Hi Olivia. Am your new subscriber. This content help me a lot. Swiss 🇨🇭 is one of my dream countries to work or study. Thank you for sharing this great video. Keep up! 🍵
This video was so helpful! I moved to Geneva a few weeks ago and am currently apartment hunting. I will definitely keep in mind about French intensive classes ❤ merci
Good luck! Don’t stress about the search, the right one will come to you in due time. And yes intensive classes (at l’ecole Migros) is fantastic. Do also consider trying out Lingoda: there’s a free 1 week trial and u get 20% off with my code OLLIECHINNY for ur first month of subscription. Bone chance! 🤞🏻🍀
Geneva is a bit special when it comes to languages. Speaking English is ok if you work in an international environment - but when it comes to spending the money you earn - from groceries, restaurants, and rent - without French, you will find it extremely difficult.
Switzerland's social system is very complex, especially for foreigners freshly arriving. Choose wisely your healthcare insurance (mandatory) + complementary insurance (non mandatory but very important). Very complex social system but very safe for anyone living in Switzerland :)
I like you and your channel ❤ I'm 45, a Ukrainian war refugee in Switzerland. I was able to learn German from 0 and prove my level with telc test to level B2 in two years. I took sooo long because you can't hear German on the streets of Bern, only Bärndütsch 😂 I hope to find a job in the office. And I'm so tired to work on the farm because I'm not used to it. All my life I was a lawyer...
Great video, Olivia! I love how you shared such practical advice for anyone planning a move to Switzerland. Sorting out the bureaucracy and the language aspect are definitely key points that I hear often from expats I work with. It’s inspiring to see how you’ve adapted over the years - your honesty about the challenges really helps others know what to expect. Thanks for being so open and encouraging - it makes a huge difference for those considering this big step!
You’re most welcome here, even if not everybody reflects it in your everyday life. They don’t know better. And I’m sorry. Keep up the good work. You’re doing fabulously
@@MsDesiree39 that’s different. The hostility and racism are often displayed with no filter. You may have the odd one out here but the Swiss are generally rather friendly. It’s hard to break into long established social circles but it can be done. Not in many asian countries
@@MFTH-cam683 well that was my point, even people who are half asian experience racism there. I live in Canad, the majority of racists i meet are asian, they seem to forget tht they dont have to stay here with that attitude, move back to Asia.
Thanks for sharing! Every point is spot on and anyone who plans to move here (especially from SEA) should take note. And yea, I miss the hawker centers!
Great video ! Im a canadian citizen with dual citizenship for switzerland, and im considering moving there permanently as canada is really going downhill fast. Thanks for all the information !!
@career5690 Our current prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is unfortunately destroying this country. There is an extreme lack of housing as they are allowing hundreds of thousands of immigrants into the country each year ( In 2023, 470k entered Canada). Lack of jobs and high cost of living has made life miserable for Canadians. On the bright side, our next election is in October 2025, and the Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, will be the new PM it seems as Trudeaus approval rating is less than 20%. I love this country, but I don't love the direction it's heading in. Statistics Canada says by the year 2041, over 50% of the population will be immigrants (mainly indians) if we continue on the path we are now. Poilievre is our only hope to get this country back.
@mariaagosti-pm7tk Are you guys being taxed to the point of people working full-time jobs and unable to afford a home to buy, or even rent? Do you have insane amounts of homelessness? Does switzerland allow in hundreds of thousands of immigrants each year ? Do re offending criminals get the opportunity to be released back into the public in less than 24 hours ? I've lived in Switzerland when I was younger, and it was amazing. I'm 30 now and so sick of this country and what our PM is doing to this once great country😔 Our main languages in Canada are English and French, yet at hockey games the anthem has been played in English and Punjabi only, which is so disrespectful to French-Canadian history. Areas of Toronto are being renamed to Indian names, all with the support of Justin Trudeau.
@@bewree Yes, Switzerland has one of the lowest home owner percentage in Europe. Rent for apartments are crazy expensive because many people cant afford to buy a house here so rent increases due to many people haunting for renting apartments at the same time. Be aware that 26 percent of people living in Switzerland are foreigners. So you will not escape the migration crisis, many people here in Switzerland came from countries such as Albania or Bosnia, so we also have many muslims living here. Taxes depend on the canton you are living in and it is not cheap for everyone. Forget the Canadian dream here, many thing you are sick of in Canada will present itself here in another form. I hope you are aware how many people in Europe would love to migrate to Canada.
New subscriber! Thank you for the helpful information. I plan to visit Zurich soon. Austria is another country I really enjoyed so knowing that learning German will help me in both places is a win! Thank you 🫶🏽
What a novelty. A young beautiful intelligent person moving to Switzerland and talking about "how to integrate" to fit into this new environment. The far majority of such videos accuse the Swiss of not being tolerant of them being "different" and of course - blaming gender, race, nationality, and any other reason other than themselves.
Well she talking about how to integrate doesnt contradict the fact that most swiss are intolerant towards foreigners. Generally speaking switzerland is a very close minded nation and her video doesnt change it
@@Hnsl_beExactly. This is what passes for logic among the Swiss. A basic inability to acknowledge any faults and an extremely high opinion of their own goodness are on clear display.
