The Swiss government has decided to increase the quota for visas issued to skilled workers who are citizens of non – EU member countries. The new quota is set to be applied starting with 2017, raising the number of visas from 6,500 to 7,500. This decision was made after various companies operating in Swiss cantons complained about the fact that their quotas have already been used for the year of 2016.
A quarter of the staff employed in Switzerland is made up of foreigners. They are the holders of a work permit and a residence permit. For foreigners who want to invest and operate their own business in Switzerland or managers of foreign companies, especially those firms generating jobs, getting the residence permit and the work permit is not a problem.
Buying properties in Switzerland, especially a house or a commercial property is not as easy as is sounds, as the Swiss real estate market is highly regulated. Owning a house in Switzerland is not something as usual. More than 60% of the people living in Switzerland usually rent their residence. Property ownership is higher in rural areas and lower in larger cities such as Basel, Zurich or Geneva, due to the constant growth in urban population over the last 50 years and the high demand of businesses looking for properties to establish a registered office in Switzerland.
If you want to live and work in Switzerland for an extensive period of time you should consider applying for the Swiss citizenship, not only for tax purposes, but also because you have easier access to the facilities offered by the Swiss government through various special programs. However, before you decide to apply for the Swiss citizenship, there are some important things that you should consider.
The Swiss have voted for the law allowing third generation immigrants to receive Swiss citizenship much easier and faster, on the referendum organized on February 12 2017.
