Swiss nationals who have been living in an EU/EFTA member state have to claim their entitlements in the country in which they last worked.
For swiss nationals returning to Switzerland from outside the EU/EFTA, special rules apply. You’ll find further information in our guide:
Guide “Returning to Switzerland Swiss citizens living abroad”
Under certain circumstances, the federal government provides social assistance to Swiss nationals living abroad who run into financial difficulty. The first step is to contact the Swiss representation responsible for your place of residence.
Social assistance for Swiss nationals living abroad (fr/de/it)
If you have already returned to Switzerland, you should contact the social assistance service in the municipality in which you are registered.
The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) operates a fund for providing financial assistance in the form of interest-free loans to returning Swiss nationals. One of the conditions is that applications have to be made within one year after their return. The purpose of this service is to help returning Swiss nationals overcome temporary emergencies and reintegrate into Swiss society. Please note that this support is intended to be subsidiary to social assistance and/or unemployment benefits.