Experienced some racism in less touristy areas as a singaporean chinese. One coop cashier at sihlcity even threw away my receipt when i wanted to exchange the beer. Then he kept the beer at one corner and did not pass it back to me. Until I requested for a english speaking person, same guy scanned a product twice for my sister. My sister had to call him out of that. I thought only older folks behave like this....
Mostly spot on, but to add my bits (been in Geneva for several months now) - 1) The conclusion about appts might be wrong depending on how much money you have to spend. Short term rent, both Airbnb and 3month+ appartments are quite expensive and not all the airbnb can allow you to apply for a permit. Plus, if you are with kids, they need to go to School ASAP, so its tight. Also, its worth spending some time exploring doctors before making a decision, best way is to find smb that your friends know, and then decide. But you will likely not have friends yet. So again, difficult.
Its quite ironic that as a singapore girl you mention how much expensive Switzerland is, For us Singapore belongs to the most expensive places in the world too, I never thought there is such a huge gap between those two countries.
Singapore IS costly for certain things like housing, and esp for cars. But the SIGNIFICANT difference is that in Singapore: you have a range: you can choose to live like a king but at the same time and there are CHEAP options like hawker centres, affordable public transport. In Switzerland unfortunately i don’t find it such the case. Even very basic food/takeout is really costly here, and transport cost is minimally 2CHF (3SGD)for a 10 min ride which is the cost of travelling from jurong to pasir ris LOL
We brought over all our furniture because it was part of the relocation package😄 Without that we would have just bought 2nd hand items like you suggested.
I did the same thing for the first five apartments that I got in Geneva because I did a lot of moving around and changing jobs and even went back to the United States to get some litigation experience which my firm allowed me to do and then rehired me when I returned.
Helpful info. My great great grandfather, Gabriel, immigrated from Switzerland to the US at 16 yo with his parents and 9 younger siblings. They were from Canton Uri (German). I laughed when you said the French side is laid back and the German side is “uptight” 😂😂😂. I am starting a German class in a couple weeks. Luckily, my state has tons of German folks that settled here and it’s still spoken.
All depends what you look for in Switzerland. There are always advantages and inconveniences. For a lot of people, Switzerland offers far more advantages than inconveniences. Given the high living standards, everything is pricy.
I am a non EU-EFTA citizen myself from Singapore and I still managed to get my permanent residency in 5 years :) @@earthchanger it is not the same as citizenship though which i do not intend to renounce my current citizenship.
@@Olliechinny yeah Singapore does not allow dual citizenship and through my research on best countries I come on Switzerland and Singapore i choose Switzerland because it allows dual citizenship however I am Indian But sadly India does not allow dual citizenship. And Switzerland as EFTA country citizens will have freedom of movement and work in EU/EFTA region and It is hard to find homes in Singapore on ground because I always love to have House on lands multi-storey Apartments are not my type. But in taxes, buisness,and rest of all things Singapore is slightly better or same in comparison with Switzerland..and as a mountain lover and trekker Switzerland is also a heaven..but how you manage to get permanent residence in 5 years because as far as know for non EU/efta without marriage with swiss national it would 10 years of residence in Switzerland to obtain permanent residence.. don't mind but can I ask you why you moved to Switzerland because I feel like Singapore Itself is quite best.
While I generally agree with your points, it's absolutely worth mentioning that while there are definitely differences between German, French, and Italian speaking Switzerland, they are more similar to each other than Deutschschweiz is to Germany, Romandie/Welschland is to France, and especially Tessin to Italy (they really don't like being associated with Italy). There are of course jokes about how everyone in Welschland hates Geneva and says it's basically France and everyone in Deutschschweiz hates Zürich, but that's a different conversation
Hey Olivia. I'm your your subscriber for quite a few months. You are videos are so helpful and informative ❤. I heard that if international students come to study there, they need to wait atleast 6months to get a part time, Is it true? If yes, what can we do to support our lifestyle before we get a job?
Yes, if you are from non EU/EFTA countries there is a six month period before u can apply for part time job. There is also a limit of 15 hour per week during studies and 100 hours during semester break. You can cut on cost by not eating out, shopping at cheaper supermarkets (or even in France). Transport wise get the half fare card.
@@Olliechinny Thank you for answering my question and for your valuable explanation ❤. Are we not allowed to do even remote jobs like pet walkers/selling our own products(small business or something).
Before moving, try to find a bank willing to open an account for an U.S. citizen. Since FATCA was enacted many banks stopped offering services to U.S. citizens due to legal risks.
@@CoreyDiMauro As part of the public services PostFinance has to offer you a basic account. Last time I checked that included a debit card and e-banking access. I'm not sure about the current terms and conditions, so I would recommend checking it out.
To make good friends pick a hobby/interest and join the associated Verein (Association in french?) - its a great way to get to know other people and they you. There are Vereins for everything and any activity.
Hey I’m moving to vernier in Geneva in 10 days! I’m so scared but I’m going for university and I don’t know French! Do you think it is hard to communicate in English with others?
