Greetings, if any of you may divulge some information about moving to Switzerland from Germany?

What are some major and minor differences and how to best approach moving there?

As said above me and my wife got a recommendation to move to Switzerland as a better option to Germany, i’m from the Balkans and my wife is German.

The main reason i’m asking is because if i’m moving there then i’m moving with intent to be a permanent resident, i don’t see a reason to make long term plans on a short term opportunity.

  • aldhissla@piefed.worldEnglish
    5·
    15 days ago

    I’m a naturalised Swiss citizen from the German-speaking part, originally from Eastern Europe. I’ll try to cover some of what other comments haven’t:

    1. First thing: get employed. In fact, get a contract before even coming here. Life in Switzerland has serious recurring costs and safety nets are sparse. I’m not saying it’s easy, it’s the biggest challenge, but it only gets easier from there.
    2. Learn the language (Swiss German), keep practicing it, and mind that you’ll never be 100% accent-free or accepted by everyone in society. Switzerland has a kind of baseline hostility towards everyone, and foreigners get some extra.
    3. Build up your own circle of friends, which is downright easy in most “cities”. Pubs are ubiquitous and great for this. There is a sizeable Balkans minority, which might need some extra navigation, but you prolly know this better than I.
    4. If you’re through with points 1.-3. though, let me tell you, this is hands-down the best country in the world. You’ll love it here. You’ll never feel as home anywhere else like you’ll do here.
    • Eternal192@anarchist.nexusOPEnglish
      2·
      15 days ago

      1. Is definitely going to be a priority before we commit fully to moving to Switzerland.

      2. The language is easy to understand if you are constantly using it, it’s the ch and the shortened words that will most likely be a gut punch at first and i don’t really care about the hostility, i mostly avoid those kinds of people even if they are the manager or owner, most hostile people i’ve encountered were ok after some time, but hopeless ones go on the naughty list and are ignored.

      3. Isn’t something i care for, the people i know here from my country are morons that go for days drunk and drugged into the stratosphere (i’m very close to the border with holand).

      4. And that’s good to know and the “i’m home feeling” will take some time, i’ve been in Germany 8 years now, not that easy to put roots down when you are constantly worried about being kicked out if you don’t have a job.