We help expats or people who have just arrived in Switzerland integrate well in their new country. We provide personalised and flexible cultural and language courses to help you prepare for your fide test.
Renewing your residence permit (B permit), getting your settlement permit (C permit) or undertaking the naturalisation process can be stressful. This is why we have created “Welcome to Switzerland”, a package created for expats and new-comers to help them :
Integrate well in Switzerland by learning at least one of the three official languages (French, Italian or German).
Get ready for their fide test.
Pass their fide test.
Our promise to you :
We tailor your language course to your needs and availability.
We offer private or group classes, depending on your preferences.
We offer in-person or online courses, and can provide classes at home, at work or at our training center in Nyon.
We provide personalised advice to help you obtain your permit and pass your fide test.
We listen to your needs to deliver a language program built to fit your requirements and your individual learning profile.
We provide a range of educational tools to help you learn quicker and more effectively.
Our bespoke method allows us to fully adapt to your personal and professional goals and help you reach them quicker.
Our accredited fide trainers and instructors work around your schedule and take into account your learning profile to help you learn more effectively.
In order to facilitate the social and political integration of expats and new-comers, the Swiss Confederation requires them to speak at least one of the three official languages : French, Italian or German.
In 2007, the Federal Council launched a new framework to facilitate this and started developing the fide system.
fide, which means “French, Italian and Deutsch” (German), is the official program promoting language integration in Switzerland. It focuses on Swiss culture and everyday life.
It is a federal undertaking, which helps people who don’t speak French, Italian or German :
Each expat/new-comer must take the fide test, which assesses their languages skills, to obtain their B/C permit or start their naturalisation process.
A network of professional experts, instructors, schools, training centers, local authorities and specialised companies help deliver the fide program across Switzerland. Following the fide council’s directives, they train expats and assess their skills to ensure they can integrate well in the Swiss Confederation.
With over 12 years’ experience and a team of 220 trainers and instructors across Switzerland, we :
Advise companies, expats and new comers on the fide requirements.
Work with HR professionals to help their expat workers settle in their new country.
Work with expats and their families to obtain their residence or settlement permits.
Teach French, German and/or Italian to expats and newcomers looking to pass their fide test.
Help them build the language skills required to pass your fide test.
Our program meets the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration requirements to help you pass your fide test.
Our program focuses both on language skills and Swiss culture to help you settle in your new country well.
Our program will help you understand daily life in Switzerland and give you the language skills required to go shopping, buy a train ticket, fill in forms at the Post Office, call the doctor, …
Our program is built to maximise your chances of passing the fide test, and to meet the requirements for the B / C permits or naturalisation.
Our program will help you understand the key differences between your culture and the Swiss culture.
Our program is tailored to your learning style and preferences.
Your expatriation success relies as much on your integration as well as your partner’s. It is therefore essential to help them settle in their new life in Switzerland.
Our accredited fide trainers and instructors work as linguistic coaches to help them learn their new language and adapt to life in the Confederation :
We provide individual classes if they want to learn and prepare for their fide test in the comfort of their own home. This option is ideal if they’re looking for maximum flexibility : we adapt to their schedule and provide classes when they are available.
We provide group classes at our training center if they prefer learning in a group setting.
We provide a 100 % digital learning experience thanks to our F&Connect courses, if they prefer learning online, or if virtual classes suit their lifestyle better.
No matter which service they choose, they will learn all the necessary skills to pass their fide test and obtain the B Permit, C Permit or their naturalisation.
You can communicate in a simple way, in your personal living context (e.g. at home, at work or at your children’s school), as long as your fide instructor speaks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help you when necessary.
You can introduce yourself or introduce someone else using simple words.
You can give short and simple answers to easy, personal questions (e.g. where do you live ? Where do you work ? Where do your children go to school ?)
You can express your needs or concerns (e.g. at home or in a shop), by using prepared and practiced sentences.
You can understand simple questions and sentences relating to important areas of your life. For example, questions on your children’s school, your education/training, your work, your health or your living situation.
You can communicate in routine situations in a government office or any other public institution, which only require a direct exchange of information on familiar topics.
You can describe where you come from, talk about your education, your work or your personal experiences, using simple words.
You can understand important information from a teacher, your employer, your landlord or public authorities, as long as they use clear, standard sentences and they talk about familiar topics.
You can manage in most day-to-day situations at home, at work or in a public space.
You can express yourself easily and clearly on familiar topics, personal interests and experiences.
You can express your opinions, your goals, your hopes and your wishes, as well as explain or justify them briefly.
To join your partner who holds a B Permit (Art. 73a OASA), also known as family reunification.
To renew workers’ B Permits.
To apply for an early settlement permit (Early C Permit) after living in Switzerland for 5 continuous years.
To apply for a settlement permit (C Permit) after living in Switzerland for 10 continuous years.
To become a Swiss citizen and apply for ordinary naturalisation (after living in Switzerland for 10 continuous years) or simplified naturalisation for spouses of Swiss citizens (after living in Switzerland for 5 continuous years).
Our fide tests take place every Thursday at our training center in Nyon (VD), depending on the number of participants.
We require at least 2 weeks to order your fide test from the Fide council.
For relocation companies, please contact us to organize a fide test at a location accredited by the Fide council.
Our fide manager, Minielle, will process your registration. You can contact her by email (contact@formationsco.com) or by phone (+41 21 564 21 50) every week day between 9 am and 6pm.
A CHF 100 fee will be charged once your registration is complete and until the day before your test. This will be held in case of postponement or cancellation.
On the day of your test, you will be required to bring your ID. This document must be in date.
You will need to present your ID to the fide instructor at the beginning of your test.
If you do not have your ID, you will not be able to take the test and you will be required to pay the full test fee.
Please arrive 5 minutes before the start of the test, as it starts on time. If you are late or do not show up for your test, your test will be cancelled and you will be required to pay the full fide test fee.
You can find the official rules here : www.fide-service.ch
How long does the fide test take?
The oral test takes about 40 minutes, with 15 to 20 minutes allocated to the speaking and understanding parts of the test.
The written test, which includes reading and writing, lasts an hour.
Rue de la Morache, 1 – 1260 Nyon (VD) – SWITZERLAND
