Is it difficult to relocate to switzerland coming from the U.S. ?

Question

Considering that there is no language barrier?

Answer 1

I understand your "considering that there is no language barrier" to mean that you are fluent in the language of the part of CH you'll be moving to. So yeah, it can still be difficult, whether you mean getting a work/residence permit (though it depends on your field--but all of the EU is "ahead" of US citizens on the list) or getting used to the people here. Although if you're moving to the German part and you REALLY don't have a language barrier, that means you're fluent in Swiss-German and therefore must have at least one Swiss parent and therefore are kind of used to them. (Plus you should be eligible for citizenship and avoid the work permit problems.) I would say the same is true of Romansch. But if you're fluent in French or Italian, that could be for plenty of reasons other than being used to them. And if you're fluent in standard German--well, you'd be surprised what a language barrier can be.

Answer 2

Most people in Switzerland do understand a bit of english and speak it a bit, but depending on which region you are going to live you'd have to learn the language... there's the "swiss german" region, the french region and the italian region.... and as mentioned above me... "retoromanisch".. which isn't spoken much though.

Answer 3

Most of my countrymen (especially the Swiss Germans in Bern, Basel and Zürich) do speak English, less in the Italian regions and quite a few Swiss French do speak English.

The Rumantsch area is very remote and so most people there do not speak English. English is now taught in all public schools.

Hope this has helped,

S.O.

Answer 4

Sie sprechen Schwyzerdütsch?

German, French, Italian, and raetoromanisch (sorry, don't even know how that translates into English) are the offical languages of Switzerland. How many do you speak of those?