You will soon start working at CSCS and we are pleased to welcome you to our team!
The Working at CSCS webpage includes lots of information about different topics. In the sections here below you will find additional information on topics such as immigration, finding accommodation, childcare, and living in Switzerland. Inquiries may be addressed to Stephanie Frequente (stephanie.frequente@cscs.ch).
The ETH website for employees and the ETH Welcome Center page are other very useful resources which provide detailed information on different topics. We suggest you to visit them as well for further advice.
Please note: The information on this page is meant for information purposes only. No responsibility is taken for the correctness of this information. The rules and regulations may have changed in the meantime. For legally binding information please contact the respective authority.
- Onboarding and benefits
From mobility to insurances, there is a range of offers and benefits available to CSCS employees which are designed to make work and life easier.
Please visit the Onboarding, Benefits and Offers and Benefits webpages for more details.
Foreigners arriving in Ticino from abroad will benefit from a relocation package with Laura Poggioli Maraniello, the founder of La Relocation. Employees who can benefit from this service will be put in contact with Laura by Stephanie. All services are listed here. - Work and residence permit
Already living in Switzerland
To change your Canton of residence, please contact the cantonal migration authority responsible for your place of residence (Lugano and Zurich). Also, please feel free to reach out to Stephanie for support.
Moving to Switzerland
To obtain a residence permit, within 14 days of your arrival in Switzerland please contact the cantonal migration authority responsible for your place of residence (Lugano and Zurich). Also, please feel free to reach out to Stephanie for support.
- Nationals of EU/EFTA countries - To register, nationals of EU/EFTA countries require the following documents: Passport or identity card, employment contract, and rental agreement for accommodation as well as usually background checks from the country of origin and the country where the employee is currently living (this must not be older than 3 months).
- Nationals of non-EU/EFTA countries - To register, nationals of non-EU/EFTA countries require the following documents: Passport, visa authorization or confirmation of a residence permit, employment contract, and rental agreement for accommodation as well as usually background checks from the country of origin and the country where the employee is currently living (this must not be older than 3 months).
- Insurance
Social security insurances
ETH Zurich is subject to the Swiss social security system, based on a three-tiered pension scheme and compulsory accident insurance. In addition, ETH Zurich offers its employees benefits which provide a higher level of insurance coverage in the event of an accident or illness.
- Private savings plan
The third tier – private savings plans – is optional and is based on private savings. You can choose a provider of your choice for this voluntary savings plan.
CSCS has collaborated with VZ in the past, so if you would like to potentially save on taxes and pay into your private savings plan, contact Michael.Imbach@vzch.com from the Lugano branch to learn more about their services.
Liability insurance
Liability insurance is optional but highly recommended. This insurance protects people against unwilling damage caused to third parties, for example, damages caused during sports activities, whilst renting an apartment or as a pet owner.
You can find more information and offers on www.comparis.ch or the ETH Welcome Center website.
Health care insurance
Anyone living in Switzerland is legally obliged to take out compulsory basic insurance with a Swiss health insurance plan.
You must therefore take out compulsory basic insurance with a Swiss health insurance plan within three months of your arrival. However, the council of the area in which you live in, will write to you shortly after your arrival and request to receive a confirmation of your health insurance policy within 10 days. Members of your family must also be insured. You can choose any health insurance plan anywhere in Switzerland. You will find an independent overview of Swiss health insurance plans with a comparison of costs and services at www.comparis.ch or at www.priminfo.ch (Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, only in German, French and Italian). Please click here for more general information on health care insurance.
ETH has drawn up a collaboration with Sanitas health insurance
Should you like to have a consultancy with Mirko Loddo please reach out to him:
Viale Stefano Franscini 40, 6901 Lugano
Tel. +41 79 506 96 17
E-Mail: mirko.loddo@sanitas.com
Click here for a meeting with Mirko Loddo in Lugano. - Accommodation
The following websites could be helpful (Lugano and Zurich):
Temporary accommodation
Searching for accommodation is a time-consuming process, but it is easier if you are able to carry out your search in the local area itself. You may find it helpful to book a temporary accommodation to start with. This will give you time to look around for suitable accommodation.
If you are staying in temporary accommodation make sure they draw-up an apartment lease for you, as this is required for your work permit. In the lease contract it has to be written, that we you will be staying in this temporary accommodation until you find a permanent solution. Should you also be coming with a partner then the name of the partner also needs to be written in the lease contract.
The following websites could be helpful:
- Accompanying family members
Residence Permit
Immediate family members, i.e. your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 18, may move to Switzerland with you. Accompanying family members must be listed on the immigration application form. Usually in this situation the marriage certificate and birth certificate of family members are required.
Family Allowance
Family allowance is a periodic monetary benefit paid out to help ease the financial burden of having one or more children. It includes child and education allowances. ETH Zurich pays benefits in addition to the statutory family allowance.
More details available here.
Childcare in Ticino
In Switzerland children have lessons in the morning and in the afternoon. Some areas (comune) provide a lunchtime program for the children/students. It could be a good idea to check the nursery/schooling program of the nursery/school in the area you are moving to. Not all schools provide lunchtime programs and that would mean that your child would have to be taken care of during the lunch break. We can also provide you a list of the schools with lunchtime programs and we can also help double-check with the schools.
Nursery in Lugano
CSCS has two different office buildings in Lugano and directly under the CSCS Cornaredo Park offices there is the brand-new nursery “Il Kamaleonte” which opened in 2021. CSCS has made an agreement with the two nurseries belonging to the same group (please contact Stephanie Frequente for more information about CSCS financial support):
As soon as you know you are expecting a baby, please contact the following people (don't forget to mention you are a CSCS employee):
- Il Kamaleonte - Claudia Caglioni: +41 91 220 68 13, nidokamaleonte@gmail.com
- La Kiocciola - Ida Casalino: +41 91 220 85 74, lakiocciola@gmail.com
Moreover, in Lugano there are 4 additional nurseries owned by the City of Lugano. The Ronchetto nursery is around 7-10 minutes from CSCS. Should you be interested in bringing your child to one of these nurseries, we suggest you contact them ASAP. The contact person is Lucia Bulloni Dagani (Capostruttura for all 4 nurseries). The other nurseries are private institutions. Additional information available here. CSCS provides financial support to all families with children needing nursery care (asilo nido), regardless of which nursery they choose to enrol their child in Ticino.
Nursery in Zurich
CSCS provides (expectant) parents help in finding a suitable childcare place in the city of Zurich or at place of residence. ETH Zurich subsidizes the costs of childcare at facilities in the Zurich university area (kihz, KIKRI Zentrum, Irchelkrippe). Please refer to this webpage with additional information.
- Further information
For further information on living and working in Switzerland you may also visit:
Values
These values are the cornerstones of our culture.
