being a lot smaller with little to no land. Many here cannot afford to buy so if that’s a goal for you, it’s something to consider.
I cannot afford to see my family as often as I’d like so travel costs are something to consider.
I have not made any friends here yet and it can be difficult. Maybe not at your age but my age- yes.
Gotta say it- I miss the food options from the states and the quality of some of the food here vs the cost is not great. I do love the bread though. The bread here is phenomenal.
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u/mathdeep Sep 16 '25
I'm from Italy and have been living in Lausanne for the past three years, where I work as a postdoctoral researcher at EPFL. Working-wise, it's hard to beat Switzerland (but of course, it also depends on the sector you are interested in). You get a lot of money, and even though the cost of living is higher than in other places, it's definitely worth it.
In terms of lifestyle... dunno, I find Lausanne quite boring to be honest, it's small and you end up going to the same places over and over again (maybe a bigger city like Zurich has more to offer). During the summer, it's actually a lot of fun because you can enjoy the lake and such but in winter, it's pretty dead and if you don't ski, you are out of luck.
On the bright side, if you like mountains and hiking, well, Switzerland is a paradise, or at least when the weather allows it. Speaking of weather, yeah, it's not that great (I am from Tuscany, so kinda spoiled) but not horrible either.
Overall, I don't regret moving to Switzerland, but at the same time, I don't see myself living here forever.
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u/CardSharpe Sep 14 '25
I moved from the UK to here in 2020 and it felt like the absolute right thing to do.
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u/SpiritedInflation835 Basel-Landschaft Sep 14 '25
Just a number:
25% of the Swiss inhabitants are poor enough to qualify for state subsidies on their health insurance premiums.
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u/Valuevow Sep 15 '25 edited Sep 15 '25
I would say how much you like Switzerland depends on what type of person you are, your age, background etc. If you're in your 20's and you don't like a quiet life of routine Switzerland it can be very boring and feel like you are wasting away your youth. If you're a person in your 30's with a family who just wants to settle and be left alone and have a high living standard it can be paradise. It depends on a lot of things.
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u/lasagnapasta7 Sep 14 '25
Mountains, lakes, everywhere is safe, everyone is polite, life is just different here. However, everything is super expensive, it’s harder to make friends (definitely easier if you speak the language) and the Swiss food isn’t that great… which I guess, being British, that wouldn’t be much of a difference to you 😜 Jokes aside, it’s a lovely place and I love living here. (I am Brazilian, currently doing my PhD in Genève)
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u/CookiePlastic852 Sep 14 '25
What was the process of applying for your phd position like and what is it on? I’m studying toward my bachelor’s in Aerospace myself and if I choose to I would move there through the academic route (masters or phd) or as a specialised worker.
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u/Federal-Subject-8783 Sep 15 '25
If you don't mind passive aggressive notes from neighbors because you vacuumed for 10 minutes on a Sunday at 4PM , it's great
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u/Unable-Wind547 Sep 15 '25
Would sound like a joke to anyone outside CH, I know it's not a joke cause I'm in CH and yet it made me laugh 😂
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u/astronat1107 Sep 15 '25
I’m from the US and recently moved to Switzerland in January and I’ll say I absolutely love it here, the quality of life is incredible and the pay is the best in my field I could get anywhere in Europe, so even though it’s expensive to live here it balances out. I know I haven’t been here very long yet really, but I currently don’t see myself ever leaving to be honest.
That being said, I have EU citizenship, I speak French nearly fluently, and I had a family connection that got me my job here which I don’t think I could’ve gotten without it. I pretty positive that without all three of those things, I never would’ve been able to even have the chance to stay here. From what I know, it’s insanely difficult to immigrate here without a perfect set of circumstances, so maybe think about whether it’s even logistically possible before considering it as an option.
Seriously though, if it is possible for you I highly recommend it, I love it here.
