If you come as a tourist or to look for work
As an EU/EFTA citizen, you have the right to enter Switzerland and remain without any administrative procedures during a job search period. There is no obligation to register, there is no permission to request, there is no deadline to respect at that stage.
What you should keep in order before traveling or during your stay:
Personal documentation
Bring your valid ID or passport. You do not need any other document to enter or move around the country.
Accommodation and mobility
Define where you are going to stay from the first day, even if it is provisional. To get around, Swiss public transport is efficient and punctual. If you plan to use it intensively, the Demi-tarif / Halbtax (about 190 CHF per year) halves the price of all tickets in the country. It pays for itself in a few weeks and can be purchased at sbb.ch or at any CFF/SBB box office.
CV and job search
The Swiss labor market has its own conventions. The standard CV includes photo, date of birth and marital status. The main platforms are jobs.ch, jobup.ch and LinkedIn. Search in the language of the canton where you want to work: it significantly increases the responses.
Medical insurance during search
As long as you do not officially reside in Switzerland, LAMal (Swiss compulsory health insurance) does not apply to you. If you have a European health insurance card or travel insurance, that is enough for a search stay. The obligation to contract LAMal begins only when you register as a resident.
If you come to settle (with contract or residence)
As soon as you sign an employment contract or establish your effective residence in Switzerland, the administrative circuit is activated. The deadlines are real and non-compliance may result in fines.
1. Register in the commune (Inhabitants Control)
It is the first procedure and unlocks all the others. When you register, you immediately receive a provisional residence certificate ("Attestation de résidence" / "Meldebestätigung") that has full legal validity: with it you can start working, open a bank account and take out health insurance, even if the physical permit card takes weeks to arrive.
What to bring: ID or passport, work or rental contract, address where you live (even if provisional).
Cost: between 65 and 100 CHF depending on the canton and type of permit requested.
2. Open a bank account
Your employer needs a Swiss IBAN to pay your salary. With the registration certificate you can now go to the bank. If you need an operational account from day one, digital options such as Neon, Yuh or Revolut (Swiss account) are activated in less than 24 hours without displacement. The traditional ones — PostFinance, UBS, Raiffeisen, Migros Bank — require an appointment but offer more services.
3. Take out the LAMal health insurance
You have a period of 3 months from the date of registration to contract the mandatory insurance (LAMal), with retroactive effect to day 1. Do not wait until the last moment: if you suffer any incident before having it, you will still pay the premiums from the beginning. Basic coverage is identical across all insurers; only the price varies. Compare in Priminfo.admin.ch (federal official comparator). The most important decision is the deductible: minimum CHF 300 (high premium) or up to CHF 2,500 (low premium). If you are healthy, the high deductible is usually more profitable.
4. Communicate your family situation to the employer
If you have a partner or dependent children, the employer needs this information to apply the correct rate of source tax. An error at this point is difficult to correct retroactively.
5. Put your name in the mailbox
In Switzerland, the administration works mainly by postal mail. You will receive the permit card, insurance invoices and tax letters in paper. If the mailbox does not have your name on it from day one, those communications may be lost or returned.
6. Learn the garbage system of your municipality
In many cantons, only paid official garbage bags are allowed, which include the collection fee. Using ordinary bags can lead to fines. Ask in your building or in the community from the first day.
7. Get the Demi-tarif for transportation
If you use trains or public transport regularly, the Demi-tarif / Halbtax (about CHF 190 per year) divides the price of all tickets in half throughout the country. It pays for itself in a few weeks. It can be purchased at sbb.ch or at any CFF/SBB box office.
In the first 3 months
Once the urgent matter has been resolved, it is advisable to find out about complementary insurance (the basic LAMal does not cover a dentist, glasses or private hospitalization) and about the third pillar (3a), which is savings for retirement with important tax advantages. The sooner you start, the more it accumulates.
Frequent errors when installing
Leaving the registration for "when everything is ready" and missing the deadline is the most common mistake and has direct consequences. Not understanding LAMal retroactivity results in unexpected bills. Forgetting to put the name in the mailbox can cause the permit card or tax letters not to arrive. Not asking about the garbage bag system from day one exposes you to avoidable fines.