Moving to Zug

Anyone moving to Zug from abroad has a lot to sort out in the first few weeks – and almost everything depends on a residential address. Here you will find the key steps with the official deadlines and figures, and why a furnished start makes many things easier.

1. Registration: within 14 days

After arriving, you have 14 days to register – and in any case before your first day at work. In the canton of Zug, foreign nationals send the registration form by post to the cantonal Office for Migration (Amt für Migration); Swiss citizens register with their ID and proof of health insurance at the residents' registration office (Einwohnerkontrolle) of the city of Zug. The form must be accompanied by copies of your passport or identity card, your birth certificate and the tenancy agreement for suitable housing, and for EU/EFTA nationals also the employment contract; for a sublet, the written consent of the property management or the owner is also required.

In our apartment in Zug, you receive this 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.

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. Good to know: Zug has the lowest premiums in Switzerland – an average of CHF 324.90 a month for adults in 2027, compared with a Swiss average of CHF 487.60.

4. Schools

Every child living in Zug is entitled to free state schooling. In the city of Zug, primary-age children with very little German attend dedicated German classes and usually move into a mainstream class after one year. The Herti school and kindergarten are directly opposite our apartment.

The International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL) teaches in English: the Zug Campus in Baar for 3- to 14-year-olds, and the Riverside Campus in Hünenberg for Grades 9 to 12 with the IB Diploma. The school runs its own school bus and admits pupils throughout the year, as long as places are available – register your child early.

5. Taxes

The city of Zug has the lowest tax burden of all the cantonal capitals 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):

For the family in the example, Zug is the third-lowest-taxed of the 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 – and on 1 June 2026 only 0.2% of homes in the canton of Zug were vacant, fewer than in any other canton. 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 in the Herti district is for – 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. What is required is suitable housing with a tenancy or subtenancy agreement, and for a sublet also the owner's written consent; 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), Office for Migration of the canton of Zug (zg.ch), City of Zug (stadtzug.ch), Zug city schools (stadtschulenzug.ch), Federal Office of Public Health (bag.admin.ch), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (swisstaxcalculator.estv.admin.ch), Federal Office for Housing (bwo.admin.ch), Federal Statistical Office (bfs.admin.ch), Serafe (serafe.ch), SBB (sbb.ch), ISZL (iszl.ch).