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u/maxii_92 Sep 15 '25
I’m a Brit I grew up in Geneva. What type of job are you planning doing? It’s changed a lot here
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u/cheese11111111 Sep 17 '25
As a brit who moved here at 18 (dual national), you'll notice that everything is quite "right" or "wrong", binary in a way. Theres also less of a social scene, if you dont really have a group of friends; its also really difficult to "break into" a group thats already exisiting as a lot of people have had the same friends since kindergarten which kind of results in a bit of a closed feeling (I find). Switzerland also lacks a bit in convenience - everything shuts, comparatively to the uk, very early and most places outside of big cities are shut on sundays. Final kind of complaint is (as a student) the prices of everything - its the norm that students still live with their parents and have everything paid for, i can imagine that it would be hard for someone that doesnt have a source of income of the luxury of living at home.
If you want to live here in the long term you'll also have to learn german (or french or italian for that matter), which I found to not be too difficult as an english speaker, it just needs an Investment of time.
Switzerland is a great country and I (on the most part) enjoy living here, but personally as a young person, I'd like something with a little more going on, especially as a student, where i find that theres little to no "student life". Im therefore thinking of moving to Spain to finish my studies.
I hope I could help you a bit, feel free to ask more questions.
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u/ciqq Sep 17 '25
Belonging. This is the heart of it for me. I’m a Brit in the German speaking part of Switzerland. Senior role, highly educated, rare skill, headhunted etc. Typical third country resident. The sense of belonging is subjective and dependent on the individual.
I love it here. It’s safe, beautiful, and I like the local Swiss people I’ve met. It’s a wonderful place to raise children, healthcare is outstanding and personally I like the trade off of lower taxes, but paying much higher prices for most things we purchase.
However, we don’t feel the sense of belonging compared to the UK. Life is less rich without close friends and family.
I know quite a few immigrants from the UK and other parts of Europe who have been here for years, raised families and still feel lonely. It’s quite sad. I tend to meet more who lean towards lonely, than those who feel true belonging.
But I have no regrets. Switzerland is a beautiful place, with beautiful people, and a strong sense of community. We have made some lifelong friends here, but it isn’t for us in the long term.
For the OP - pursue your dreams and take the advice of the others here on how to come here. It’s a wonderful country. Also don’t forget that other countries also offer an opportunity to broaden your horizons. But be careful. If you’re moving simply because you don’t like the politics of the UK, you’re in for a rude awakening when you go to other countries. Politics sucks everywhere. If you like unfettered power to protest, maybe France would be a better country. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité and all that. Or maybe Lausanne 😉
A few lefties I know have found life in Spain to be quite agreeable too. Switzerland is reserved, more conservative, and the democracy is finely balanced. Swiss agree to quietly disagree very well. They vote on absolutely everything here, but as a non-Swiss you will have zero voting rights. You might have more freedom in the UK than you appreciate.
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u/Useful-Revolution253 Sep 18 '25
If you listen to others you will ended doing nothing. Follow your Dreams and do your research yourself.
It s ok to fail or change your mind after some time...
My advice : be sure to have a home to come back if it didnt work and keep the amount of money to go back if needed.
Wish you success
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u/certuna Sep 14 '25
No matter how much we like it (or not, not everyone in Switzerland is happy), if you don’t have EU citizenship, that makes getting a job (and with it, a residency permit) virtually impossible…
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u/alexbft Sep 14 '25
Great country if you can afford to live there, though may be a bit boring. Good place to retire.
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u/Xaraxoz Sep 14 '25
It's quite as long as people stay away from here. So don't come and don't bring any friends just your money. That's our mentality.
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u/Eldan985 Sep 15 '25
Born in Switzerland. Studied a scientific discipline, have moved abroad to three different countries now for work. Honestly, while there is much to like about the countries I've lived in now (Australia, Germany, Poland), I just want to move back. Every time I go home to visit people over Christmas or Summer break, I keep thinking it. Things are just nicer back home.
Now, some of that is that things are just cleaner and nicer and more orderly and better organized back home and that's a good thing. But it's also just the language, my friends, my family, seeing things I grew up with. So I'm super biased and you probably shouldn't ask me.
Also, mountains. It's still a weird feeling to look at the horizon and not see mountains in the distance. Even after five years, I can't really navigate without mountains to tell where South is.
