Get paid £53,000 to move to Switzerland

A Swiss village has announced that it intends to pay new residents up to £53,000 just to move there in order to combat its decreasing population issue.

At the moment the small picturesque village of Albinen, in the Swiss Canton of Valais, has a population of just 240 people. The population has decreased to the extent that they’ve even had to close the local school.

The municipal government passed a motion by 71 votes to 29 last week to approve the motion to pay new residents up to £53,000 just for moving to the village. Younger residents, allegedly tired of the decreasing population, had petitioned the local government to incentivise people to move to the area.

There is, however, a catch; you must qualify for the grant. According to The Independent, to be eligible new residents must be under 45 years old, sign up to live in Albinen for a minimum of 10 years, buy or build a property there with a minimum value of CHF200,000 (£150,000), and be a Swiss citizen or have a valid Swiss C permit. Their house there must be a primary residence, rather than a second home.

Should you meet this criteria then you will be the recipient of some of the £75,000 per year allocated pot to incentivise you to move to the picturesque area. If you don’t qualify there are probably a number of good reasons to consider moving there anyway. With fantastic views, its quietness, air quality and location proximity to Sion, Visp and Leukerbad, Albinen may just be the place for you.