By PayrollPlus, 4. August 2026
Over the past few years, the concept of digital nomadism has spread rapidly around the world. Driven by advances in technology and a shift in attitudes to work, more and more people are choosing to live and work without being tied to a fixed location. This trend brings new challenges and opportunities, particularly when it comes to work, taxes and insurance.
Digital nomads are people who, thanks to modern technology, can work independently of location. They use the internet to carry out their professional tasks, which allows them to work from anywhere in the world. This way of life combines work and travel, so digital nomads often live and work in different countries.
In Switzerland, a country known for its high quality of life and advanced technology, the concept of digital nomads is gaining more and more traction. Swiss digital nomads benefit from a strong economic base and access to excellent digital infrastructure, which allows them to operate successfully and efficiently from any location.
Swiss employees who work as digital nomads have to comply with the employment legislation of both Switzerland and the respective country of stay. This includes working hours, rest periods and other employment-law provisions. The tax rules in Switzerland as well as in the respective host country also have to be observed.
Depending on the country you enter, you need a visa regardless of whether you intend to work or are travelling as a tourist. Since you want to pursue work, a tourist visa can already be ruled out. To work in a foreign country, you need a work permit. In English, both terms are often referred to as “visa,” which can cause confusion. A visa that allows you to enter a country does not automatically entitle you to work.
As the digital-nomad trend keeps growing, some countries already offer a special visa for digital nomads, to allow a longer stay while working legally. These visas often come with specific requirements, such as proof of income or health insurance. In some cases, digital nomads can also apply for a work visa. These are often more complicated to obtain and usually require an employment contract with a company in the destination country.
In Switzerland, tax residence is established where a person lives with the intention of staying permanently. This often includes the place where the person mainly stays and has their life interests, such as family, friends and work. Digital nomads may have to pay taxes in several countries if they have residences there. This can lead to double taxation if no double-taxation agreements are in place. They often have to prove where the centre of their life is, which can be done with rental agreements, memberships in local associations or similar.
People with their residence or habitual abode in Switzerland are subject to unlimited tax liability. This means that their worldwide income and assets are taxed in Switzerland. Income from self-employed or employed work has to be taxed where the work is actually carried out. For digital nomads, this can mean that income is taxable in several countries.
To remain insured in Switzerland, you have to keep a fixed residence in Switzerland. With a Swiss employer, the employer pays the insurance contributions directly. As a self-employed person you have to take care of your own insurance contributions in order to stay insured without interruption.
Switzerland has social insurance agreements with many countries. These govern which benefits are recognised abroad and how the contribution payments are coordinated. Digital nomads should make sure they do not have to pay social insurance contributions in several countries at the same time. This requires a careful check of the respective national laws.
For longer stays, things can become more complicated for Swiss and EU citizens when they are in countries that have a bilateral social insurance agreement with Switzerland. When working for a Swiss employer, for example, they only stay socially insured if they carry out at least 25% of the work in Switzerland.
This also applies to self-employed people if they perform more than 75% of their work in an EU or EFTA country. Different rules apply if they merely move to a neighbouring country but continue to work in Switzerland. In that case they would fall under cross-border commuter law.
These days, almost every bank offers the option of managing your finances via e-banking. Depending on the country, different exchange rates can apply and fees can vary when withdrawing with a credit card. It is worth informing yourself and comparing in advance.
In addition, you have to keep a residence in Switzerland to prevent your account from suddenly being closed. You should also arrange for a trusted person in your home country to handle postal correspondence. This person should have power of attorney so they can act in an emergency on administrative matters relating to banking or taxes.
Credit-card foreign currency fees, exchange rates and the costs of debit-card cash withdrawals can vary considerably. Some smartphone banks offer cheaper foreign currency rates and better exchange rates than traditional banks and credit-card issuers. Depending on the length of stay, this can carry a lot of weight, and it is advisable to check in advance with the relevant bank or make a comparison.
