Swiss Relocation Services: Scope, Fees and What to Ask
The cost of relocation assistance depends on what needs to be coordinated. A household with an agreed work route and home has different needs from one still deciding where to live, how to obtain residence and how to organise schooling. Start with the decisions and deliverables, then compare the proposed fees.
By Move to Switzerland. Helping hundreds of people move since 2012.
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Define what you need help with
For Move to Switzerland, you can discuss residence planning, housing coordination, school choices and the practical sequence of the move. Tax, legal, banking and business matters may need separate specialist input. The actual responsibilities and scope should be confirmed for your circumstances.
Prepare a brief that names the people moving, intended arrival, current country, work or business situation and unresolved decisions. You do not need to send passports or detailed financial records in the initial website enquiry. The first conversation should establish what information is needed next.
Separate three kinds of cost
A relocation budget and an adviser’s fee are different things. Ask any provider to distinguish its own work from external charges and the household costs that would arise with or without an adviser.
| Cost category | Examples to clarify | Question for the proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Coordination or advisory work | Planning, introductions, document coordination, housing or school support | Which deliverables, time allowance and responsibilities are included? |
| External professional and official charges | Specialist advice, authority fees, translations or certification | Who appoints and pays each provider, and what requires approval? |
| Household moving costs | Removals, temporary accommodation, rent, deposits and school expenses | Which amounts are spending, which are refundable and when are they due? |
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What can change the scope
The number of family members, origin-country obligations, work route, location search and school requirements all affect the coordination needed. A compressed arrival date may create more overlapping decisions without making an authority’s process faster.
Ask how additional work is authorised if the plan changes. Examples include changing canton after a housing search, adding a company project, extending temporary accommodation or requesting more school visits. A clear change process is more useful than an attractive starting figure with unclear exclusions.
Questions to resolve in writing
Before engaging a provider, make the comparison concrete. The following questions are a proposal checklist, not a published Move to Switzerland fee schedule.
- What work will be delivered, and who is responsible for it?
- Is the fee fixed, hourly or based on another agreed arrangement?
- Are VAT, expenses and external professional fees included or separate?
- What payment milestones, cancellation terms and unused-work rules apply?
- How will a scope change be approved and priced?
- What depends on a school, landlord, bank or authority decision?
- Who holds the documents and how will sensitive information be exchanged?
Know what assistance can and cannot decide
Coordination can help a household prepare, organise and follow up. It does not give an adviser control over a residence decision, a school admission, a rental offer or a bank’s onboarding. Keep promised deliverables separate from outcomes controlled by other organisations.
Compare providers on the clarity of their work, relevant experience and communication as well as price. Ask for examples they are permitted to discuss. A real case should explain what the adviser did and which decisions were made by others.
Discuss your move with our team
We have helped hundreds of people move to Switzerland since 2012 and have offices in Zurich, Zug and Schwyz. Consultations take place online, with in-person meetings available in Zurich. Use the contact form to outline the move and the questions still open.
No standard package price is published on this page. Discuss the applicable scope and fees before committing. You can use the free budget planner to organise household costs separately from the assistance you may choose to engage.
Turn the shortlist into a plan.
Bring your target arrival, household needs and unresolved questions to a conversation with our team. Online calls are available, with in-person meetings in Zurich.
Discuss your relocationThis guide combines referenced information with practical planning suggestions. Requirements and individual decisions need checking with the responsible authority, school or qualified adviser. Offices: Zurich, Zug and Schwyz.