No it isn't going to be hard. Most people in Geneva speak english, at least at a basic level. Especially if you are going to UNIGE, most of the students speak it, and there will be other students that will only speak it (because they come to anther country / canton). You can easily hear a lot of groups of students only speaking english, and most of them will be happy to guide you (depending on your faculty, if it's medicine, then it's going to be different). Some courses are also available in english (again, depending on your class options). The renting, groceries and insurances are expensives, even for genevians. And Vernier isn't quite close to the uni's, so you will need to look at "Abonnement TPG" (which is a subscribtion that will allow you to take all of the public transports (TPG = public transports of geneva)) which should cost you around 50 CHF per month, but without it you will not be able to navigate around the city, and it's way cheaper than paying a ticket every time you need to take a tram or a bus. There will be probably around 30min to get from where you live to uni, depending on the traffic (which is horrible from 6:00 to 8:00 and 16:00 to 18:30) Good luck for you, it's a beautiful city and the uni's are cool ! You will be able to learn french along the way, but most of french speakers, at the very moment they will hear a bit of accent or grammar mistake and realize that you are not native french speaker, will directly talk to you in english xD So try to tell them that you need to talk to learn. Hope you will find your stay amazing !
Hi, I'm new year. Excellent video. One question: what was the reason, why you leaved SG? I've been in both countries twice and I would always prefer SG over Switzerland I guess. Thank you
Très bien, Je me souviens vaguement le bâtiment de l'alliance française à Singapour possède plusieurs étages dont un étage entire dédié intégralement à une galerie d'art.
Could you please share some links to useful websites where you can find affordable flats for rent and maybe also some websites for second hand furniture? That would be very helpful from you :)
Hi, This question is vital for me. I am working in a canton (non EU) with a valid B permit tied to my employer. I got an offer from another employer in another canton. Has anyone had this experience? If so, could you please share how long did the transfer of work permit took? (like I hope it takes a few days, but can’t be sure - and for a reason it needs to be very fast)
many people live outside and still work in the city since switzerland is so small and public transportation is very high standard you can easily commute within a reasonable time
Well, Switzerland doesn't really do 'large cities' in the sense of London, Paris, New York etc. They're still cities but not as huge. As the other person said, the public transport is top notch and you can easily live in a suburb (or called 'agglomeration' here) and be in the city center within 15 minutes by train. It also depends what kind of work you're looking fo, but there's many smaller cities with alot of working offers. So your point of residence isn't as a big a factor as in other countries due to Switzerland being quite small. Well, unless you want to go from Geneva to Chur, that's quite the travel. (pretty much leftmost city to rightmost city) But Agglomeration or even some of the smaller cities/villages somehwhat near a bigger city are perfectly fine places to live and vastly cheaper. I'd actively recommend against going into a city by car as parking space is VERY limited and VERY expensive. And the trend is to eliminate as many car-parking spaces as possible, especially in Basel. But again, public transport is very good and frequent.
Wait, I need a family doctor? Been living here in Switzerland without a physician for the better part of 10 years. Then again I've been living here for all my life, might be easier to do that this way. And yes tha language part is very important, so yeah starting as early as possible is a good thing to do, at least on of 3 main ones. Depends very much on the place you end up living.
You should get a general practicing doctor (Hausarzt / Médicien de famille) and go to him when you feel ill. In most cases he'll be able to help you, and if it's someting a specialst should check he'll arange that for you. The emergency reception at hospitals should be for, well, emergencies only.
@@Andreas_42 Agreed, but I've been on the waiting-list to get a Hausarzt for the better part of 1.5 years now. Hell I'll move again before I get approved to one. Plus there were two visits in the emergency room over the past 3 years, one ended in me rolling into the OP room 1 hour after entering the hospital, the other was a broken hand. Both cases the Hausarzt would have refereed me to the hospital.
Your remark about the english language in Switzerland was kind of special tbh. Switzerland is NOT an english speaking country ( never was) like the UK, the bigger part of Canada or even Singapore, where it may be one of the official languages. The four official languages are german, french, italian and rumantsch. Switzerland has lot of english speaking expats though, for example in Basel ( pharmaceutic industry), Zurich and Zug because of the finance sector and finally Geneva because of its International Organizations. But usually, Swiss speak their german dialect, french or italian. A big part of the population is multilingual - german/french/english, frenxh/german/english, italian/german/english.
It is possible to live your life in Geneva without knowing French and getting by in English. I’ve lived in Geneva since 1980 and noticed that. Expats on short-term assignments usually don’t bother to integrate as far as learning French. Of course, such a person misses out on many aspects of local life.
I am currently studying in the US and it's a dream to move to Switzerland in 5 years or so with my husband. Is my only option for a visa to get sponsored by an employer on a work visa?
Hi! Love your Chanel! I messaged you on ig but guess you don’t Check those . Just want to know where I can find a agent to find a apartment and such . Thanks !
>people don't understand english wha.. >I had to learn french ah, french part. figures. They all know english, they just pretend they don't because they're french :D
Les amis passé font partie de notre construction et même si c'est une fois tous les 5 ans toujours garder un contacte. Ils font tous un peu partie de ce nous sommes.
Of course I did and alr took preparatory classes before moving officially. However the lessons were not as helpful as immersing and taking intensive course here in Switzerland.
If you did not know things you just did not take the time for It. The first thing you must do before relocating IS gather info about the new country. However, I understand that complaining is much easier.
There are way to many coming to MY country that my anchestors have built to what it is today. Most of them are economically speaking a drain as their tax contribution is inferior to what they cost to the country - there is no benefit to Switzerland as a nation but for some -often foreign - companies it makes sense. The avarge Swiss person suffers from overcrowding, high rents, crime, less untouched landscape, social separation and there is more. It’s time to stop and reduce!