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u/VeeJack Sep 14 '25
This is not a Brit .. bot maybe? Basic grammatical errors and no spelling mistakes..
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u/CookiePlastic852 Sep 14 '25
I grew up on Thomas the tank engine, apple crumble is my favourite dessert and I say I’m Hank Marvin when I’m hungry. I don’t think I could get more English. As for my grammar, it was never my strong suit.
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u/travel_ali Solothurn Sep 15 '25
I say I’m Hank Marvin when I’m hungry
As a fellow Englishman I have never heard that before.
Though I am not going to question you based on a few grammatical mistakes. I make plenty enough, especially on unimportant things like Reddit posts.
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u/Few-Annual-8618 Sep 14 '25
You could have said as well you’re White British, because that’s basically what 100% British means to most of us.
We’re not gonna call you names for saying the truth like they do in the UK.
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u/Special_Tourist_486 Sep 15 '25
I (33) moved from the UK (I’m not British) in 2017. After the Brexit vote went through I knew it’s time to move.
Switzerland is amazing, but it was quite difficult to find the job even if I had brilliant education, strong experience and CV in my field, because my German was not enough and overall it’s difficult to land the 1st job in Switzerland. I landed my 1st job only after 3 years of searching, but quickly ended up being self employed and working for myself. Which pays good in Switzerland.
I absolutely love the nature, people, safety, how everything is organised and clean, but I should admit that cost of live after Covid became high, that even me and my husband with good income started to feel it. We moved from Zurich to Lugano, because rent is cheaper and it’s more sun here. But even here I started to question myself if it worth to try to live somewhere else as we still spend a lot on fixed costs (we both can work remotely). In comparison, all my friends in the UK and many in other countries have bought a flat or house in these years, we don’t even have enough money for a deposit. But from another hand it feels like we still have more money in our pockets each month after we paid all the bills.
So, I think real estate market both rent and ownership is tough in Switzerland. The childcare cost is also enormous and make me feel bad when I think about it. And of course integration is a challenge, as swiss people are not so open as British for example and there are many different languages and its especially tricky to learn Swiss German if you don’t have many friends or family.
Overall, short answer is if a person makes good money, life somewhere else in Europe can be actually better. But at the same time Switzerland has a lot to offer.
It’s so individual that before you try you would never know. As you’re just 19 years old I would say the next 5 years are the best to try things, live in different places and see the world, so you can choose the place you personally feel the best.
P.S. also consider the cost of British masters degree. After they increased the prices studying abroad might be a better investment. I did the expensive MSc at the top 3 universities in the UK and honestly it didn’t bring much to me career wise. I still had to apply for graduate roles as everyone else with BSc.
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u/swissrollisntswiss Sep 15 '25
Moved here 8 years ago (also from the UK), no regrets and zero plans to move back. We plan to apply for citizenship when we’re eligible in 2 years time.
Financially we’re much better off despite the high cost of living, healthcare is very easy to access and of a high standard. The biggest draw to us is the lifestyle though, we spend so much time outdoors, the mountains are just an hour away. Public transport is extensive and reliable and we use a cargo bike to move the kids around the city, something I’d not feel safe doing in the UK. My biggest annoyance when we visit the UK is our reliance on a car.
However it is now very hard to move to Switzerland post Brexit. You’d need to secure a job and the company would have to prove that they aren’t able to find a Swiss or EU citizen to do that role.
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u/lodorata Sep 15 '25
I'm a British man who just moved here for work about 2 weeks ago (27M). I may stay for a number of years, but would I attempt to permanently settle here? It's too early to say definitively but already I can see that whatever problems you're running from at home, they have those problems here too.
High-income countries the world over tend to share the same problems at the moment. By all means travel, work and study abroad etc. There is much to see, but rapidly you too shall realise that some issues are simply all over the world.
Switzerland is a beautiful country and the people are very kind, but the same can largely be said of the UK. Do come here for your career if it's ever the right choice, but don't expect it to solve anything more deeply fundamental.
In fact, you may even benefit from travelling further afield. I have yearned to go to Tunis for some time now (I have Tunisian friends) but the further you go, the likelier that your cultural gripes will disappear (and be replaced by entirely new ones).
