Joining from abroad

If you’re joining from abroad and don’t yet have a Swiss permit, we’ll inform our immigration partner. They will contact you a few weeks before your start date to help you in obtaining your Swiss permit.

There is a separate process in place if you need a visa. Please contact your recruiter to get support for the immigration process.

Most people in Switzerland (including expats) rent accommodation. Demand for rental accommodation is generally greater than the supply, especially in cities like Zurich and Geneva, so the market is very competitive.

PwC doesn’t offer relocation services. You need to allow enough time to look for suitable accommodation. You should also consider moving into temporary accommodation while you are searching for something permanent.

Below is a brief overview of the rental accommodation situation.

Finding accommodation
There are several online sites that will help you find suitable accommodation in Switzerland. It’s easy to sign up to receive regular updates about what’s available on the market. Among the most popular sites are Homegate, Immoscout 24 and Flatfox.

When renting accommodation, you usually need to submit an application form with some personal information (marital status, profession, employer, salary, permit type/residency status, etc.). The landlord typically asks for an extract from the debt enforcement register. This is used to assess your creditworthiness and ability to make payments.

Securing a rental contract
Most rental contracts are entered into in writing. By signing the contract, you and your future landlord are agreeing to comply with all of its terms and conditions. Therefore, it is essential that you understand the contract before signing it! We don’t recommend entering into a purely verbal rental contract.

Your future landlord will likely request a deposit (‘rental guarantee’) of an amount equal to a maximum of three months’ rent. Your deposit is refunded when you leave the accommodation, minus any deductions for damages or outstanding rent. An alternative to paying the deposit as a lump sum is to purchase a rental guarantee (a form of insurance subject to an annual premium) from an approved company (e.g. Swiss Caution, First Caution). Check first that your future landlord accepts this!

Termination of the rental agreement
You or the landlord may terminate the rental agreement in accordance with the law or the contractual terms and conditions concerning the period of notice. You should submit your notice of termination to your landlord by registered mail. If you and your partner have signed the rental contract, both of you will have to sign the letter of notice.

In Switzerland, every household pays a fee for radio and television reception. You become liable to pay this once you sign a rental agreement. The collection agency, Serafe, will automatically send you an invoice. You can find more information here on the Serafe page.

Note that electricity is not included in your rental fee.

If you’re joining PwC Switzerland on a limited contract through our Global Mobility Services, you’ll receive more information about your move to Switzerland from PwC’s Global Mobility Team.

Health insurance

Everyone who registers to live in Switzerland has to take out health insurance with a Swiss health insurer. You will not be able to obtain a residence permit without health insurance. Switzerland has a private health insurance system that considers the individual’s needs and preferences. You can choose from a range of insurers, but you must conclude an insurance contract with one of them within 90 days of registering your arrival (see the section ‘Registering with the authorities’). If you haven’t decided within 90 days, the cantonal authority will assign you to an insurer of its choice.

If you work more than eight hours per week, you’re fully insured by PwC for accidents that happen both at work and in private. Therefore, you will not need cover for accidents in your health insurance package. However, your family is not covered for accidents and we recommend arranging suitable cover for them through your health insurance provider.

At PwC, you can also benefit from a per diem indemnity paid during periods of sickness (loss of earnings as a result of accident or ill health). You’ll find more information in the ‘Regulations governing insurance’.

Your monthly contribution for health insurance depends on the deductible (‘Franchise’) you choose. The lower the deductible (minimum of CHF 300 per year), the higher your monthly contribution – although all health costs over CHF 300 you incur in a year will be covered by the insurer. The highest deductible per year is CHF 2,500, which lowers your monthly contribution, but you will have to pay the first CHF 2,500 of health costs each year – with your insurer covering any costs that exceed CHF 2,500 in a year. Which option you choose depends on your personal expectations; for example, if you regularly visit a doctor or other medical specialist, it might be better to consider a lower deductible.

You can compare the most popular health insurers and get quotes from them using the following link.

Liability insurance

It’s common to take out liability insurance in Switzerland. Indeed, most landlords require it. If you already have liability insurance in your home country, ask your provider if you are covered during your stay in Switzerland as well.

You can compare the most popular insurance companies and get quotes through the following link.

Employee Assistance Programme at PwC

PwC staff and their families have access to a confidential and free-of-charge consultation service on work and life matters offered by an external provider. The programme aims to help our people and their loved ones when facing challenges in their private or professional lives – on practical as well as emotional issues. You’ll find more information on our internal communication platform once you have joined PwC.