The killer for us is too many rules (maybe it's just a german side thing), no noise between 10PM and 7AM? I understand it if you live in flats .... but really? Put it down in black-and-white somewhere? And an ugly undercurrent of patriarchy. Is that also on the French side?
I don't get it. Why do many people choose to stay in Switzerland and not go to bigger countries like USA, UK or Canada where there are much more opportunities in terms of career?
Sometimes career is not the be all and end all for everyone. Uk: never will move to the UK. much lower salaries than Switzerland US: unstable political environment, lots of hate crimes against Asians. Canada: I actually like Canada and wouldn’t mind if an opportunity comes
@@OlliechinnyIt seems to me you have an aversion towards bigger countries. And by the way, most of the reasons you stated concerning the UK and the US are just based on false rumours and not facts. There are many high earners in the UK as well as many successful Asians in the US. You came to Switzerland probably because of the ''high salary'' cliche when in reality it's only about 15% of Switzerland that earns really ''high''.
@@hk254lyt8Sure but would you say a big country such as the USA has more or less career/business opportunities than Switzerland, a relatively small country?
@@JonGreeny I think USA has more career opportunities but sometimes it’s not just about how easy it is to get a job in a country. Personally I wouldn’t live or work in the USA too
In emergency there are cheap hotels 10-20 minutes by train from the city (close to the station). You can now open a bank account online (and on-site Postbank; the easiest/ fastes). Most important website: comparis Regarding food, you can go once a week to some poor country... Germany? :D Just don't smuggle meat(!)better weapons and drugs (lesser crime :D)
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Hi Olivia. Am your new subscriber. This content help me a lot. Swiss 🇨🇭 is one of my dream countries to work or study. Thank you for sharing this great video. Keep up! 🍵
Best of luck!
Swiss is an adjective. The name of the country is Switzerland.
Hi have u ever been to switzerland
This video was so helpful! I moved to Geneva a few weeks ago and am currently apartment hunting. I will definitely keep in mind about French intensive classes ❤ merci
Good luck! Don’t stress about the search, the right one will come to you in due time. And yes intensive classes (at l’ecole Migros) is fantastic. Do also consider trying out Lingoda: there’s a free 1 week trial and u get 20% off with my code OLLIECHINNY for ur first month of subscription.
Bone chance! 🤞🏻🍀
Geneva is a bit special when it comes to languages. Speaking English is ok if you work in an international environment - but when it comes to spending the money you earn - from groceries, restaurants, and rent - without French, you will find it extremely difficult.
Hello!! how was it to adapt yourself there?
This video was for sure informative! I’m considering the move to Züri in about 2 years. So this helps me weigh out the pros and cons. 😊 ❤
Glad it was helpful! You can always support my channel with a subscribe or by buying me a coffee. Best of luck with your move 🌎✈️🇨🇭
Dont come!
@@vitabella6481Yeah i wouldn't recommend
Why not? @@vitabella6481
Switzerland's social system is very complex, especially for foreigners freshly arriving. Choose wisely your healthcare insurance (mandatory) + complementary insurance (non mandatory but very important). Very complex social system but very safe for anyone living in Switzerland :)
Can you please share some more on what is complex part and how to navigate through that? It'll be very helpful 😊
You don’t need those friends when you’re the only one reaching out to them. It’s awesome you moved to Switzerland and started a new life there!
I like you and your channel ❤
I'm 45, a Ukrainian war refugee in Switzerland. I was able to learn German from 0 and prove my level with telc test to level B2 in two years. I took sooo long because you can't hear German on the streets of Bern, only Bärndütsch 😂
I hope to find a job in the office. And I'm so tired to work on the farm because I'm not used to it. All my life I was a lawyer...
Good luck brother
Isthere any chance to be a swiss lawyer, do you know how long does it take
@@tarasmith9060you’d likely have to pass the bar exam.
Hope you’re doing well
@tarasmith9060 yes, of course, after 5 years on university 😂❤
I'll be 51😂
Very informative. Clear and straight to the points. Definitely will be a useful video from time to time. Thanks Olivia
Thank you! ❤
Great video, Olivia! I love how you shared such practical advice for anyone planning a move to Switzerland. Sorting out the bureaucracy and the language aspect are definitely key points that I hear often from expats I work with. It’s inspiring to see how you’ve adapted over the years - your honesty about the challenges really helps others know what to expect. Thanks for being so open and encouraging - it makes a huge difference for those considering this big step!
You’re most welcome here, even if not everybody reflects it in your everyday life. They don’t know better. And I’m sorry. Keep up the good work. You’re doing fabulously
I appreciate that, thank you! 🙏
if a ffoireigner moved to an asian country they're not friendlier, tbh.
@@MsDesiree39 that’s different. The hostility and racism are often displayed with no filter. You may have the odd one out here but the Swiss are generally rather friendly. It’s hard to break into long established social circles but it can be done. Not in many asian countries
@@MFTH-cam683 well that was my point, even people who are half asian experience racism there. I live in Canad, the majority of racists i meet are asian, they seem to forget tht they dont have to stay here with that attitude, move back to Asia.
Thanks for sharing! Every point is spot on and anyone who plans to move here (especially from SEA) should take note. And yea, I miss the hawker centers!
We hope you take notice and DONT COME to Switzerland.
Great video ! Im a canadian citizen with dual citizenship for switzerland, and im considering moving there permanently as canada is really going downhill fast. Thanks for all the information !!
