Get Paid To Move To Switzerland: USD$22,500 To Be Exact!

What if you could get paid to move to Switzerland? What if you could get paid USD $22,500 to make that move?

Having experienced the beauty of the Swiss Alps and indulged in Swiss chocolates, I can assure you it’s a dream worth chasing.

There’s a picture-perfect village in Switzerland named Albinen that is offering you this very amount to call their place home.

They’re having a population decline and that’s where you come in!

I’ve gone through every painstaking detail of how one can make this move and break it down into simple, easy-to-digest bits here for you.

Let’s read on how to get paid to move to Switzerland and see how you can make gorgeous Switzerland your home – and get paid for it!

Summary

The Move To Albinen Initiative
Getting Paid To Move
How To Apply: Conditions And Eligibility For The Program
The Catch: Consequences Of Leaving Albinen Early
Get To Know Albinen
Why Is Albinen Paying People To Move?
Why Should You Move To Albinen
Thing To Consider
FAQs On Get Paid To Move To Switzerland

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Get paid to move to Switzerland — Photo by Monikalris

The Move To Albinen Initiative

So what’s all this about? Is Switzerland offering money to move there? What is the Albinen offer in Switzerland? How much does Albinen pay in Switzerland?

Basically, Albinen, a charming little town in Switzerland, has come up with a very cool initiative that PAYS people to move there!

They’re inviting people to become residents in the delightful place and are offering you a cool 20,000 Swiss Francs or about USD $22,500 to make a move.

If you are blessed with little ones and bring them along, you get additional 10,000 Swiss Francs (USD $11,250) per child!

Fun fact: The first family to get approved was from Aargau, a northern canton in Switzerland.

The family moved in 2018 with one small child and another on the way at that time.

They were paid 70,000 Swiss Francs (USD $78,781) subsidy when they relocated to the village.

Now, why Albinen?

I’ll get to that in length, but briefly; it’s a gorgeous mountain valley village with stunning views and breathtaking snowy peaks all around.

If I hadn’t just moved to Ireland, I might be packing my bags to Albinen for the views alone!

The initiative has its conditions, of course.

You need to be a Swiss national with a permit C residence OR come from the European Union, European Free Trade Association, the United States, or Canada.

If you’re from the United States or Canada, you will need to have lived in Switzerland for at least 5 years.

The Albinen program received an insane amount of response worldwide when it was first announced.

So, local authorities felt the need to set to record straight about how easy it is to get into the program.

Read on to learn more about the conditions and eligibility!

Getting Paid To Move

You might wonder why are there offers to pay you to move to places.

Well, some places face declining population.

So their governments have come up with ways to revive the population, and one of the best ways is to entice others, especially youths, to move there.

In fact, all these countries are offering people to move there.

With the rise in remote work and countries coming up with remote worker visas, getting people to move to remote locations become more possible.

What more when the deal is sweetened up with perks, including housing incentives, monthly stipends, and business grants.

The hope is that these benefits will attract a younger, able crowd to energize the local community and stimulate the economy.

If you fit the bill with the eligibility and conditions, this might be a fantastic opportunity for you.

Once you pass the terms set, the places could be sold or rented to generate income.

Unless, of course, you choose to live there permanently 🙂

How To Apply: Conditions And Eligibility For The Program

Before you start signing up for German lessons, since it’s the most spoken language in Albinen, let’s address the important questions first:

How do you qualify for Albinen Switzerland? How to apply to move to Albinen Switzerland? How to get paid to move to Albinen, Switzerland?

I’ve got it all here.

When the program was first announced, the response from many parts of the world to the Albinen initiative was overwhelming.

The office phone,of the then Mayor, Mayor Beat Jost, was ringing non-stop with phone inquiries.

So the Albinen authorities were quick to correct the media claims that it was easy to apply and ensure the conditions were clearly explained.

Here is the eligibility for the program:

You must be a Swiss national with a permit C residence OR come from the European Union, European Free Trade Association, the United States, or Canada.
You must commit to living in Albinen for ten years.
The new home you purchase in Albinen should cost at least 200,000 Swiss Francs (USD $225,039).
Every application must be based on a construction project that is ready for approval or an authenticated apartment purchase agreement.
A bank or comparable loan provider must issue authenticated proof of financial guarantee.
If you sell the property or move before the 10-year period is up, the amount must be paid back in full.
The repayment obligation will be secured by means of relevant addition to the recording of ownership in the land register.

If you’re looking to get the permit C to be eligible for the program and you’re a member of the EU, you can possibly get it in five years.

However, for non-EU residents, different conditions apply, as follows:

You must have lived in Switzerland continuously for 12 years.
You need to have a B permit and a record of 5 years of continuous residency in Switzerland.
You need to be married to a Swiss citizen.
You must provide a clean criminal and debt record.
You need to have a certification of proficiency in the German language.

