Zugora

Integration

New to the Canton of Zug

What to do after you move here, where to learn German and who can help you. Every item names its source and leads to the responsible office.

Zugora is not a service of the canton or the municipalities. The information provided by the authorities is authoritative; if in doubt, ask the office named. Updated: 5 Oct 2026.

Settling in

The most important steps after moving here, with deadline, responsible office and legal basis.

  1. Register with your municipality

    Deadline
    within 14 days of moving in
    Responsible
    Residents' office (Einwohnerdienste) of your municipality

    Register with your new municipality after moving in. Foreign nationals who need a permit register before their permit-free stay ends or before starting work, and show a valid identity document. When you register, the municipality usually also gives you its waste collection plan.

    Legal basis: Art. 11 let. a Register Harmonisation Act (RHG, SR 431.02); Foreign nationals: Art. 12 Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (AIG, SR 142.20); Arts. 10 and 15 Ordinance on Admission, Period of Stay and Employment (VZAE, SR 142.201)

    Sources: zg.ch, fedlex.admin.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  2. Take out health insurance

    Deadline
    within three months of taking up residence
    Responsible
    A health insurer of your choice (basic insurance)

    Anyone living in Switzerland must take out health insurance. You choose the insurer yourself. The canton provides information on compulsory insurance, exemptions and premium reductions.

    Legal basis: Art. 3 para. 1 Health Insurance Act (KVG, SR 832.10)

    Sources: fedlex.admin.ch, zg.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  3. Exchange a foreign driving licence

    Deadline
    within twelve months of moving to Switzerland
    Responsible
    Road Traffic Office of the Canton of Zug

    If you have lived in Switzerland for twelve months and have not been abroad for more than three months at a time during that period, you need a Swiss driving licence. Depending on the issuing country, a test drive or a theory test may be required; the Road Traffic Office can advise you.

    Legal basis: Art. 42 para. 3bis let. a Traffic Licensing Ordinance (VZV, SR 741.51)

    Sources: zg.ch, fedlex.admin.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  4. Taxes

    Responsible
    Cantonal Tax Administration (withholding tax) or the tax office of your municipality

    Foreign employees who have just moved here usually have income tax deducted directly from their salary (withholding tax); the employer normally registers them. Report changes in marital status or number of children straight away. Swiss citizens, holders of a C settlement permit and their spouses file a tax return.

    Source: zg.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  5. Enrol children at school

    Responsible
    Your municipality or the school management; supervision: Directorate of Education and Culture (Office for Municipal Schools)

    Compulsory schooling in the Canton of Zug lasts ten years and starts at the age of four. The municipalities run the public schools, which are free of charge. Children who do not speak German receive extra support at every level. Young people up to the age of 16 who move here have the right to join compulsory school.

    Source: zg.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  6. Sort and dispose of waste

    Responsible
    Your municipality and Zeba (waste management association of the Zug municipalities)

    The municipalities are responsible for waste. Household rubbish goes into your municipality's official fee-paid bags or bags with a fee sticker. Every municipality has a staffed recycling centre (Ökihof) that accepts around 30 types of waste; collection days are listed in the collection calendar.

    Sources: zebazug.ch, zg.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  7. Know the emergency numbers

    Police 117, fire brigade 118, ambulance 144, international emergency number 112. Zugora's emergency page lists numbers, emergency meeting points and the lost property office and works offline after your first visit.

    Go to the emergency page

    Sources: zg.ch, alert.swiss (PDF) · checked on 5 Oct 2026

Learning German

German courses for every level, subsidised options and language certificates.

  • German in everyday life

    German is the official language of the Canton of Zug. People write in standard German but mostly speak Swiss German. Residents who speak another language are expected to learn German. Nobody expects you to speak Swiss German, and you can always ask people to speak standard German.

    Source: zg.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  • Subsidised German courses

    Under the Cantonal Integration Programme (KIP), the canton subsidises German courses. They are mainly aimed at people on low incomes who cannot access courses on the open market. According to the canton the list is not exhaustive; its page also lists private providers.

    List as of: July 2023 (Canton of Zug)

    Source: zg.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  • Learning German in your municipality

    Group courses at levels A1, A2 and B1 in most Zug municipalities, subsidised by the federal government and the municipalities: from CHF 240.– for 32 lessons. B1 courses are subsidised for people with a KulturLegi card. Courses start in February and in August or September; you register directly with your municipality, and it pays to register early. According to the FMZ, Baar, Cham, Hünenberg, Menzingen, Risch-Rotkreuz, Steinhausen, Unterägeri and Zug offer these courses. In the town of Zug, the Loreto community centre runs them on behalf of the town, partly with childcare.

