Moving from Germany to Switzerland: your roadmap

Moving to Switzerland from Germany: the checklist at a glance

Moving from Germany to Switzerland means dealing with two legal systems at once. Many things have to happen in a set order: no permit without an employment contract, no health insurance without registration, and often trouble with the German authorities if you do not deregister. This overview helps you plan:

• Three months before: check your employment contract, accommodation and notice periods in Germany
• One month before: clarify tax questions, cancel or adjust insurance policies
• When you move: deregister in Germany, declare your household goods at customs
• First days in Switzerland: register with your municipality, apply for your permit
• Within three months: take out Swiss health insurance
• In the first year: register your car, exchange your driving licence, keep an eye on taxes

Before you move: deregister and cancel contracts in Germany

When you leave Germany, you deregister at the Bürgeramt (local registration office). You will need the deregistration certificate (Abmeldebescheinigung) later for your health insurer, bank, tax office and other authorities.

Your German health insurance generally ends when you move away. If you are privately insured, check whether a policy that preserves your right to return to your insurer (Anwartschaftsversicherung) makes sense in case you move back. Contracts such as household contents, liability or mobile phone should also be cancelled or changed in good time.

Also inform your bank, the broadcasting fee service (Rundfunkbeitrag) and – if you have children – the Familienkasse (child benefit office). When you move away, the country that pays family benefits generally changes.

Residence permit B, L or C for German nationals

Thanks to the free movement of persons, German nationals do not need a work permit in the traditional sense, but they do need a residence permit. With a permanent employment contract or a contract of at least one year, you will generally receive a B permit; for shorter contracts, an L short-term residence permit.

After five years of uninterrupted residence, German nationals can usually obtain the C settlement permit. This also matters for tax: with a C permit, you are no longer taxed at source but through an ordinary tax return.

Registering with your municipality: deadlines and documents

In Switzerland, you generally register with your municipality of residence within 14 days of moving, usually at the residents' registration office (Einwohnerkontrolle). The municipality forwards your permit application. Bring along:

• Passport or identity card for each person
• Employment contract or confirmation of employment
• Tenancy agreement or confirmation of accommodation
• Passport photo, depending on the municipality
• Family record book, marriage and birth certificates if your family is moving with you

Swiss health insurance: the 3-month deadline

After moving, you must take out insurance with a Swiss health insurer within three months. If you sign up in time, cover applies retroactively from the day you moved. If you are late, you are only covered from the date you join and should expect a premium surcharge.

Basic health insurance (KVG/LAMal) is the same at every insurer, but the premiums are not. They vary by canton, premium region, age, deductible (franchise) and insurance model – for example with a family doctor, a group practice or telephone consultation first.

If you work at least eight hours a week for one employer, you are also insured against accidents in your free time through that employer. You can then exclude accident cover from your health insurance. Supplementary insurance, for example for dental treatment or hospital stays, is voluntary and usually requires a health check.

Taxes: the year you leave and your first year in Switzerland

For the year you move away, you generally still file a German tax return for the months before the move. In Switzerland, with a B permit you are usually taxed at source: your employer deducts withholding tax directly from your salary.

Above a certain annual income, or if you have other income or assets, you must also file a tax return. A voluntary subsequent ordinary assessment can also pay off, for example because of pillar 3a contributions or high work-related expenses. The application is subject to a deadline – usually the end of March of the following year.

If you hold shares in corporations, property or other income in Germany, you may remain liable to tax in Germany even after moving. Have this checked before you move.

Pension, Riester and retirement planning

Your entitlements from the German statutory pension insurance are retained. Later on, each country generally pays its own pension for the contribution periods completed there.

In Switzerland, you pay into AHV/OASI (state old-age insurance) from the day you start work and – above a certain salary – into a BVG pension fund. With pillar 3a you can also save for retirement with tax advantages. If you want to buy a home in Switzerland later, align your retirement savings with that goal early on.

If you have a Riester contract (state-subsidised German pension plan), moving to Switzerland may mean that allowances and tax benefits are reclaimed. Clarify this before you move.

Accommodation and other insurance

For a rented flat, landlords usually ask for a rental deposit of up to three months' rent, paid into a blocked account. Many landlords also expect you to have personal liability insurance.

Household contents insurance is generally voluntary, but some cantons require cover for fire damage. For radio and television, the federal government levies a household fee, which is billed automatically based on your municipal registration.

Car, household goods and driving licence

Your household goods and a vehicle you have already been using for some time can generally be imported duty-free as removal goods. To do so, you complete an application form with a list of items at customs. You then have the vehicle inspected and registered in Switzerland.

You exchange your German driving licence for a Swiss one within twelve months. After that, it is no longer valid in Switzerland.

Common mistakes when moving from Germany

These points cost the most money or nerves afterwards:

• Health insurance taken out after more than three months – with a premium surcharge
• Accident cover paid twice although the employer already provides it
• Riester contract or shareholdings not checked before the move
• Deadline for a voluntary tax return in Switzerland missed
• Driving licence not exchanged within one year

How PROFINIO supports your move

Your dedicated contact person draws up a moving plan with you covering all deadlines in Germany and Switzerland, compares health insurers before the three months are up and clarifies taxes for the year you leave and your first year. In the client portal you can see at any time what has been done and what is still to come. We advise you in German, French, Italian or English.

Frequently asked questions