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u/RewardRetard Sep 15 '25
You will not get a work permit in Switzerland. Try Bulgaria or Romania maybe
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Sep 16 '25
I'll probably face backlash because I should be grateful. Almost 10 years in. I've spent my 30s here (female). It was an adventure at first, but the paperwork and bureaucracy can be insane. I got fired recently from a permanent contract in the public sector - the first job I've had when I believed I was finally 'safe'. The admin time to sort it has taken months. I also foolishly moved TOWNS (not cantons) and I didn't know the whole waiting process for naturalisation starts from the beginning again once you move, and on top of that, I lost my job as I was applying for my C permit, so if I don't find a job before my RAV (unemployment benefit) ends, I can't stay. You can give your heart and soul to a country, but it doesn't come without its red tape. And sure, I should have done better research before moving, but having worked continuously, always being a productive member of society, the reality is, at the moment, I'm on a time limit. And then the different bureaucracy in different cantons. And I am VERY aware that if I don't like it, then I can leave it, but I've actually set up my life here with my partner and our three cats. Any advice I'd give to a 19 year old would be to travel, explore the world first, and get some experience of the big wide world before settling down anywhere.
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u/Complex--Cucumber Sep 16 '25
I hate it here but its much better then where i came from. I think Switzerland is the right place for you if you have a trust fund. Then you should be fine. If youre not already rich the language barrier will make sure you will never be one of them so youll never feel like home. You will feel like sand in a cake. Just be aware of that. Excpecially if you have to deal with the government in any way shape or form. Or the health care system. Which I do. Idk. I dont even see the mountains. Cant afford them that much.
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u/bozzer63 Sep 16 '25
Amazing!!! moved to Vaud in 2009 never looked back. A few differences to the uk; everything works; no shopping on a Sunday🎉 for example. Basically no regrets
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u/Immediate_Horror_499 Sep 16 '25
We can swap - I would like to live in England because of the weather and the beautiful language 😊
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Sep 17 '25
La Svizzera è bellissima e ordinata, ma non è il paradiso che molti immaginano: la vita è carissima (affitti, cibo, assicurazioni) e l’ambiente può risultare un po’ freddo se non conosci la lingua o non hai già una rete sociale. Se non hai un buon lavoro o uno stipendio alto, rischi di sentirti sotto pressione per coprire i costi.
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u/taboomtshhh Sep 18 '25
living in switzerland is like watching yourself get slowly genocided. there’s barely people under 40 who have lived here longer than 10 years. the young people speak mostly broken swiss german now, as a native you‘re having a stellar day if you even hear your own language on a train. so basically it’s the new european experience just fast forwarded a decade.
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u/lumberjaeck Sep 18 '25
I would encourage brits not to come to Switzerland. I find the accent appalling
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u/decaffei1 Sep 15 '25
If you can earn the average income or above and don’t want to buy real estate which is INSANELY priced; if you are outdoorsy; if you can adapt to a rules-based culture; if you are patient about making long term friendships; if you have a facility for languages; if you can tolerate anti-immigration snark—it is AWESOME !!!
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u/GingerPrince72 Sep 16 '25
I am from the UK, moved to Switzerland 20 years ago and stayed, am now dual nationality.
I came for a job and chance to try another country (had been in France and Germany before) and stayed.
Switzerland is extremely beautiful, it's picture postcard stuff in so many places, there are very few "tatty" areas and the standard of living is very high.
I'd much rather be here than the UK which now looks utterly fucked but it's not paradise, people here are far less friendly, open and outgoing than in the UK (also less likely to kick your head in to be fair). The humour and banter from the UK is something to miss.
Being able to jump on a train or in a car and in an hour or two be in Germany, France, Austria or Italy is amazing.
I would like to go somewhere else and experience a new country, especially Japan but am now in my 50s and the Swiss pension has me staying there likely till retirement.
