Moving to Switzerland from the UK after Brexit: what you need now

For British people, moving to Switzerland from the UK used to feel like moving within Europe. Since 1 January 2021 it is a different process, and the old shortcuts are gone for new arrivals. Yet Switzerland handled Brexit better than many countries: a bilateral agreement protects those who were already there, and a dedicated UK quota keeps a door open for skilled workers. Here is the picture, as the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) describes it.

What changed for British citizens after Brexit?

The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020 and the transition period ended on 31 December 2020. Since 1 January 2021 the agreement on the free movement of persons no longer applies between Switzerland and the UK. British nationals are therefore treated as third-country nationals.

Two groups now exist:

• Those who acquired rights by 31 December 2020. A Swiss-UK agreement on acquired rights, signed on 25 February 2019 and applied since 1 January 2021, protects residence rights and other rights they already held. Family reunification remains possible under that agreement.
• Everyone who arrives after that date. They cannot rely on the agreement. To work, they must obtain an authorisation from the cantonal migration and labour market authority before starting, and meet the conditions of the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (FNIA).

If you are in the first group, you keep your status; if you are in the second, read on.

Do you keep your rights if you already live in Switzerland?

If you held rights under the free movement agreement on 31 December 2020, the 2019 citizens' rights agreement keeps them in place. In practice that means your residence status and your right to work continue as before, and your cantonal office can confirm which document proves it. Keep the papers that show when you arrived and under which permit. If you left Switzerland for a long time and want to return, do not assume the old rights are intact: ask the canton to examine your file before you travel.

How can you work in Switzerland as a British citizen?

For a salaried job, the employer files the application with the cantonal office. Several conditions apply:

1. Priority to people already on the market. The employer has to show that no one matching the profile could be found among Swiss residents or EU and EFTA citizens (article 21 FNIA).
2. Qualification and admission criteria under the Act.
3. Quotas. In 2026 the Federal Council kept a separate UK quota: 3,500 permits, of which 2,100 B permits and 1,400 L permits.

A dedicated quota is a real advantage: British applicants are not competing with all other third-country nationals for the same permits. It does not remove the need for a job offer, a qualified profile and an employer who is ready to carry the file. Your CV and your employer's file matter more than your passport.

If you are weighing an offer, a posting by a UK company, or a mix of employment and your own activity, the route is not obvious. Moovy can help you prepare questions for your employer and for the cantonal office, though only the canton can confirm that a permit will be granted.

What does moving to Switzerland from the UK look like in practice?

A realistic timeline, for a British professional with a Swiss job offer:

1. Before the offer is final, ask the employer whether it has already hired non-EU staff and whether it will file the permit request. Do not resign from your UK job until the cantonal authorisation is in hand.
2. The employer files with the cantonal migration and labour office. The authority checks the priority rule, your qualifications and the quota.
3. Entry. Short visits are governed by separate entry and visa rules, which the SEM explains on its own pages. Check them before you travel, and do not start working on a visit.
4. Once the permit is granted, you register at the commune and receive your residence card.
5. Within three months, you take out health insurance and open a bank account.
6. Within 12 months, you deal with the driving licence and the car.

The whole process can take weeks or months depending on the canton, so plan the start date with your employer rather than the other way round.

Can your family come too?

For people covered by the 2019 agreement, family reunification remains possible. For new arrivals the conditions come from the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act and depend on your permit, so ask the cantonal office before you sign anything. In both cases, schooling is organised by canton: see schools in Switzerland for expat children to compare cantons before you commit to a place.

What if you want to be self-employed?

Admission as a self-employed person depends on the economic interests of Switzerland, a viable business and sufficient independent income (article 19 FNIA). The cantonal office assesses each case, and the UK quota applies to this route too. Treat the business plan as an application document, because the canton wants to see how your activity benefits the country.

Can a British citizen retire in Switzerland?

The law has a specific category for retirees (article 28 FNIA, article 25 OASA). You must:

• be at least 55 years old;
• have particular personal ties with Switzerland, such as long past stays or close relatives who live there;
• carry out no gainful activity, in Switzerland or abroad;
• have financial means above the level that would give entitlement to supplementary benefits.

The application goes to the migration office of the canton where you want to live.

What stays the same when moving to Switzerland from the UK?

• Registration. Once you have a right to stay, you register at the commune like everyone else. See the step-by-step guide to moving to Switzerland.
• Health insurance. The LAMal obligation applies to all residents. You have three months from taking up residence; the UK GHIC covers temporary stays only. The Common Institution LAMal also mentions the UK together with the EU for cross-border workers and for pensioners living in the UK who receive a Swiss pension.
• Tax. Switzerland and the UK have a double taxation agreement, and source tax applies to foreign employees without a C permit, as for other nationalities.
• Buying property. Only British people covered by the 2019 agreement are treated like Europeans. Others must have the right to settle in Switzerland. See buying property in Switzerland.

What about your driving licence?

You can drive with your UK licence for the first 12 months of residence. Afterwards it must be exchanged. For EU and EEA licences the exchange is a formality with an eye test, but the exchange of a UK licence may require a driving test, and if you fail it you can no longer use the licence in Switzerland. The ordinance leaves the list of countries exempt from the test to the authorities, so ask the cantonal vehicle office early.

What mistakes should British people avoid?

• Moving first and sorting the permit later. The authorisation comes before work.
• Assuming you benefit from EU rights if you arrived after 2020.
• Forgetting the three-month health insurance deadline.
• Waiting too long to ask about the licence exchange.
• Ignoring a possible EU route. If you also hold EU citizenship, for example through an Irish parent, the EU rules apply to you instead.