Also, to set realistic expectations, please bear in mind that the Swiss passport is one of the most difficult passports to get.

*Keeping my fingers crossed for you*

The Catch: Consequences Of Leaving Albinen Early

As with everything, there’s always a catch.

If you decide to leave before completing the 10-year period, you’ll have to repay the entire amount given to you.

So before you make any plans, think it through and plan out the entire 10-year. Once you decide to move, commit to the journey.

After all, 10 years in one of the most beautiful places in the world does not sound like a bad deal at all!

Get To Know Albinen

Albinen History

Albinen roots go back to prehistoric times. Germanic-speaking tribes arrived in the 11th century and cultivated the land.

They established a permanent settlement and laid the groundwork for the village’s community structure.

The historical landscape of Albinen is untouched, and you can still find Celtic graves in the area.

Now where the name came from is still a debate. Some theories attribute it to the Old French “Arbignon” (forest) and “Albignion” (alp), which describe the village.

A unique historic attraction in Albinen is the Albinen ladders.

The ladders consist of 8 wooden ladders, dividing a 100-meter high mountainside ascent into 8 sections. They provide a fascinating alternative route to Leukerbad.

This 2-hour hike from Leukerbad to Albinen is only for those who are comfortable with heights.

If heights are not your thing, but you want to make the journey, there is a tunnel bypass and modern roads that you can use.

The Albinen Village

The Albinen village is recognized as a Swiss heritage site, given its history.

In Albinen, you can bask in the peaceful quiet of the village, breathe fresh mountain air, and admire the fantastic view.

The village itself is set in a picturesque mountain village. It’s one of the most beautiful spots in Valais, with spectacular mountain views all around the village.

The Albinen Switzerland website has some cool pics and videos you can look at.

All buildings in Albinen are tightly constructed against the mountain slope, and historic structures from the 17th and 18th centuries are still preserved.

Seasons in Albinen

Albinen is one of the places that are wonderful all year round.

In winter, it transforms into a fantasy-like winter wonderland. It truly looks like something out of a fantasy movie to me.

If you love skiing, there’s a Torrent skiing area at 2800 meters with guaranteed snow during the season.

And just 15 minutes away from Albinen in Leukerbad, there are calming thermal springs if you want to pamper yourself.

Summer through spring and autumn give you colorful meadows, beautiful forests, and idyllic hamlets. Not forgetting the stunning alpine landscapes.

There are well-prepared routes for walks and biking, and if you’re lucky, you might spot cute marmots (ground squirrels) or chamois (antelope-goat-like creatures).

Languages Spoken In Albinen

Given its original history with the Germanic settlers and being in the Swiss canton of Valis, the primary language spoken in Albien is German.

However, you will still hear French, Italian, and Romansh as they are the other official languages of Switzerland.

While English is commonly spoken in Switzerland itself, it’s not as popular in Albinen, so you will need to polish your German if you’re moving there!

Albinen Accessibility And Proximity To Other Popular Destinations

The nearest airport to Albinen is Sion (SIR). However, there are better options for getting to Albinen.

Swiss Railways (SBB/CFF/FFS) operates a train from Zürich Flughafen to Visp every 4 hours.

From Visp, the most affordable way to Albinen is to drive, which costs about 5 to 8 Swiss Francs (USD $5.60 to $9.00) and takes 28 minutes.

If you are not using a car, you can use the train and line 471 bus, which takes 48 minutes.

Albinen is set pretty centrally in the Valais, so you are close to places like Zermatt, Saas-Fee, and Rilke – the burial ground in Raron within an hour’s drive.

Why Is Albinen Paying People To Move?

Albinen has always been an isolated, secluded village, which was part of its charm.

It’s perched on the steep edges of the Dala gorger and gives you breathtaking views of the valleys and mountains.

The remote location has created a self-reliant society and kept the population tight – 301 residents was the highest recorded population in Albinen history.

Albinen saw its population start to decline in the 1940s and tried to increase population by improving infrastructure, but it improved tourism only.

So now the village population has dwindled to 240.

What’s worse is that the depopulation has caused the closure of the local school.

The remaining 7 school-aged children have to commute to nearby towns for school.

Enter the Albinen program – they decide to incentive new residents to make Albinen home and you will get paid to move to Albinen, Switzerland!

First, the program is meant to help increase the population.

By giving a 10-year period to stay, the local authorities hope that people will be keen to live there longer and make Albinen their permanent home.

This is also why families are more welcomed compared to single people.

And secondly, by attracting new residents, they hope to boost the local economy and attract investors.

So if you move to Albinen, you will be part of something bigger than just moving across countries 🙂

Why Should You Move To Albinen

USD 22, 500 – ‘nuff said.