And here I was thinking about relocating to Canada.
@career5690 Our current prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is unfortunately destroying this country. There is an extreme lack of housing as they are allowing hundreds of thousands of immigrants into the country each year ( In 2023, 470k entered Canada). Lack of jobs and high cost of living has made life miserable for Canadians. On the bright side, our next election is in October 2025, and the Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, will be the new PM it seems as Trudeaus approval rating is less than 20%. I love this country, but I don't love the direction it's heading in. Statistics Canada says by the year 2041, over 50% of the population will be immigrants (mainly indians) if we continue on the path we are now. Poilievre is our only hope to get this country back.
Yo, Switzerland is not that great, its safe here but very boring, just like Canada. There is no huge difference.
@mariaagosti-pm7tk Are you guys being taxed to the point of people working full-time jobs and unable to afford a home to buy, or even rent? Do you have insane amounts of homelessness? Does switzerland allow in hundreds of thousands of immigrants each year ? Do re offending criminals get the opportunity to be released back into the public in less than 24 hours ? I've lived in Switzerland when I was younger, and it was amazing. I'm 30 now and so sick of this country and what our PM is doing to this once great country😔 Our main languages in Canada are English and French, yet at hockey games the anthem has been played in English and Punjabi only, which is so disrespectful to French-Canadian history. Areas of Toronto are being renamed to Indian names, all with the support of Justin Trudeau.
@@bewree Yes, Switzerland has one of the lowest home owner percentage in Europe. Rent for apartments are crazy expensive because many people cant afford to buy a house here so rent increases due to many people haunting for renting apartments at the same time. Be aware that 26 percent of people living in Switzerland are foreigners. So you will not escape the migration crisis, many people here in Switzerland came from countries such as Albania or Bosnia, so we also have many muslims living here. Taxes depend on the canton you are living in and it is not cheap for everyone. Forget the Canadian dream here, many thing you are sick of in Canada will present itself here in another form. I hope you are aware how many people in Europe would love to migrate to Canada.
New subscriber! Thank you for the helpful information. I plan to visit Zurich soon. Austria is another country I really enjoyed so knowing that learning German will help me in both places is a win! Thank you 🫶🏽
Welcome!
Go to China and don't speak Chinese. Good luck!
I have been to German side and Lugano, Bellinzona and so on , so far I love the Italian swiss
Which place is italian side??
@Chakra777 the side when you cross andermatt region and enter Lugano, bellinzona and then further to Italy until lake como
What a novelty. A young beautiful intelligent person moving to Switzerland and talking about "how to integrate" to fit into this new environment. The far majority of such videos accuse the Swiss of not being tolerant of them being "different" and of course - blaming gender, race, nationality, and any other reason other than themselves.
🙏 thank you!
Well she talking about how to integrate doesnt contradict the fact that most swiss are intolerant towards foreigners. Generally speaking switzerland is a very close minded nation and her video doesnt change it
@@Hnsl_beExactly. This is what passes for logic among the Swiss. A basic inability to acknowledge any faults and an extremely high opinion of their own goodness are on clear display.
Experienced some racism in less touristy areas as a singaporean chinese. One coop cashier at sihlcity even threw away my receipt when i wanted to exchange the beer. Then he kept the beer at one corner and did not pass it back to me. Until I requested for a english speaking person, same guy scanned a product twice for my sister. My sister had to call him out of that. I thought only older folks behave like this....
I mean she doesn't look that good and how do you know she is intelligent? You have never even met her in person.
Mostly spot on, but to add my bits (been in Geneva for several months now) -
1) The conclusion about appts might be wrong depending on how much money you have to spend. Short term rent, both Airbnb and 3month+ appartments are quite expensive and not all the airbnb can allow you to apply for a permit. Plus, if you are with kids, they need to go to School ASAP, so its tight.
Also, its worth spending some time exploring doctors before making a decision, best way is to find smb that your friends know, and then decide. But you will likely not have friends yet. So again, difficult.
Hi, I got an offer from a company in Geneva, but to make a well informed decision, would be helpful if we could connect, let me know, thank you!
Hi can we comnect looking for some information to migrate with children thank you.
Your VDO is really helpful ! Thank you so much Olivia👍😁
Its quite ironic that as a singapore girl you mention how much expensive Switzerland is, For us Singapore belongs to the most expensive places in the world too, I never thought there is such a huge gap between those two countries.
Singapore IS costly for certain things like housing, and esp for cars. But the SIGNIFICANT difference is that in Singapore: you have a range: you can choose to live like a king but at the same time and there are CHEAP options like hawker centres, affordable public transport.
In Switzerland unfortunately i don’t find it such the case. Even very basic food/takeout is really costly here, and transport cost is minimally 2CHF (3SGD)for a 10 min ride which is the cost of travelling from jurong to pasir ris LOL
We brought over all our furniture because it was part of the relocation package😄 Without that we would have just bought 2nd hand items like you suggested.
Lucky u had a relocation package too! Where are u living in Switzerland? 🙂
We are based in Neuchâtel 😊
thank u so much for this, olivia!
With pleasure!
I did the same thing for the first five apartments that I got in Geneva because I did a lot of moving around and changing jobs and even went back to the United States to get some litigation experience which my firm allowed me to do and then rehired me when I returned.
