What do Michael Schumacher, Phil Collins, Tina Turner, David Bowie, Bernie Ecclestone, Alain Delon, Nana Mouskouri, Kimi Räikkönen, Johnny Hallyday, Lewis Hamilton, Roger Moore, Barbara Hendricks, Charles Aznavour, John Magnier, Ingvar Kamprad, Fernando Alonzo, Jacques Villeneuve, Boris Becker, James Blunt, Jean Alesi, Paloma Picasso, the Brenninkmeijer Family, Alain Prost, Rita Pavone, Marc Rich, Maurice Béjart, Mike Horn, Jackie Stewart, Marie Laforêt, Shania Twain, Frida Lyngstad, Otto Beisheim, Robert Louis Dreyfus, Nessim Gaon, to name just a few, have in common ?

They all choose to live in Switzerland.

Why Switzerland ?

If you’re wealthy, you have any number of options about where to live, all of which have their own particular charm. Some places have a wonderful location; some have favourable tax laws; some have a welcoming and accommodating culture. But the fact of the matter is this: Switzerland is already what it would be like if wealthy people could design their own country.  It has everything: wonderful winter skiing, balmy hot summers, high standards of build quality, sophisticated cities, friendly and multi-lingual people ,highly desirable political and economic stability, a very low crime rate and excellent public services. It offers schools and universities of international repute, excellent transport and communications, effective law enforcement, first-class infrastructure, excellent banking facilities and low rates of taxation. The availability of high-quality medical specialists, as well as renowned clinics and institutes using the most advanced medical technologies contribute to a public health care system among the best in the world. And, whatever the season, Switzerland offers some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

Switzerland is also a leading European location for business, with close proximity to the main European markets, high quality labour force, financial and political stability and one of the largest off-shore financial centres in the world.

The Swiss tradition of discretion and respectability is particularly important for the wealthy and famous individuals who choose to make Switzerland their home.

Switzerland has a well-known reputation for having a high standard of living, which was again proven recently, when the Swiss cities of Geneva and Zurich were determined to offer the best quality of life according to research published by Mercer Consulting in April 2006.

There are a number of good reasons to consider relocating to Switzerland :

A strategic business and scientific location

In Switzerland, you will find a meeting point of cultures, sciences, and a liberal economic environment, all located at the crossroads of the European technology axes.

High productivity combined with high quality products and services

Switzerland ranks among the world’s leading national economies with respect to the overall productivity of its labor force.

World-renowned universities, technical institutes and R&D institutions

The faster the pace of technological change, the greater role research and development activities play in making a country attractive as a business location. Switzerland is a country with significant research capabilities.

An efficient capital market and a highly professional international banking system

Switzerland is one of the world’s largest financial centers, ahead of London, New York and Frankfurt. With the prestige of is banks and stock exchange, it offers excellent opportunities not only for low-cost financing of investment transactions and international activities, but also entrepreneurial investment projects.

A social peace and a political stability

Switzerland’s efficient federal government structure gives the Cantons a considerable degree of political freedom and administrative autonomy, thereby facilitating decisions and policy-making in all areas, including issues related to foreign direct investment.

Excellent protection of intellectual property rights

Intellectual property is protected in Switzerland through a network of international treaties. The country boasts the most scientific Nobel laureates per capita.

A high standard of living

High quality homes and apartments satisfy the most demanding requirements. Personal safety and privacy are assured at all times. The public health system is world class.

Professional support and assistance

Investors are offered a number of attractive financial assistance packages. The promotion of Switzerland as a business location is closely coordinated with the private sector and the cantons. Switzerland offers direct access to essential points of contact and government agencies. Potential investors will find professional assistance throughout the investment process.

Switzerland’s geographical situation within the heart of Europe makes it an ideal business location.

Financial advantages

By European standards, taxes in Switzerland are moderate and have remained consistent over many years. In addition, there are various tax planning possibilities; in particular, Switzerland’s federal structure offers adequate latitude for healthy competition among the Swiss cantons.

The financial advantages are important enough, but Switzerland is perhaps unique among countries for offering this sensitivity towards wealth in an incomparably refined setting.

Oblivious to the trendy economic policies embraced by the rest of the world and backed by centuries of tradition, Switzerland stands as a fortress of financial restraint, political continuity and, above all, as a safe haven for private capital.

Switzerland is the world's role model for fiscal integrity. Pick any period in the last several decades, and you will find the Swiss franc has held its value better than any currency in the world. The Swiss franc has  a legal requirement that a minimum 40% is backed by gold reserves.

Switzerland is known for its wide range of first-class banking facilities which offer attractive tax benefits and interest rates, as well as very  high confidentiality. This helps to keep the Swiss Franc so strong

Switzerland values valuable citizens, and has written a tax code to allow for wealthy people to relocate and enjoy their independence relatively tax-free, without changing citizenship.

Since cantons are in a sense competing with each other to attract the most desirable individuals, some locations offer particularly striking options for wealthy retirees.  For example several cantons, including the canton of Valais, have no inheritance tax – thus wealthy citizens are free to pass their assets on to their family. 

Inheritance Tax/Estate Tax

With a change of domicile to Switzerland the Swiss rules for inheritance tax have to be taken into consideration as well. Many cantons have no inheritance tax.

Currency

Swiss Franc (CHF) currency is the worlds safest and strongest currency backed by 40% gold reserves.

The official ISO code of the currency used by banks and financial institutions is CHF, though most users of the currency, including advertisers, and stores generally use the often more common Fr. abbreviation. Some users also write SFr.. SwF has been used in some publications but is not an official abbreviation. CHF stands for “Confoederatio Helvetica franc”. Latin is used as the neutral representation of the country because the people of Switzerland speak four national languages.

The Swiss franc has historically been considered a safe haven currency with virtually zero inflation and a legal requirement that a minimum 40% is backed by gold reserves.

Swiss franc (CHF), divided into 100 centimes.

Notes:   1’000, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10 CHF

Coins:   5, 2, 1 CHF

              50, 20, 10, 5 centimes

Languages

There are four official languages in Switzerland: German, French, Italian and Romansh.

Around 70% of the population speak Swiss-German (above all in the north-west, central and eastern parts of the country), 20% French (in the west), 7% Italian (to the south of the Alps).

Airport, Transportation & Telecommunications

According to international ratings, Switzerland has the best maintained and developed infrastructure with Singapore and Finland. All of this versatility and opportunity is easily accessible within a remarkably compact border. It is actually difficult to find a place more than 90 minutes away from any one of the three main airports: Geneva, Basel or Zurich. Once you are in a city, the network of intracity public transportation on buses and trams meshes seamlessly with the national rail system, which is unrivalled in Europe. The trains always arrive and depart on time and are a great way to travel as you get to sit back and admire the beautiful scenery that Switzerland has to offer.

For more information about Switzerland, the Canton of Valais,  Canton of Vaud or other cantons, please see our deidcated pages.

Also see « How to obtain a permit to live in Switzerland ? », « Buying a property in Switzerland - Guidelines for foreigners » and « Eight pillars of success ».

Swissrelo in French