Moving to Switzerland from Guinea-Bissau

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Guinea-Bissau to Switzerland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Guinea-Bissau to Switzerland, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bern averages 55°F vs 90°F in Bissau, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Guinea-Bissau to Switzerland, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
41 ↑ 46% vs 2022

people moved from Guinea-Bissau to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Switzerland?

Top countries of origin for Switzerland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Guinea-Bissau to Switzerland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

GW
1.1
CH
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GW
30.5
CH
2.4

Switzerland performs significantly better than Guinea-Bissau across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GW
$247
CH
$10,602
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GW
2.1
CH
44.4

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GW
89.0
CH
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GW
0.2t
CH
3.7t

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on environment, though Switzerland leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GW
0.2
CH
47.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GW
1.5%
CH
6.5%

Switzerland generally does better on infrastructure, though Guinea-Bissau leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GW
3.2%
CH
4.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GW
$2,400
CH
$82,900

Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Guinea-Bissau leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GW
63.7 yrs
CH
83.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GW
49.0
CH
3.6

Switzerland performs significantly better than Guinea-Bissau across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bissau Rain: 69.1 in/yr (1756 mm)
90° / 67°F

Avg. annual high / low

Bern Rain: 42.8 in/yr (1086 mm)
55° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bissau Bern
Jan–Mar 92°/67°F (33°/20°C) 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/66°F (33°/19°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/68°F (30°/20°C) 70°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/69°F (32°/21°C) 46°/36°F (8°/2°C)
View all months
Month Bissau Bern
Jan 90°/67°F (32.0°/19.4°C) 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C)
Feb 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.0°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C)
Mar 90°/63°F (32.1°/17.1°C) 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C)
Apr 92°/64°F (33.4°/17.7°C) 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C)
May 91°/67°F (33.0°/19.3°C) 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C)
Jun 89°/68°F (31.4°/20.0°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C)
Jul 88°/68°F (30.9°/20.1°C) 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (30.2°/20.2°C) 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C)
Sep 86°/67°F (30.0°/19.3°C) 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C)
Oct 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.5°C) 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C)
Nov 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.6°C) 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C)
Dec 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau, MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guinea-Bissau and Switzerland. To live, work, or study long-term in Switzerland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Switzerland's immigration authority.

Guinea-Bissau passport

Guinea-Bissau passport holder visiting Switzerland

Visa Required
Guinea-Bissau passport holders need a visa to enter Switzerland.
Switzerland passport

Switzerland passport holder visiting Guinea-Bissau

Visa on Arrival
Switzerland passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Guinea-Bissau.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Switzerland?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Switzerland has 47.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Switzerland safe for expats?

Switzerland performs significantly better than Guinea-Bissau across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Guinea-Bissau.

How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Guinea-Bissau?

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 2.1 in Guinea-Bissau. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guinea-Bissau: 37).

What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Guinea-Bissau?

The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 90°F in Bissau. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Bissau gets 69.1 in.

What language do they speak in Switzerland?

The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Guinea-Bissau, the official languages are Portuguese and Upper Guinea Creole.

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At a Glance

GW CH
Population 2,026,778 8,508,698
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Swiss Franc (CHF)
Languages Portuguese, Upper Guinea Creole French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +245 +41
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112