Helpful info. My great great grandfather, Gabriel, immigrated from Switzerland to the US at 16 yo with his parents and 9 younger siblings. They were from Canton Uri (German). I laughed when you said the French side is laid back and the German side is “uptight” 😂😂😂. I am starting a German class in a couple weeks. Luckily, my state has tons of German folks that settled here and it’s still spoken.
Good luck with German!! It takes alot of effort to learn a new language ❤
All depends what you look for in Switzerland. There are always advantages and inconveniences. For a lot of people, Switzerland offers far more advantages than inconveniences. Given the high living standards, everything is pricy.
_Jeûne fédéral_ is a holiday in some protestant Cantons like Vaud, but not Bern, and Geneva, which has its own version of it _jeûne genevois_
Nice video ❤
Can you make video about how to make friends in Zurich and things about swiss citizenship.
Please keep a look out for my next video where I talk about how I obtained my swiss permanent residency ❤
@@Olliechinnythanks, as an non EU/efta citizen It would take me to 11-12 years to get swiss citizenship but Living in Switzerland is itself a heaven.
I am a non EU-EFTA citizen myself from Singapore and I still managed to get my permanent residency in 5 years :) @@earthchanger it is not the same as citizenship though which i do not intend to renounce my current citizenship.
@@Olliechinny yeah Singapore does not allow dual citizenship and through my research on best countries I come on Switzerland and Singapore i choose Switzerland because it allows dual citizenship however I am Indian But sadly India does not allow dual citizenship. And Switzerland as EFTA country citizens will have freedom of movement and work in EU/EFTA region and It is hard to find homes in Singapore on ground because I always love to have House on lands multi-storey Apartments are not my type. But in taxes, buisness,and rest of all things Singapore is slightly better or same in comparison with Switzerland..and as a mountain lover and trekker Switzerland is also a heaven..but how you manage to get permanent residence in 5 years because as far as know for non EU/efta without marriage with swiss national it would 10 years of residence in Switzerland to obtain permanent residence.. don't mind but can I ask you why you moved to Switzerland because I feel like Singapore Itself is quite best.
@@earthchangerthanks! I will answer everything in my coming video
While I generally agree with your points, it's absolutely worth mentioning that while there are definitely differences between German, French, and Italian speaking Switzerland, they are more similar to each other than Deutschschweiz is to Germany, Romandie/Welschland is to France, and especially Tessin to Italy (they really don't like being associated with Italy). There are of course jokes about how everyone in Welschland hates Geneva and says it's basically France and everyone in Deutschschweiz hates Zürich, but that's a different conversation
Which place is Italian and deutsch?? I would like to relocate and I speak the both language
Hey Olivia. I'm your your subscriber for quite a few months. You are videos are so helpful and informative ❤. I heard that if international students come to study there, they need to wait atleast 6months to get a part time, Is it true? If yes, what can we do to support our lifestyle before we get a job?
Yes, if you are from non EU/EFTA countries there is a six month period before u can apply for part time job. There is also a limit of 15 hour per week during studies and 100 hours during semester break.
You can cut on cost by not eating out, shopping at cheaper supermarkets (or even in France). Transport wise get the half fare card.
@@Olliechinny Thank you for answering my question and for your valuable explanation ❤. Are we not allowed to do even remote jobs like pet walkers/selling our own products(small business or something).
Can u make a video on how can international students save money like hacks and tricks and also about expenses and monthly wage
I would love to hear about this as a prospective student!
Stay home!
Is it possible to move to Switzerland from the U.S. with pets? I am hoping and praying to come. I’m learning German and Swiss German.
Yes u can tons of people have moved with their pets! Good luck too with learning swiss German! 🤞🏻
Before moving, try to find a bank willing to open an account for an U.S. citizen. Since FATCA was enacted many banks stopped offering services to U.S. citizens due to legal risks.
What is your method for learning currently? Online classes? In person?
@@Andreas_42 Does this include PostFinance?
@@CoreyDiMauro As part of the public services PostFinance has to offer you a basic account. Last time I checked that included a debit card and e-banking access. I'm not sure about the current terms and conditions, so I would recommend checking it out.
Hi Olivia, great video ! Does Swiss Italians speak like any person in Italy or is it a dialect like Bärn Deutsch ?
I feel you with the Friendship part. Same. 🥁🤡😎👍
CAN YOU PLEASE explain the cantons how its divided and stuff
Google is your friend 😂
Thanks for your prompt presentation. I have been in Singapore a few times. It seems there is no further affinity to me.
To make good friends pick a hobby/interest and join the associated Verein (Association in french?) - its a great way to get to know other people and they you. There are Vereins for everything and any activity.
I never knew this, thank you!
Im from singapore and i found your video so helpful and inspiring
Awesome! Thank you!
Hey I’m moving to vernier in Geneva in 10 days! I’m so scared but I’m going for university and I don’t know French! Do you think it is hard to communicate in English with others?
Not lying to you but yes it will be hard. Please invest time and money in learning French, it will be worth it.
