I am Spanish and I have just accepted a job in Winterthur. I have to plan everything and I have no idea, but I'm trying to investigate to make everything correctly. Could you please tell me what is the check list of most important steps that I have to follow to move? So far I understant the basic points are the following (tell me if I miss something important):
1) Find accommodation in the city. I'll have to travel there to sign the rental contract.
2) Get a Swiss banking account to get the salary and pay bills. I'll have to travel there to visit the bank.
3) Apply for the work permit. I have a lot of doubts about this. Is the company who does it or should I go to any institution to apply for it? If yes, what institution and how? What documents I'll need and how long it takes to have it done?
4) Get a health insurance. It's ok to do it in the 3 months after the arrival, right?
5) Get a social security number. I have no idea about how to do it. How to get it?
6) Register in the local authority. I think I can do it in the 2 weeks after the arrival. Which local authority is it, and what documents do I need?
Thanks in advance. If I miss something important, please, let me know.
1) Consider AirBnB or a furnished apartment for the first few months. Then you'll be in a much better position to find a more permanent solution.
2) I opened my bank account on the day I arrived in the country to work. You'll need an address in Switzerland and your contract.
3) For the work/residency permit, go to the community offices/town hall of wherever you're living, with your contract, and they'll guide you on what needs to be done. You have to register anyway.
4) You've got some time to sign up with a health insurer. - if I recall correctly, it's three months. The premiums will be backdated to the first of the month you arrived in Switzerland. If you don't sign up, the community will sign you up to the insurer of your choice. Tip, if you've any preexisting conditions, go to the insurer of your choice and ask for someone to help you apply.
5) That happens when you register at the community. It'll be done for you.
6) As you can probably tell from earlier answers, it's best to register as soon as you can so everything else can be sorted out. You need your Swiss address, passport and work contract.
If you arrive one week before work starts, you can sort all of this out easily.
Thank you very much for your help! So as I understand for your answer, the first thing is accommodation, so that I can get a Swiss address. So my idea is looking for it from Spain and then going to Winterthur to sign the apartment contract. Then with it on my hand I would go to get the work permit and the banking account. Then come back to Spain. I would go to Switzerland again when work starts and I would do the rest of things. Is that right?
What is the name in German of those community offices? Any specific department? I don't know where is that in Winterthur and I have to find it. How long does it take to get the permit? I guess I should already have it before the work starting day. I don't speak German, just English, is that enough to communicate with the community or should I bring some help?
Is possible to register the same day that I go to get the work permit?
1 - most important --> use any app you want to book for at least 1 month (caution --> might be more than one month / you will have an invoice and with this you can register when going to get your work permit)
6 + 3 --> you can do this the first working day after you land here ==> will need the work contract , which you should already have by the time arriving here + passport / id + contract from airbnb,etc + 110 CHF
6+3 --> will give you an invite to go to number 5 for the B permit
After 6 + 3 you can open any bank account / phone provider etc
You have up to 3 month to get medical coverage / keep in mind that the first bill will be retroactive so you will pay more
Also keep in mind that when you will find an apartment you will need to give a deposit of 2 / 3 months + the current month , than soon after you will start paying some taxes , so be prepared for this
PS : talk to your local HR and ask if they can help you with an apartment for the first month
Hello, and welcome to the forum and soon to Switzerland.
Here are some other recent threads, started by MomoToo, a most admirable newby doing research similar to what you’re now need. (Please note, however, that the MomoToo is non-EU, so the parts about permits will be much easier for you as an EU citizen.)
At our institution we apply for the work / living permits on behalf of the employee. Your employer should be able to do the same - if he hasn't done so already? He will also apply for your AVS (social security) number.
I thought that EU persons had to (and could only) do this themselves. But perhaps this is one of those matters - like so many in Switzerland - that varies across the cantons and municipalities.
So in the case I use AirBnB the first 3 months or so, I would have an address, yes. But don't I need a rent contract to apply for the work permit, registration, etc? What would I show in this case? It's only a some months.
Apart from that, what about the registration/work permit? Is it possible to change my address when I move to other apartment in the city?
One other question. Is it neccesary to have the permit B on my hands before start working? (EU citizen)
No, but you have to have registered for that permit.
Yes, you need to have an address when you apply for the permit (if only because they use that address to send your permit to). And check if AirBnB is accepted as not all Kantons accept that.
And yes, you can changes addresses as often as you like. You need to register that and a fee will apply for the change of address.