Relocate your business to Switzerland
Europe
Thinking about business immigration to Switzerland? Below are the residency routes for founders, investors and startups, and the set-up services a foreign-owned business needs: company registration, a bank account, tax, payroll, trademark and licences. Set-up comes first, because a company does not grant residency on its own. See also business immigration explained and relocating your business abroad.
4
national languages
26
cantons
About 11 kg
of chocolate eaten per person each year
- Capital
- Bern
- Population
- About 8.9 million
- Currency
- Swiss franc (CHF)
- Languages
- German, French, Italian, Romansh
Best things about doing business in Switzerland
- Political and financial stability
- Consistently top-ranked for innovation
- Strong in pharma, finance and precision engineering
Fun facts
- Switzerland has four national languages, and Romansh is spoken by only a small share of people.
- Bern, not Zurich or Geneva, is the capital.
Figures are rounded and approximate.
Business Setup Services
Company, bank, payroll, brand and licencesNot a residency routeWe handle company incorporation, bank account and payroll set-up, trademark filing and the licences and permits your business needs. Tell us what you need.
Cards without a "last verified" date have not been independently checked yet. Confirm the details with the official source before you act.
Warning: These do not grant residency on their own. A separate visa is required.
Company Registration
Set up your legal entity so you can operate, hire and pay tax.
Business Bank Account
Opening an account with a bank in Switzerland
Open a business bank account for your new company. ORBIZLY prepares the application, and the bank decides.
Official source: finma.ch
Employer and Payroll Registration
Registering as an employer in Switzerland
Register as an employer so you can hire and run payroll. Handled by the cantonal AHV compensation fund and the cantonal tax authority.
Official source: ahv-iv.ch
Trademark Filing
Trademark Filing (Swiss Federal Institute of IP)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: ige.ch
IP and Patent Filing
IP and Patent Filing (IPI)
Protect your invention with a patent. Filed with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property.
Official source: ige.ch
Licences
Permits that let your products and business operate legally: import permits, tax and goods/services registration, sector-specific permits, export licences, drug and health, food safety, lab test reports and product trials.
Import Permits and Importer Registration
Register as an importer and get permits for regulated goods. Handled by the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security.
Official source: bazg.admin.ch
Tax and Goods/Services Registration
Register for tax and for goods and services tax. Handled by the Federal Tax Administration (VAT registration).
Official source: estv.admin.ch
Sector-Specific Permits
Permits for regulated industries. Overseen by the sector regulator and your canton.
Official source: kmu.admin.ch
Export Licence
Get permission to export controlled goods. Handled by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
Official source: seco.admin.ch
Drug and Health Product Licence
Approval to sell medicines, devices and health products. Handled by Swissmedic.
Official source: swissmedic.ch
Food Safety Licence and Registration
Register your food business and get approval to import or sell food. Handled by the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office.
Official source: blv.admin.ch
Lab Test Reports and Product Certification
Get your product tested and certified for the market. Overseen through laboratories accredited by the Swiss Accreditation Service.
Official source: sas.admin.ch
Product Trial and Sample Approval
Approval to trial a new product before launch. Handled by Swissmedic.
Official source: swissmedic.ch
Residency & Visa Pathways
Programs that grant residenceThese grant a right to live and work in the country. Talk to an expert before you apply.
Residence Permit for Self-Employment
No fixed investment minimum, but subject to federal quotas and a requirement to demonstrate lasting benefit to the Swiss labor market.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: sem.admin.ch
Lump-Sum Taxation Residence (Cantonal)
A residency route for high-net-worth individuals who agree not to work in Switzerland — negotiated tax base varies by canton, often CHF 400,000+.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: sem.admin.ch; individual cantonal tax authorities
Questions about moving a business to Switzerland
What business immigration options are there for Switzerland?
ORBIZLY lists business and entrepreneur routes (Residence Permit for Self-Employment) and investor programs (Lump-Sum Taxation Residence (Cantonal)). Each is shown on this page with its status, the official source and when it was last verified. Rules change, so confirm the details with the official source before you apply.
Can I relocate my business to Switzerland?
It depends on your business and the route you choose, and it is really two separate things: setting up or moving the business, and getting the right to live there. Company registration, a bank account, tax and licences are the set-up side. A visa or residence permit is the residency side. Start with the free eligibility check to see which routes fit your business.
Does registering a company in Switzerland give me residency?
No. Registering a company does not give you the right to live in Switzerland on its own. Residency needs a separate visa or residence permit.
What do I need to set up a business in Switzerland?
The usual order is: plan, register the company, open the tax and bank accounts, register as an employer, protect your brand, then get any licences and permits. For Switzerland, ORBIZLY lists company registration, drug and health licences, export licence, food safety, ip and patent filing, import permits, lab test reports, business bank account, product trials, employer and payroll registration, sector-specific permits, tax and goods/services registration, and trademark filing. Government fees are paid to the authorities and are separate from ORBIZLY's fees.
How do I start moving my business to Switzerland?
Take the free eligibility check, which takes about three minutes, or book a free 15-minute discovery call. ORBIZLY then shows which routes look like a fit and what to do first. ORBIZLY gives directional guidance and is not a law firm or immigration adviser.
Dreaming of Switzerland?
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Brands built in Switzerland
Well-known companies from Switzerland, including unicorns and businesses that grew a global presence.
Nestlé
The world's largest food and beverage company
Roche
Pharmaceuticals and diagnostics
Logitech
Computer accessories sold worldwide
On
Running shoes and apparel, founded in Zurich
Rolex
Luxury watches
Examples only. Logos belong to their owners and are shown to identify the companies. A unicorn is a private start-up valued above US$1 billion at some point.
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