Haha 🙂

Ok, but actually, beyond the money, there are many perks to moving to Albinen.

The village itself is a charming fairytale-like place with clean air and stunning views. It’s like waking up on a permanent holiday every day.

You will be away from the hustle, bustle, and frantic lifestyle.

BUT, you’re not completely isolated that you have to ride a goat for 2 nights to reach somewhere more populated.

And you will be living in Switzerland and get paid to move to one of the happiest countries in the world.

Switzerland consistently comes out in the top 10 in the happy index since the early 2010s.

Also, Switzerland has one of the best work-life balance.

You don’t work more than 50 hours a week, and anytime you work overtime, you must be paid an additional 25% of your income.

So if you DO work overtime, you’ll have more money and maybe can splurge on some high definition 4k TV to keep you company in the village.

And, one of the best perks is that employees get a minimum of 4 weeks of paid leave – plenty of time for you to travel around the area!

Things To Consider

Moving to a new place, especially one as unique as Albinen, is a big decision. It’s important that you weigh all the factors before even thinking about applying for the program.

So let’s look at the important stuff to consider:

1. Size and Location

Albinen has a total size of 15.5 square kilometers.

That’s just about 4.5 times bigger than Central Park, New York, or 6 times smaller than Wilt Disney World Resort in Florida.

So it’s a small area that might make you feel stifled if you’re the kind of person who needs to live in a large, urban area.

It’s also set 1,300 meters above sea level with no other areas directly connected to it and no city landscapes.

If you enjoy the quiet and tranquility over the convenience and noise of a big city life, this will be great for you.

2. Population Density

Albinen has a very small population – I mean, that’s how the program came about anyways.

We’re looking at about 16 people per square kilometer.

Perfect if you don’t love a crowd, but if you thrive on social interactions or need to meet new people every so often, this might be a challenge for you.

3. Job Opportunities

When you search for Albinen Switzerland jobs, there honestly aren’t that many job opportunities.

And as cool as the incentive may be, it won’t be enough to last you 10 years, and you will still need to work.

But hey, with remote work, this is a non-issue.

And with online jobs, you can do literally anything from teaching English to becoming a freelance artist to proofreading to even just chatting with people!

You’ve got a ton of options here!

4. Big Investment

If you’ve heard of the phrase, you need money to make money, that applies here.

You will need to invest a minimum of 200,000 Swiss Francs (USD $225,039) to be eligible for the program.

But actually, in Albinen, Switzerland, homes for sale average from a minimum of 400,000 Swiss Francs (USD $450,106).

Also, you will need to uproot yourself, and if you search “How much does it cost to move to Switzerland”, you’ll see it sets you back a further minimum of USD $3,000 to $5,000.

It’s a big investment and a long-term commitment which brings us to the next point.

5. Commitment

You must think of a long-term commitment here before you plan to move to Albinen, Switzerland.

Albinen must be your primary and permanent residence for at least 10 years. If you’re someone who lives to move about every few years, this isn’t for you.

Remember, you have to pay the incentive back IN FULL if you leave before the 10-year period is up.

FAQs On Get Paid To Move To Switzerland

How do you qualify for Albinen Switzerland?

So, how do you qualify for Albinen, Switzerland? First, applicants must be under 45 years old and agree to live in a home valued at least 200,000 Swiss Francs (USD $225,039) in Albinen for at least ten years to qualify for the scheme. You must pay £50,000 (USD $64,190) if you leave before the 10-year period.

How much is Albinen Switzerland paid to live there?

Well, now, how much is Albinen Switzerland paid to live there? AUD $90,650 (USD $60,540) is how much the village of Albinen in Switzerland is paying people to move there. The town is facing a population decline due to a lack of employment opportunities, but for remote workers, this is not a problem.

How do you move to Albinen Switzerland?

Wondering how do you move to Albinen Switzerland? Importantly, if you take up the offer and move out before the ten years is over, you’ll need to repay that golden gift when you leave. You must commit to living for 10 years and buy a home worth minimum 200,000 Swiss Francs (USD $225,039).

How do I move to Albinen?

How do I move to Albinen, you wonder? Applicants must be under 45 and agree to reside in an Albinen home for at least ten years that is worth at least 200,000 Swiss Francs (USD $225,039) to be eligible for the programme. And pay £50,000 (USD $64,190) if you leave sooner.

So there it is, you can get paid to move to Switzerland, and enjoy everything this beautiful country has to offer. And Albinen is such a charming place you’d be living in a storybook!

If you are looking to make a momentous move in your life, why not Switzerland? After all, they’re literally paying you to do it!

I hope you’ve gotten valuable insights on how you can make a move. Do let me know your thoughts on get paid to move to Switzerland and feedback, or hey, which particular Swiss chocs you’re dying to get your hands on!

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