Living and Working
in Switzerland and Austria
ABOVE: Thun's dam across the
River Reuss is also used as a pedestrian bridge. (The city of Thun is a short
train ride from Bern, the capital of Switzerland.)
What skier hasn't dreamed
of owning a chalet in Switzerland, and what fan of Viennese Schrammelmusik
hasn't thought how nice it would to live in Austria? Unfortunately, turning the
dream into a reality isn't always simple. Even if you speak the local language
like a native, you've still got to deal with practical issues like visas, work
permits, relocation, and adapting to your new environment.
Switzerland
The Swiss make it very hard to establish residence as a
foreigner. University students and boarding-school pupils are welcome, and
"guest workers" in industries like tourism and construction may be able to
obtain short-term work permits, but it's extremely difficult to live in
Switzerland for an extended period unless you're a wealthy retiree or artist, a
moneyed political refugee, an employee of an international organization, or a
worker with badly needed technical skills. (Computer programmers are likely to
qualify, and dental hygienists have been known to obtain work permits.) For more
information, click the links on the page below:
Living and Working in Switzerland
Austria
Citizens of the European Union have the right to live and work
in Austria. If you're from outside the EU, you'll need to obtain a visa and--if
applicable--a work permit. The latter can be hard to obtain unless you work for
an international organization or have essential skills that Austrians and EU
citizens can't provide. For more information on living and working in European
Union countries, see the
Living/Working section of Durant Imboden's
Europe Travel Planner at
Europe for Visitors.
General
Trip Planning Index
| 