When people thought about emigrating a few years ago, they often didn't think about move to Switzerland. Nowadays this is a different story and more and more Dutch people are going to live in Switzerland. Some know the country from holidays or have heard about the high standard of living in the country. Living in Switzerland is actually very good.
Do you already know this beautiful country and do you also want to move to Switzerland? Then this article might help you with that. Read on quickly!
Why do people increasingly choose Switzerland?
Switzerland is known for its high standard of living, strong economy and beautiful nature. In Switzerland you can enjoy all the good things in the world. The country has many large cities. Think of international cities such as Geneva, Zurich, Basel and Bern. Furthermore, the net income in the country is also very high, which is of course nice if you are going to work there. Because of all these advantages, people become interested in emigrating to Switzerland and actually that is not so crazy?
Switzerland and the European Union
Switzerland is one of the European countries that is not a member of the European Union (EU). Often people do not know this and it is actually a bit confusing, right? Of course we do know that the currency is the Swiss franc.
The history of Switzerland and the EU
Switzerland has a very long history. The old city of Chur, for example, is the oldest in Switzerland and is probably almost 9,000 years old. Furthermore, the country also has a small history with the EU. The country once, in 1992, made an attempt to become a member of the EU. However, this did not happen after a referendum among the Swiss people. At that time, the population indicated that they did not want to become a member and the application was therefore not continued by Switzerland.
Switzerland and its borders
Due to the location of the country (in the middle of Europe) it has of course been very important to maintain good relations with the EU. That is why the country has made clear agreements about the borders. As a result, the country has become a Schengen country and Europeans can use the open borders of Switzerland. This means that you can stay there for three months, just like in other Schengen countries. If you want to stay there longer or are going to live there, you will need a residence permit. As a Dutch citizen, you can qualify for various residence permits.
You do need to be careful when moving. If you move with an international moving company, it is not a problem, because they are of course aware of the laws and regulations in the country, but you cannot simply drive your belongings into Switzerland. Special forms are required for this. It might be useful to make a kind of 'moving checklist' before your emigration so that you do not forget this kind. This way you can easily check off all the points without forgetting anything.
Swiss nature
Maybe you have seen it yourself, maybe you know it from the stories, but one thing that Switzerland also has for sure is beautiful nature. Think of the beautiful lakes, valleys and mountains such as the Alps. The breathtaking nature in Switzerland is not only beautiful, but also very good for your health. Many people who go hiking in Switzerland also do this for the clean air in the mountains.
The Swiss culture
The country is known for its neutrality and independence. This is probably also the reason why the country never became a member of the EU. Furthermore, the culture of Switzerland is a complicated thing, because it consists of different people. By different we mean the German Swiss, the French Swiss and the Italian Swiss. In general, Swiss people are not really happy when you immediately ask questions and start making jokes. It always takes a while before a Swiss person loosens up and a small smile can appear. Furthermore, French Swiss are known to be very unpredictable, Italian Swiss are often more talkative and German Swiss are more reserved. In the end, these are all prejudices of course and you have to experience it yourself if you want to know what it is like.
Furthermore, the country is one of the cleanest, richest, safest and well-organized countries in the world. It has everything very well organized. From how their public transportation is organized to their taxes. People also say that the country is so perfect and organized that it lacks liveliness and spontaneity.
The languages of Switzerland
Switzerland has 4 official languages. These are German, French, Italian and Romansh. German is spoken by 63.7% of the Swiss, French by 20.3%. Italian is spoken by 6.5% of the Swiss and Romansh by only a small group of 0.5% of the population. Each canton has its own language. Which language you will speak depends on the canton in which you will live. In the largest part, 17 of the 26 cantons of Switzerland, Swiss German is spoken.
The food in Switzerland
Of course, every country has its own traditions and habits when it comes to food. The Swiss cuisine has many influences from the German, French and Italian cuisine. If you look at the languages that are spoken in the country, this is actually quite obvious. Furthermore, the country is of course also known for its chocolate and cheese.
The breakfast – zmorge
In Switzerland, people generally have bread for breakfast. The roll is often topped with a piece of cheese, jam or honey. They also drink a lot of milk and coffee.
Morning snack – znüni
Znüni is the Swiss-German abbreviation for the German 'zu neun' and this means 'at nine'. At 09:00 a morning snack is always eaten. This is done everywhere in Switzerland. In schools, companies and at people's homes. In the Netherlands you can compare it to the coffee break.
The lunch – midday
Zmittag means lunch in Swiss German and is an abbreviation of the German 'in the afternoon'. In Switzerland, lunch is usually eaten between 12:00 and 13:00. The Swiss attach great importance to this and it is therefore not appreciated if you are noisy or mow the lawn, for example. For lunch, the Swiss usually eat a warm meal. This can be a rösti with a sausage, but also a 'mehlsuppe' for example.
Afternoon snack – zvieri
Zvieri literally means 'at four'. This means that a small snack is eaten around 16:00. This can be a pastry, a sandwich, but it can also be a piece of fruit, for example. It also depends a bit on the season. In the summer, the Swiss often eat a piece of fruit or an ice cream for zvieri, but in the winter it will be nuts or a piece of cake.
The dinner – night
Znacht comes from the German 'zu nacht' which means 'in the evening'. Dinner is usually eaten between 18:00 and 19:00. What is striking about dinner in Switzerland is that it usually consists of cold dishes, unlike the Swiss lunch with hot dishes. For their dinner, the Swiss eat a piece of bread with toppings. What also often happens is that they heat up the leftover lunch and eat this with, for example, a fried egg.
Cost of living
Switzerland is known for its high prices for everything that can be found in the country. When you go to work in Switzerland this will be easier to pay as the minimum wage is the equivalent of €3800,-. To give you an example of the differences in prices with the Netherlands:
- Bread is about 38% more expensive in Switzerland
- Cheese is almost 50% more expensive
- Rice is around 37% more expensive
- Tomatoes are 87% more expensive
- Bananas are 50% more expensive
- Wine is 140% more expensive
As you can see, it is all very expensive for a Dutch person who goes on holiday to Switzerland. But once you live there, you will be able to live well in Switzerland with your Swiss salary.
Real Estate in Switzerland
Buying a house abroad is of course always more complicated than when you buy a house in our own little country. This is because in the Netherlands you know all the rules and laws better than in another country.
In Switzerland, foreigners are only allowed to buy a house in a tourist area. This would be, for example, a chalet or apartment in a ski resort, because a ski resort is a tourist area. So if you are not Swiss or do not have a Swiss residence permit, you cannot buy real estate in, for example, Geneva, Basel, Zurich or any of the other cities in the country.
Finally..
You have to think very carefully before moving abroad. You want to settle in another country. As you have read, you need a visa in Switzerland to live there. These are of course important matters that you should know well in advance. It may surprise you, but with many moves abroad, these kinds of matters or taxes are often forgotten. So it is best to prepare yourself well.
Do you have any questions?
Do you have any questions about moving to Switzerland or would you like more information about it? Then you can always visit our website. We have many more articles about moving to Switzerland. After all, it is an important step and we know very well that gathering information about it is very important.