For a stay of less than 12 months, you do not have to deregister in Switzerland and remain covered by health insurance. As treatment costs can be very high in some countries, it is worth taking out additional travel insurance.
The right insurance model is also important. Since you are on the move, a telemedicine model with subsequent free choice of doctor is worthwhile. It can also pay to take out international health insurance, which is usually comparable to Swiss health insurance. International health insurance is more expensive than travel insurance, but it also covers non-emergency or longer hospital stays.
To remain insured, your residence in Switzerland has to be maintained. You also remain liable for tax with a fixed residence. But since a fixed residence usually comes with high costs, it is worth thinking about cheaper options. For example, an apartment that would otherwise stand empty can be sublet. Or you can give up your current apartment and rent a room in a shared flat. That way you save costs but still secure your fixed residence.
If you want flexibility or spontaneity when travelling, a conventional rental agreement often cannot be considered, as it is tied to a long rental period or notice period. So you can find cheap and flexible accommodation on various platforms for Airbnb or a temporary sublet.
There are now also coliving spaces, where you not only have a place to live but also space to work. Some such providers already offer the option of taking out a subscription and thus benefiting from various coliving locations.
To behave appropriately and respectfully as a guest in a foreign country, you should study local customs and cultures before you arrive. The cost of living differs from place to place. You should choose your accommodation, food and travel options according to your own budget.
As in Switzerland itself, a lot of money can be saved by cooking yourself instead of eating out. Instead of using a taxi for transport, you should use public transport. Depending on the length of stay, it is also worth comparing subscriptions and offers and getting advice directly on site.
As a digital nomad you rely on stable and fast internet access in order to work effectively. Not only to protect the security of sensitive data, but also for communicating with clients and colleagues. With a reliable digital infrastructure, cloud services and online tools can be used for your work and your availability can be guaranteed.
A good coworking space offers opportunities for networking and building community. This can be particularly valuable for digital nomads, to make social and professional contacts. You should also check the opening hours of the coworking space in advance, especially if you work across different time zones and need access at unusual hours.
A reliable and fast internet connection is crucial for productivity and should never be missing. You should also check whether printers, scanners, private meeting rooms or kitchen areas are already available for use. The location should also offer enough shopping options and good connections to public transport. Last but not least, the price is of course decisive and is often the deciding factor for or against a coworking space.
If you already use a mobile plan, you can get advice from your provider about the options abroad. To find an affordable solution, it is also worth comparing mobile plans. Roaming costs can still be very high, so for a longer stay abroad a local SIM card can be more worthwhile.
Digital nomads should be aware of the risks in the area of cyber security and take appropriate measures to protect their data, especially when using public Wi-Fi networks. To surf safely on the move, you should set up a VPN. There are plenty of free and paid providers for this.
Besides a working internet connection, access to power is essential. For that you should always carry a universal travel adapter, ideally one with several USB ports so you are prepared if sockets are in short supply. A powerful power bank can also serve as a backup.
Building a network on site can be an advantage for integration and for finding resources. Many countries have active communities of digital nomads that offer support and social interaction.
For communicating with clients and colleagues, services such as Skype, Zoom and Slack are a good choice. Services such as Dropbox and Google Drive offer secure, accessible storage for documents and data. To make it easier to find workspaces in different cities, websites such as WeWork or Coworker.com are useful. Apps such as Wise (formerly TransferWise) and PayPal can simplify international transactions and currency conversions.
Platforms such as Nomad List and Workfrom provide information about the best places for digital nomads, including costs, internet speed and quality of life. It helps to exchange ideas with other digital nomads to get advice or share experiences. There are groups for this on various platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook.
Links to important resources:
With the PayrollPlus salary platform, freelancers can settle their assignments and stay socially insured at the same time. The innovative billing platform offers unique employment and accounting models, and through the online tool, assignments can be settled with no fuss at all.
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