No it isn't going to be hard. Most people in Geneva speak english, at least at a basic level. Especially if you are going to UNIGE, most of the students speak it, and there will be other students that will only speak it (because they come to anther country / canton). You can easily hear a lot of groups of students only speaking english, and most of them will be happy to guide you (depending on your faculty, if it's medicine, then it's going to be different). Some courses are also available in english (again, depending on your class options). The renting, groceries and insurances are expensives, even for genevians. And Vernier isn't quite close to the uni's, so you will need to look at "Abonnement TPG" (which is a subscribtion that will allow you to take all of the public transports (TPG = public transports of geneva)) which should cost you around 50 CHF per month, but without it you will not be able to navigate around the city, and it's way cheaper than paying a ticket every time you need to take a tram or a bus. There will be probably around 30min to get from where you live to uni, depending on the traffic (which is horrible from 6:00 to 8:00 and 16:00 to 18:30) Good luck for you, it's a beautiful city and the uni's are cool ! You will be able to learn french along the way, but most of french speakers, at the very moment they will hear a bit of accent or grammar mistake and realize that you are not native french speaker, will directly talk to you in english xD So try to tell them that you need to talk to learn. Hope you will find your stay amazing !
Hi, I'm new year. Excellent video. One question: what was the reason, why you leaved SG? I've been in both countries twice and I would always prefer SG over Switzerland I guess.
Thank you
Spouse’s work.
Très bien, Je me souviens vaguement le bâtiment de l'alliance française à Singapour possède plusieurs étages dont un étage entire dédié intégralement à une galerie d'art.
Could you please share some links to useful websites where you can find affordable flats for rent and maybe also some websites for second hand furniture? That would be very helpful from you :)
Facebook groups has tons of people selling second hand furniture!
Hi, This question is vital for me. I am working in a canton (non EU) with a valid B permit tied to my employer. I got an offer from another employer in another canton. Has anyone had this experience? If so, could you please share how long did the transfer of work permit took? (like I hope it takes a few days, but can’t be sure - and for a reason it needs to be very fast)
Would you have a list of the things to do upon moving that you mention ?
Well done!
Hey 😊! I am from Sri Lanka. Is it hard to come swizterland for a pharmaceutical Master degree ,as a Sri Lankan...??❤
It may be difficult, but I think I can handle immigrating from Israel to Switzerland.
Your video was very useful for me.
Me too!!!!
🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸
Please don’t come here
@@larabazzi4440😂😂
Thanks for sharing. Which city are you staying in.
Wow amazing tips
Good luck !. 🙏🤞 !.
More interested in what the locals think ? Nobody seems to be on the same page ?
Hi how do i get a relocation package?? Get a farm job really appreciate any information i can get.
Do you need to be in a large city for
Work? Or is it possible
To live outside the city & find employment?
These are great questions being asked.
many people live outside and still work in the city since switzerland is so small and public transportation is very high standard you can easily commute within a reasonable time
Well, Switzerland doesn't really do 'large cities' in the sense of London, Paris, New York etc. They're still cities but not as huge. As the other person said, the public transport is top notch and you can easily live in a suburb (or called 'agglomeration' here) and be in the city center within 15 minutes by train. It also depends what kind of work you're looking fo, but there's many smaller cities with alot of working offers. So your point of residence isn't as a big a factor as in other countries due to Switzerland being quite small.
Well, unless you want to go from Geneva to Chur, that's quite the travel. (pretty much leftmost city to rightmost city)
But Agglomeration or even some of the smaller cities/villages somehwhat near a bigger city are perfectly fine places to live and vastly cheaper. I'd actively recommend against going into a city by car as parking space is VERY limited and VERY expensive. And the trend is to eliminate as many car-parking spaces as possible, especially in Basel. But again, public transport is very good and frequent.
Wait, I need a family doctor? Been living here in Switzerland without a physician for the better part of 10 years. Then again I've been living here for all my life, might be easier to do that this way.
And yes tha language part is very important, so yeah starting as early as possible is a good thing to do, at least on of 3 main ones. Depends very much on the place you end up living.
You should get a general practicing doctor (Hausarzt / Médicien de famille) and go to him when you feel ill. In most cases he'll be able to help you, and if it's someting a specialst should check he'll arange that for you. The emergency reception at hospitals should be for, well, emergencies only.
@@Andreas_42 Agreed, but I've been on the waiting-list to get a Hausarzt for the better part of 1.5 years now. Hell I'll move again before I get approved to one.
Plus there were two visits in the emergency room over the past 3 years, one ended in me rolling into the OP room 1 hour after entering the hospital, the other was a broken hand. Both cases the Hausarzt would have refereed me to the hospital.
Hey I just want to study and go back to my country , so how is the teaching , exams or research like ? Is it difficult ?
Your remark about the english language in Switzerland was kind of special tbh. Switzerland is NOT an english speaking country ( never was) like the UK, the bigger part of Canada or even Singapore, where it may be one of the official languages. The four official languages are german, french, italian and rumantsch. Switzerland has lot of english speaking expats though, for example in Basel ( pharmaceutic industry), Zurich and Zug because of the finance sector and finally Geneva because of its International Organizations. But usually, Swiss speak their german dialect, french or italian. A big part of the population is multilingual - german/french/english, frenxh/german/english, italian/german/english.
It is possible to live your life in Geneva without knowing French and getting by in English. I’ve lived in Geneva since 1980 and noticed that. Expats on short-term assignments usually don’t bother to integrate as far as learning French. Of course, such a person misses out on many aspects of local life.
세상에😮 뭔 말이 그렇게 빠르냐고…😂
I remember there is French institution in Singapore. I am mainland Chinese of French national. Sprechen Sie Deutsch auch?
Yes, it’s l’alliance française. Nein, ich sprechen kein deutsch.
