Can I become a resident of Switzerland?

It is much easier for EU passport holders to work and/or reside in Switzerland than other nationals. There are two types of permit - a B permit which gives you the right to reside in Switzerland (but not to work) or a permit which gives both the right to work and residency. When you have obtained a Swiss residence permit you may buy a property which would otherwise not be available to purchase by a foreigner. A useful book if you are considering retiring or working in Switzerland is ‘Living and working in Switzerland’ by David Hampshire (available from Amazon).
 
Working in Switzerland - you will need a contract of employment from a Swiss company or you could establish your own company or be self-employed but you will need to show that you are creating employment for Swiss nationals have an annual income of over 50,000 Sfrs.

Retiring in Switzerland - you can obtain a B permit if you are over the age of 50 and you can show that you have sufficient financial means and have a private Swiss health insurance cover (it costs around 120 sfrs per month). You must also pay tax in Switzerland. This is known as a “taxe a forfait” and is a fixed 5 year tax deal which your advisor will negotiate in advance with the local tax office. Resorts such as Crans Montana in Valais offer very good tax arrangements and this is a lovely, sunny dual season resort with a golf course so it is also a good choice for retirement.

EC residence permits are valid for five years and will automatically be renewed if the requirements are still satisfied.

NON EU Passport holders – applications are reviewed case by case but generally the requirements, if retiring, are to have reached retirement age (60 years old), not to work in Switzerland, to prove one has sufficient financial means to live in Switzerland without working and to have personal ties in Switzerland.