Switzerland has strict rules concerning the right of residence for foreign nationals. Usually, it is tied to work permits and employment — but not always.
The vast majority of the nearly 2.4 million foreigners living in Switzerland at the end of 2024 (at least the adult ones), are employed.
In fact, the Swiss labour market relies heavily on workforce from abroad to fill shortages of personnel in a number of sectors.
But that does not exclude ‘jobless’ foreigners from living in Switzerland too — though under strict conditions.
These are some examples of situations that allow you to live — legally — in the country without being employed (students are not included as they are only allowed to stay for the duration of their education, and not long-term).
You are a citizen of EU or EFTA (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)
If you are a national of any of these countries, can live in Switzerland for the first three months without a permit.
After that, you can easily obtain a residence permit.
If you are not employed, however, you have to prove that you have sufficient means from income and / or wealth to support yourself without relying on social assistance.
You are married to a Swiss
Marrying a Swiss citizen does not automatically entitle you to become a citizen, but you will be allowed to live in the country — first on a B permit and eventually on C.
You are a ‘trailing spouse’
If you are a married to a EU / EFTA citizen who is employed in Switzerland, then you too have the right to live here.
Even if you and the main breadwinner are nationals of a third country, you can still live here, though under more restrictive conditions.
Like your husband / wife who is coming to Switzerland to work, you too must have a visa to enter the country.
The only exemption from this requirement, according to State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), “are non-EU/EFTA family members who hold a valid residence permit issued by a Schengen member state.”
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Registered partners
A ‘registered partnership’ includes same-sex couples who are not married or people of opposite sex living together as common-law spouses — as long as these partnerships are validly registered abroad and have the same legal standing as partnerships registered in Switzerland.
The fact of merely living together under one roof will not entitle the partner to follow you to Switzerland.
There are two other conditions you need to fulfil as well.
One is that the breadwinner’s income is sufficient to provide for the whole family without relying on social aid.
The second condition is that your house or apartment is big enough to accommodate your family comfortably “by Swiss standards” — officially defined as one room person minus one.
This means that if you are family of four, your dwellings should be no smaller than three rooms.
READ ALSO: What are your rights if you move to Switzerland with your partner?
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You are retired
Whether or not you are allowed to live here after you stop working depends in part on the type of permit you hold and whether you have the financial means to continue living here without a regular salary. The latter criterium is meant to ensure that you will not seek social assistance.
If you have worked in Switzerland for many years, and receive your pension here, you should — at least in theory — be able to support yourself.
If, at the time of your retirement, you hold a C permit, you have the right to stay in Switzerland for as long as you want, or indefinitely, and not be subject to any time restrictions or conditions.
As for B permits, their validity ranges from one to five years, depending on whether you come from an EU /EFTA country or a third state.
If you are a five-year B permit holder and if you already know that you want to remain in Switzerland after retirement, look into your eligibility for a C permit and if you can get it before you stop working.
Holders of short-term permits like L are the least likely to be allowed to remain in Switzerland after retirement, unless they can prove that they are financially self-sufficient.
READ ALSO: Will my Swiss residency permit be valid after I retire?
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You are super-rich
Regardless of your nationality and age, if you are (very) wealthy you can move to Switzerland as well, under the so-called (though unofficially) ‘golden visa’ program.
The Swiss are very pragmatic people, especially when it comes to making money.
A little known (except to the financially astute) and rarely used Article 30 of the Federal Aliens Act sets out derogations from the regular, strict admission requirements.
It enables foreigners from outside Europe to move to Switzerland — but only if they are sufficiently wealthy to live here without having to work or resort to welfare benefits.
The law states that in cases of “important public interests” — that is, plenty of money in state coffers — cantons can grant citizens of third countries permissions to settle on their territories with a B residence permit.
Just as a general indication, ‘buying’ your way into the residency permit in Geneva costs roughly 312,522 francs in tax revenue per year, 415,000 in Vaud, and 287,882 in Valais.
Add to this a fee you would have to pay a specialised relocation attorney — reportedly at least 50,000 francs — to negotiate a lump-sum tax agreement for you with authorities of the canton where you would like to live.
One thing to keep in mind is that money alone can’t buy you a golden visa.
The law also stipulates that you “must not pose a threat to public security and order or to Switzerland’s international relations”.
