Moving to Pfäffikon SZ

Pfäffikon SZ belongs to the municipality of Freienbach at the upper end of Lake Zurich – with one of the lowest tax burdens in Switzerland. If you are moving here from abroad, you will find the key steps below, with the official deadlines and figures.

1. Registration: within 14 days

After arriving, you have 14 days to register with the municipality of Freienbach – in person at the counter if you are moving from abroad. Bring your passport or identity card and your tenancy or subtenancy agreement; a sublet must be confirmed by the property management or the owner. EU/EFTA citizens also bring their employment contract and application form E1; people from other countries bring the entry authorisation from the Office for Migration (Amt für Migration). The municipal fee is CHF 20 to 30; the fees of the Office for Migration are charged in addition.

In our apartment at Sonnenhof, you receive the owner's confirmation directly from us.

2. Residence permit L or B

EU/EFTA citizens with an employment contract of 3 to 12 months receive the L permit; with a contract of one year or more, or of unlimited duration, they receive the B permit, valid for 5 years. For all other countries, the employer submits the application; one of the requirements is suitable housing. Owing to a heavy workload, the Office for Migration of the canton of Schwyz currently expects processing times of 3 to 5 months in general, longer in complex cases – so plan well ahead.

3. Health insurance: within 3 months

Basic health insurance is compulsory and must be taken out within 3 months of registration. If you take it out in time, you are covered retroactively from the date of registration. In the canton of Schwyz, the average premium for adults in 2027 is CHF 418.50 a month, below the Swiss average of CHF 487.60.

4. Schools

All children living in the canton of Schwyz are entitled to free state schooling. At the Freienbach municipal school, children whose first language is not German receive regular lessons in German as a second language from a specialist teacher. For adults, the municipality offers German courses.

The Swiss International School Pfäffikon-Schwyz is 6 minutes' walk from our apartment at Sonnenhof: bilingual in German and English, from kindergarten through to the Swiss Matura and the IB. The Zurich International School teaches in English in Wädenswil (up to Grade 5) and in Adliswil (Grades 6 to 12); children from companies with a partnership agreement are given priority there.

5. Taxes

For years, Freienbach has been one of the lowest-tax municipalities in Switzerland. Foreign employees with an L or B permit pay tax at source (Quellensteuer): the employer deducts it directly from their salary. From a gross salary of CHF 120'000 a year, a subsequent ordinary assessment follows; the tax already deducted at source is credited.

Tax burden 2026 (federal, cantonal and municipal, excluding church tax; calculator of the Swiss Federal Tax Administration):

In both examples, Freienbach – level with Wollerau – has the lowest tax burden of all 2'110 municipalities in Switzerland. The examples are for guidance only; what counts is your personal situation.

6. Everyday costs

• Radio and television licence fee (Serafe): CHF 335 per household per year (from 2027: CHF 312)
• GA travelcard for public transport: CHF 3'995 a year (2nd class; from 13 December 2026: CHF 4'095)
• Health insurance: see point 3

7. Arrive first, then search at your own pace

To register, you need an address; to search for an apartment, you need to be registered. That is why many newcomers start out in a furnished apartment: you are registered from day one, the children go to school, and you look for your long-term home locally rather than from afar. That is exactly what our furnished apartment at Sonnenhof is for – with 3 bedrooms and a garden patio, ideal for families. And if you stay, we support you through our network in finding your new home.

Frequently asked questions

Can I register with a temporary furnished apartment?

Yes. A tenancy or subtenancy agreement is required, and for a sublet also the consent of the property management or the owner; you receive this from us.

Can my company sign the contract?

Yes, on request the contract and invoice can be in your company's name – see Corporate housing.

Is parking included?

Yes, the apartment comes with an underground parking space.

Sources

As of September 2026. State Secretariat for Migration (sem.admin.ch), Municipality of Freienbach (freienbach.ch), Canton of Schwyz (sz.ch), Freienbach municipal school (gemeindeschule-freienbach.ch), Federal Office of Public Health (bag.admin.ch), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (swisstaxcalculator.estv.admin.ch), Serafe (serafe.ch), SBB (sbb.ch), Swiss International School (swissinternationalschool.ch), Zurich International School (zis.ch).