    Sources: fmzug.ch, stadtzug.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  • Which course is right for you?

    The Fachstelle Migration Zug (FMZ) offers personal advice on German courses in many languages. If you are not yet familiar with the Latin alphabet, you can attend a literacy course; there are also courses with childcare.

    Sources: zg.ch, fmzug.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  • fide and language certificates

    fide is a German learning system of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) for everyday life and work. The fide office issues the fide language passport on behalf of the SEM, based on the fide test, a recognised language certificate or a validation dossier. The FMZ provides information on the fide test and the Goethe exams as language proof for permits and naturalisation.

    Sources: zg.ch, fide-service.ch, fmzug.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  • German for children before kindergarten

    Children who speak another language benefit from early contact with German-speaking children, for example in playgroups. In the town of Zug, Wunderfitz und Redeblitz GmbH runs German support for pre-school children in day-care centres, playgroups and schools on behalf of the town, with information for parents.

    Sources: stadtzug.ch, zg.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

Where to get help

Where you get information and advice, also in other languages.

Volunteers and meeting people

Meet people, practise German and get involved.

  • Free volunteer services for refugees

    The canton's directory lists free services by volunteers, social organisations and associations for refugees, for example language tandems, meet-ups and programmes for children. You can filter it by topic, age, format and location (35 entries).

    Source: verzeichnisse.zug.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  • More directories of the canton

    The canton keeps further directories that help you settle in.

    Source: verzeichnisse.zug.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  • Town of Zug welcome event

    Twice a year, in spring and late autumn, the town council welcomes newcomers at the Theater Casino Zug. Over an aperitif, town services, the library, the music school and local associations introduce themselves. Invitations are sent personally. Many other municipalities also hold an event to welcome new residents.

    Sources: stadtzug.ch, zg.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  • FMZ host programme

    Volunteers from Zug (hosts) accompany newcomers after their arrival: they show them the most important places, introduce local associations and help them settle in, and you practise German along the way. The programme is for people who have lived in the canton for less than three years; volunteers can sign up as hosts.

    Source: fmzug.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  • Clubs and associations

    Many people in Zug belong to a club or association, and most of them are open to everyone. Migrant associations also offer advice and exchange. The FMZ keeps lists of Zug clubs and migrant associations.

    Source: zg.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

Naturalisation

How ordinary naturalisation works in the Canton of Zug and how to prepare for the civics interview.

  • Ordinary naturalisation

    The municipality, the canton and the federal government are responsible. Requirements include a C settlement permit, a total of ten years in Switzerland (three of them in the five years before applying), five years in the Canton of Zug and the last three years without interruption in the municipality. For applications submitted since 1 January 2025, the canton requires spoken German at level B2 or higher and written German at level B1 or higher. The procedure takes about two years.

    Source: zg.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  • Civics interview

    Responsible
    Civil Status and Citizenship Service of the Canton of Zug

    Anyone who did not complete compulsory schooling in Switzerland under a Swiss curriculum is invited to a civics interview at the Civil Status and Citizenship Service. Topics are history, civics and the rights and duties of Swiss citizens. Appointments are by telephone arrangement only.

    Address: Neugasse 2, 6301 Zug

    +41 41 594 39 00Call +41 41 594 39 00

    Opening hours: Civics interview
    Monday to Friday08:00–11:45, 14:00–17:00

    Opening hours checked on 5 Oct 2026 (zg.ch)

    Source: zg.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  • Civics course for self-study

    To prepare for the interview, the canton provides a civics course in three parts as PDF files (as of April 2026, German only).

    Source: zg.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026

  • History as a study aid

    Zugora is building a page on the history of the town and Canton of Zug. It is a study aid, not official exam material. The canton’s documents are authoritative for the civics interview.

Events

Official events in the next 30 days on German, meeting people and integration, taken automatically from the cantonal and municipal events calendars.

All events

Languages

The Fachstelle Migration Zug website is available in 15 languages; not every page is translated into every language, and advice is offered in many languages. Zugora is available in German and English for now.

Source: fmzug.ch · checked on 5 Oct 2026