You need to register with the local municipal authority within eight days of your arrival in Switzerland and, in any case, before your first day of work at PwC. You’ll need the following documents in order to finalise your registration:

• Valid passport or identity card (originals not copies)
• Proof you’ve taken out compulsory health insurance (has to be provided within three months of registering at the latest – see the section ‘Health insurance’)
• Copy of your Swiss accommodation rental contract
• Passport photo (not required if your local municipal authorities use biometrics)
• If you’re registering with your family, documents showing your family status (marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, etc.)
• Registration fee (typically, about CHF 60 to CHF 100 per person)

Depending on your permit type and the municipality in which you register, you may be required to have your biometrics recorded after registration. Switzerland is a federation, so the actual process of registering depends on the canton. We recommend you contact the local municipal authority to determine exactly which documents are needed in your case. Of course, you may decide to engage a professional immigration consultant to handle such matters.
 

You’ll need to open a bank account in Switzerland in your name when employed at PwC Switzerland (for employees working in Liechtenstein, a Liechtenstein bank account is required) in order to receive your salary. You should therefore do this as soon as possible. We do not accept foreign bank accounts, Revolut accounts or accounts that are not in your name. Once you’ve opened your Swiss bank account, please update your bank account details in Workday so that we can transfer your salary on time.

There are a few large banks in Switzerland (such as UBS and Raiffeisen) as well as many smaller regional and cantonal banks. Some supermarkets (e.g. Migros) also have their own banks and Swiss Post provides banking services (Postfinance). Smaller banks usually charge lower fees than the large banks and typically provide a more personal service. However, they may not offer the same range of services as a large bank, which are also more likely to have English-speaking staff and can provide statements and other documents in English.

More information can be found here.

To open an account, you must be registered in Switzerland. Please get in touch with your preferred bank directly to ask about the steps for opening a bank account and which documents (usually passport, residence permit, employment contract) you’ll need to bring with you.

Social security and pension fund

The Swiss social security system is based on a ‘three-pillar’ system of public, occupational and private insurance.

Old age and survivors insurance (usually referred to as ‘AHV’ in German and ‘AVS’ in French and Italian) and disability insurance (‘IV’ in German and ‘AI’ in French and Italian) make up the compulsory ‘first pillar’. A monthly deduction of 5.3% (AHV/AVS) and 1.1% (IV/AI) is made from your salary for this pillar.

The second pillar is the company pension fund, which is compulsory for all employees. The amount of your pension fund contribution depends on your salary and your date of birth. Please consult this page and carefully read the information and regulations about PwC’s pension fund scheme that you receive with your employment contract.

Please contact our Pensions Team directly by email or telephone if you have any questions about the pension scheme (ch_pk_team@pwc.ch, +41 58 792 47 00). 

The third pillar is entirely voluntary. It comprises any personal pension plans that you might want to join in addition to the mandatory first and second pillar schemes. The purpose of these third pillar schemes is to close any financial gaps if the benefits from your first and second pillars are insufficient to cover your retirement needs.

You’ll find more detailed information on the Swiss social security and pension fund system on these web pages:

Hello Switzerland

Swiss Info

CH.CH

AHV-IV

There are three levels of income tax in Switzerland. Tax rates are progressive, so the more you earn, the higher the tax rate.

Foreigners living in Switzerland who don't have a ‘C’ (permanent) residence permit and are not married to a person who has a ‘C’ residence permit or Swiss citizenship are subject to withholding tax (also known as ‘tax at source’). Withholding tax is deducted directly from your salary. You’ll find further information on this page. If you are subject to withholding tax, please fill in the application form and send it via email to HC4You.

More detailed information on the Swiss tax system can be found here and specifically on withholding tax/tax at source here.

Anyone with a foreign driving licence residing in Switzerland for at least 12 months and who has not spent more than three consecutive months abroad in this period must have a Swiss driver’s licence if they wish to drive a car.

More detailed information on exchanging your foreign driver’s licence can be found here.

Please get in touch with your local Road Traffic Office for further information (in German, French, Italian only).

If you want to import your car, please consult the Swiss customs regulations on vehicles.

With a reliable, efficient, clean and safe public transport network, it’s easy to get around without a car in Switzerland. There is an extensive train, tram and bus network and well maintained cycling routes.

The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF/FFS) network in Switzerland is well organised and offers many travel options.

Please note that tickets cannot be bought on the trains. You must purchase your ticket before boarding. Fines for travelling without a valid ticket are high!