Where are you from because I spent 5 years in Southeast Asia..
When you take mrt in sg and it breaks down don’t complain hor
I am currently studying in the US and it's a dream to move to Switzerland in 5 years or so with my husband. Is my only option for a visa to get sponsored by an employer on a work visa?
Yes.
Hi! Love your Chanel! I messaged you on ig but guess you don’t Check those . Just want to know where I can find a agent to find a apartment and such . Thanks !
Things cost more here because people earn more than in a lot of other countries.
>people don't understand english
wha..
>I had to learn french
ah, french part. figures. They all know english, they just pretend they don't because they're french :D
Les amis passé font partie de notre construction et même si c'est une fois tous les 5 ans toujours garder un contacte.
Ils font tous un peu partie de ce nous sommes.
How does a Canadian get a work permit in Switzerland?
You'll have to get a job offer and your skills will need to be exceptional
Why did you move from Singapore to Switzerland? Seems like a step backwards...
Talks so fast … 😂 and I love it
Or Singaporean
Keine Angst vor Fehlern haben.
hi Olivia
I wish I knew your video contains many advertising materials
You didn’t, think about the language when you moved??? That’s the first thing I’d thing about 😂 😅
It happens tho lol
Of course I did and alr took preparatory classes before moving officially. However the lessons were not as helpful as immersing and taking intensive course here in Switzerland.
@@Olliechinny love it
HEY can i move to swiss with F+. MEMBRE FAMILLE UE ART 20 DIR 2004/38/CE ?
Hello from Pasir ris lol
I olivia new subscriber her wanted to apply as student in swiss
您的分享很详细
Malaysian?
Deutsch ist eine wichtige Sprache....
You are from Singapore and you did not say "lah" even a single time at the end of your sentences? Kinda disappointed... 😉
I am addressing an international audience and I’m mindful that not everyone can understand the Singapore accent. 🙂 thank you!
@@Olliechinny It's all good, i am just being silly.
If you did not know things you just did not take the time for It. The first thing you must do before relocating IS gather info about the new country. However, I understand that complaining is much easier.
I clicked for relevance but my god you are pretty. Do you model?
您好姐姐感谢您的分享
I live in Austria, everything is the same like Switzerland just 1/2 price and less bureaucracy 😀
Not at all.
What a ridicolous comment. Obviously you have no idea.
And like 1/4 of the salary
@@tereza5211 ridicolous!
I want more video
Please support by buying me a coffee so I can produce more videos for all of you! Www.buymeacoffee.com/olliechinny
Good job but you speek to fast
Pls don't talk so fast, we're not so fast in Berne, i have Problems to understand you, it's not a competition 😎
There are way to many coming to MY country that my anchestors have built to what it is today. Most of them are economically speaking a drain as their tax contribution is inferior to what they cost to the country - there is no benefit to Switzerland as a nation but for some -often foreign - companies it makes sense. The avarge Swiss person suffers from overcrowding, high rents, crime, less untouched landscape, social separation and there is more. It’s time to stop and reduce!
The killer for us is too many rules (maybe it's just a german side thing), no noise between 10PM and 7AM? I understand it if you live in flats .... but really? Put it down in black-and-white somewhere? And an ugly undercurrent of patriarchy. Is that also on the French side?
Yes, it's extremely patriarchal and delicate with noise and whatnot, the rules are just abysmal. Can't recommend it whatsoever...
You're explaining facts related to moving out to whatever country. I thought you will be covering real Swiss stuff, anyways...
It sounds horrible to live there
No it’s a great place to live.
I love living in Switzerland, wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
It's heaven...no place can b even close to it..i love Switzerland ❤
Yes, with all the foreigners it becomes hell for the locals! Stay where you are!
I’m Swiss and currently live in the US. Switzerland is paradise and the US is a horrible place to live.
I don't get it. Why do many people choose to stay in Switzerland and not go to bigger countries like USA, UK or Canada where there are much more opportunities in terms of career?
Sometimes career is not the be all and end all for everyone.
Uk: never will move to the UK. much lower salaries than Switzerland
US: unstable political environment, lots of hate crimes against Asians.
Canada: I actually like Canada and wouldn’t mind if an opportunity comes
@@OlliechinnyIt seems to me you have an aversion towards bigger countries. And by the way, most of the reasons you stated concerning the UK and the US are just based on false rumours and not facts. There are many high earners in the UK as well as many successful Asians in the US. You came to Switzerland probably because of the ''high salary'' cliche when in reality it's only about 15% of Switzerland that earns really ''high''.
@@JonGreenyIt’s her choice. You can choose US if you want.
@@hk254lyt8Sure but would you say a big country such as the USA has more or less career/business opportunities than Switzerland, a relatively small country?
@@JonGreeny I think USA has more career opportunities but sometimes it’s not just about how easy it is to get a job in a country. Personally I wouldn’t live or work in the USA too
this is my dream🥹 I really want to study at university in Switzerland 🥹
GRA 8 TUTORIAL, THANX
so much good info, and so raw so authentic! 🥲
Glad you think so! Please support with a subscribe
In emergency there are cheap hotels 10-20 minutes by train from the city (close to the station).
You can now open a bank account online (and on-site Postbank; the easiest/ fastes).
Most important website: comparis
Regarding food, you can go once a week to some poor country... Germany? :D
Just don't smuggle meat(!)better weapons and drugs (lesser crime :D)