International Welcome Centre
Are you from abroad and would like to work at the ZHAW? The ZHAW Welcome Centre provides information on living and working in Switzerland. To help ensure a successful start in Switzerland, you will find all the important information you need concerning your move and arrival here.
Before entering Switzerland / starting your employment
You will need a work and residence permit to work at the ZHAW. The type of permit needed depends on the role you are applying for and your country of origin.
To ensure you receive your permit smoothly and in good time, we will support you through all the necessary steps.
Information on work and residence permits for citizens of EU/EFTA states (in German)
Information for cross-border commuters from EU/EFTA states (cross-border commuter permit) (in German)
Stays of up to 90 days: notification procedure (online registration for short-term employment assignments)
Stays exceeding 90 days: registration with the competent municipality of residence is required
Information on work and residence permits for citizens of non-EU/EFTA states (in German)
Information for cross-border commuters from non-EU/EFTA states (cross-border commuter permit) (in German)
For information regarding work or residence permits, please contact mobility.hr@zhaw.ch.
You will find all the relevant information here.
Arriving in Switzerland
There are various things to consider when entering / arriving. The ch.ch platform provides information on many questions.
We recommend that you start looking for suitable accommodation several weeks before your arrival.
Modern and practically furnished flats for incoming staff are available in Winterthur. These flats are located near the city centre and may be rented for periods ranging from two weeks to half a year.
Additional accommodation platforms:
newhome (in German)
Wgzimmer.ch (in German)
You must register with your municipality of residence within 14 days of relocating to Switzerland and do so before commencing employment. The required documentation may vary slightly depending on the municipality. Registration is subject to a fee. Please send a copy of your residence permit to admin.hr@zhaw.ch immediately upon receipt. We will be pleased to assist you throughout the registration process.
Registration with your municipality of residence:
Zurich
Residents’ Registration Office (in German)
Documents (in German)
Winterthur
Residents’ Registration Office (in German)
Opening hours (in German)
Wädenswil
Residents’ Registration Office (in German)
Opening hours (in German)
Living in Switzerland
Life in Switzerland is diverse and integration takes place on many levels. In addition to your professional activities, you have numerous other opportunities to familiarise yourself with your new surroundings and establish new social contacts. We would be happy to show you a selection of possibilities here.
Switzerland is a four-language country, but our locations are clearly situated in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Learning German is therefore an important part of integration and also the basis for understanding Swiss dialects.
At the ZHAW, the School of Applied Linguistics offers “German as a foreign language” (website in German) courses from level B1 onwards.
Additional German language courses
Benedict Schools Switzerland (in German)
AKTIV Language School Winterthur (in German)
Integration takes place on many levels. In addition to your professional activities, there are plenty of other ways for you to familiarise yourself with your new surroundings and establish new social contacts.
Enquire with your local municipal administration about integration programmes in your area. Many of these programmes are aimed specifically at children and families.
Information on integration programmes in the canton and city of Zurich, in Winterthur and in Wädenswil:
Canton of Zurich (in German)
City of Zurich (in German)
Winterthur (in German)
Wädenswil (in German)
The ZHAW offers its staff a wide range of activities outside the workplace. These include an extensive sports programme, a choir, a theatre group, various after-work social events and a modern University Library. Additional activities are available within the individual Schools.
A good way to meet people from your local community is to visit the libraries, family centres and cultural centres in your area. You can also make new social contacts by joining a sports or cultural club. Around half of the Swiss population participates in associations or voluntary activities. Ask your local municipal administration for a directory of local clubs and associations. You may be surprised by the great diversity.
Switzerland has a highly developed road and rail network. Travelling by public transport is often faster and more convenient than travelling by car.
ZVV (Zurich Transport Network)
You can find information about cars, motorbikes and/or bicycles via the following links:
The Swiss education system is regulated at a municipal, cantonal or federal level depending on the educational stage concerned. Information about the Swiss education system is available on the website of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK).
Insurance and taxes
In Switzerland, there are clear guidelines for taxes as well as various insurance policies (some of which are mandatory). You will find basic information on these in the following fields.
For foreign nationals holding a C permit (permanent residence permit), tax is levied at three levels in the same way as for Swiss nationals: the federal government levies tax on income according to a uniform rate, while the 26 cantons and the municipalities also levy tax on income and wealth. As tax rates vary among cantons and municipalities, the amount of tax payable depends on the taxpayer’s place of residence.
Foreign nationals (who do not hold a C permit) are subject to withholding tax. This means that tax is deducted directly from your salary each month. The employer pays these taxes to the relevant tax authority in Switzerland.
The Swiss pension system is based on the three-pillar principle. Old-age and survivors’ insurance (AHV) and invalidity insurance (IV), together with supplementary benefits, form the first pillar. Its purpose is to cover basic living requirements and participation is mandatory. Occupational pension provision (pension fund), which is likewise mandatory, constitutes the second pillar. The third pillar is voluntary personal provision. All ZHAW employees are covered by the first and second pillars.
In Switzerland, all employees need a social security number, known as the AHV number. The ZHAW is required to report the AHV number of all employees. If you do not yet have an AHV number, the ZHAW will apply for one on your behalf from the Central Compensation Office.
Health insurance is compulsory for everyone living in Switzerland. Health insurers are obliged to accept any person into their basic insurance scheme without any conditions or a waiting period. You are free to choose your insurer from a large number of providers. Basic health insurance is regulated by law and covers the same benefits across all providers. However, it is worth comparing premiums, as they can vary significantly depending on the provider.
Health insurance is taken out on a private basis and you must register no later than three months after taking up residence in Switzerland. The obligation to take out health insurance also applies to persons resident abroad who hold a residence permit valid for more than three months as well as to cross-border commuters.
Exemptions from the obligation to take out health insurance are only possible in exceptional cases upon formal application. The municipality of residence is responsible for checking that the compulsory insurance obligation is being met. The Department of Health of the Canton of Zurich decides on applications for exemption.
It is up to employees to take out daily sickness allowance insurance.
Health insurance and premium comparison:
Anyone residing in Switzerland for more than three months must be insured against accidents. A distinction is made between occupational and non-occupational accident insurance.
Occupational accident insurance
Occupational accident insurance is mandatory for all employees earning income subject to social security contributions. It covers treatment costs following an accident and pays daily allowances. In addition, it pays pensions in the event of disability resulting from an accident and provides support to the insured person’s surviving dependants following their death.
Non-occupational accident insurance
Non-occupational accident insurance covers the financial consequences of accidents occurring during leisure time. If you have contracted working hours of at least eight hours, you are insured through the ZHAW in the event of a leisure-time accident. Voluntary supplementary insurance is available.
Accident insurance guide (in German)
Personal liability and home contents insurance are not, in principle, compulsory in Switzerland, but they are recommended. The former protects you against liability for damages if you injure another person or damage another person’s property. Home contents insurance covers damage to household belongings caused by fire, water, theft or glass breakage. It is often combined with personal liability insurance.
Dual Careers
The ZHAW supports dual-career partnerships. Dual-career couples (DCCs) are couples in which both partners hold higher education qualifications, typically academic degrees.
The ZHAW is a member of the Swiss Academic Dual Career Network (S-ADCN). The network of Swiss universities and research institutions, which was founded in 2019, supports dual-career couples. The aim of the S-ADCN is to create more favourable conditions for dual-career partnerships within the Swiss university and research sector. The network is recognised by swissuniversities, the umbrella organisation of universities in Switzerland.