Our tip: download the SBB app. It’s indispensable for getting around! It gives you access to the train schedules in real time, with the possibility to buy tickets directly via the app. It’s available in English and will help you select the right tickets, travel zones and much more.

Half Fare Travelcard (Halbtax/Demi-Tarif):
With the Half Fare Travelcard, you travel for half price on all SBB routes and most other Swiss railways as well as on boats, buses and trams. You can also take advantage of discounts on urban transport as well as additional services and discounts.

PwC supports you by covering the cost of the Half Fare Travelcard if you need one for business reasons. You can buy the Half Fare Travelcard once you’ve joined and then claim the costs back through your expenses.

GA Travelcard (General Abo/Abonnement Général):
The GA Travelcard (1st or 2nd class) allows unlimited travel throughout Switzerland on SBB routes and most other Swiss railways, as well as on many of the public/urban transport networks in Switzerland. PwC does not cover the cost of a GA card, , but GA owners can claim the cost of a Half Fare Travelcard.

Note that if you don’t have your travelcard (Half Fare or GA) with you on the train, you’ll have to pay a fine. However, you can request a refund from the SBB (minus a service charge of CHF 5).

You’ll find more information on public transport in Switzerland here and on the types of travel cards and tickets here.

Switzerland has three major operators, each with its own network for telephony (mobile and landline), internet and TV: Swisscom, Salt, and Sunrise. In addition, there are a growing number of mobile virtual network operators that use one of the three main networks for mobile communications.

More detailed information on telecom providers and the Swiss mobile network can be found here.

PwC supports the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) principle. This means that mobile phones (iOS devices) belong to the employee and PwC covers their cost up to a fixed maximum amount (currently, up to CHF 500 every two years). Click here for more details. Please note that certain conditions apply (e.g. unlimited employment contract with PwC Switzerland).

Compulsory education in Switzerland lasts for 11 years. Under the Swiss constitution, schooling is free and open to all children.

Nursery school/Kindergarten: ages 4 to 5; two years before entering primary school

Primary school: ages 6 to 12; grades 1 to 6

Secondary school: ages 12 to 15; grades 7 to 9

Post-secondary school: for ages 15 and up; high school, apprenticeship and other options

There are also several private (fee-paying) schools in Switzerland.

Please find more detailed information on the Swiss education system here.

In Switzerland, only private childcare is available for children up to four years’ old. This means that parents are responsible for finding a place in a creche/daycare centre and must pay for the service themselves. As places are limited and waiting lists are often very long, you should start looking well in advance – which means in the first months of pregnancy!

Another option is entrusting your child(ren) to a childminder (‘nanny’), who will look after your child(ren) at home. Most belong to an organisation that guarantees a safe, high-quality service.

After the birth of a child, mothers are entitled to paid leave of 14 weeks and fathers to two weeks. Switzerland does not have a system in which parental leave can be freely shared between the two parents.

PwC Switzerland offers a wide range of benefits for parents. We have partnered with a specialised family counselling provider that can help you in the search for a place in a daycare centre or in finding a childminder/nanny, as well as providing schooling information, consulting services and details of nearby childcare solutions.

We also offer longer maternity and paternity leave than required by Swiss law. More detailed information on maternity and paternity leave in Switzerland is available here.

Family benefit claim for employees / Anmeldung Familienzulagen für Arbeitnehmende / Demande d’allocations familiales pour salariés, Family benefit claim for employees in Geneva / Supplementary form for ‘child in education’

• If you are eligible for family allowances (usually for children below the age of 16, please refer to the Federal Social Insurance Office for details) please fill in the application form(s) (German, French, English) and send it/them via e-mail to HC4You (email: hc4you@pwc.ch).
• If you live in the Canton of Geneva, you must use this form (English, French).
• If you are eligible to receive child allowance, it will be paid with your monthly salary.

Processing of Child Allowances for Children Living Abroad

Please be advised that the processing of child allowances may take up to 6 months due to the fact that the Swiss Compensation Fund needs to liaise with the relevant foreign authorities.

It is possible that you or the other parent may also be required to provide additional documentation to the foreign compensation office during this process. This additional step is necessary to ensure that all requirements are met and that the child allowances are processed accurately and in compliance with regulations.

We understand that this process may seem lengthy, but please rest assured that we are working diligently to expedite the processing of child allowances for children living abroad. Your cooperation and timely submission of any required documents will greatly assist us in this regard.

Should you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

https://www.ch.ch/en/

https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng

https://www.helloswitzerland.ch/en/

https://studyinginswitzerland.com/

https://www.expatica.com/ch/

https://www.iamexpat.ch/

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/