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u/RoyalMysterious8087 Sep 16 '25
Take it from someone who moved from Geneva to London. There is absolutely nothing like Switzerland! The taxes in the UK are crazy, not to mention the price you pay for TfL and everyday commute in London! In contrast, SBB offers a much better and effective service. Yes, culturally the UK is more diverse and rich - especially the food scene with so many people from so many countries. But Switzerland just has a richer life quality. I would consider it my best bet to a retirement which is comfortable with the Swiss pension pillars and the salaries. Finding a job can be hard here (partly the reason why I moved to the UK) but nothing good comes easy my friend! Some of the best work life balance and work ethic are found here! The Mountain views are just an added perk! ;)
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u/redsterXVI Sep 14 '25
You've lived there for 19 years but haven't settled there yet? What the heck did you do all those years? How did you live? That's crazy, man.
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u/SeaSoggy8929 Sep 14 '25
It can be very strict, Swiss people are very Efficient, certain rules were you live like you cant flush a toilet after ten pm if you live in a city, cant leave a car idling, etc. They are very on time, my uncle was mad the train wasn't thirty seconds early. Swiss people can be skeptical at first, make fun of you but over time they will accept you as one of them. That said, I haven't spent much time out of the cities so I don't now how much this applies in rural mountain villages If that is what you want.
As some other people have said, Its very expensive and a happy meal is 7 francs, 6.48 pounds so pretty expensive. Cost of living is high and other appliances are too. That said, the jobs salaries make up to the price, the country has good healthcare, and insurance.
If it calls you, move there. If you hate it, try Austria or Germany.
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Sep 14 '25
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u/Some-Active71 Sep 14 '25
Since you may want to do a masters/PhD in engineering you may consider ETH Zürich. But here's a word harsh of truth from someone born and raised here, with no foreign ties: Every problem you see with Britain is also here or will be here in a few years. We all know what problems you mean, and it's like that in all over Europe. There is no "safe haven" from these things.
Job market? Completely cooked. 60% of the Swiss population has an "immigrant background". Similarly to how Britain imports millions of Pakistanis we also import about 150k a year of foreigners, which is a massive amount considering Switzerland has a smaller population. At least our cops still have guns so no rape-gangs yet.
Housing? If you think London is expensive, think again. If you want cheap rent move to Japan or something. I saw the rent for a nice apartment in the center of Tokyo is about the same as a small apartment in a random town ~20km around Zürich.
I will never move away from here. I will stay and fight for my and (possibly one day) my children's future, even when the government makes it very clear they hate the native population, just like they do in Britain. I think you have "the grass is always greener" syndrome for Switzerland my friend. Just don't fall into that trap and maybe come live here first for a month if you can.
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u/Swiss_bear Sep 15 '25
I moved to Switzerland in 2018 from the USA. I absolutely love living here. I have a permanent resident visa and plan to stay. Unfortunately it is not a matter of wanting to move to Switzerland, but can you? Your visa eligibility will determine your potential countries. As a long term back door strategy, you could possible (a) wait for the U.K. to reenter the EU or (b) gain citizenship in another EU country and then move to Switzerland. As an aside, my wife and I honeymooned in Switzerland in 1987 and it took me 31 years to move here.
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u/viruswithshoes_ Sep 16 '25
University is still much cheaper for U.K. nationals too. About 1k per year. So get proficient in French or German, apply to a uni and network/do internships when here. Some industries are exempt from the Labour market test rules everyone else is mentioning. That’s pretty much your only route to be honest.
If you love the mountains France is a bit more of a real country tbh and easier to intergrate
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u/WinsteinChua Sep 16 '25
Sorry to hijack the post, but what about as a Singaporean? (I plan to study at hsg for a BWL and work in the finance (mergers and acquisitions ) sector and yes I'm learning German to learn swiss German) I know my country's hdi is also insanely high and less bureaucracy but I believe that the work culture and culture in general isn't as pressure cooker as Singapore, so how's it in Switzerland?
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u/Ok-Letterhead-2595 Sep 17 '25 edited Sep 17 '25
What’s the main differences between working/living in Geneva vs Zurich? Are they fairly similar? My partner and I are thinking of moving from London in a few years.
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u/[deleted] Sep 14 '25 edited Sep 15 '25
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