Is Valais really bilingual or is one language dominant?

Officially bilingual, but in practice the cantonal territory splits sharply: French dominates the Lower Valais (Bas-Valais — Sion, Martigny, Monthey) and German dominates the Upper Valais (Oberwallis — Visp, Brig, Zermatt). Sierre/Siders is the rare town where both languages are widely spoken daily. Cantonal administration, the cantonal bank and the parliament all operate in both languages.

What does Lonza in Visp actually do?

Lonza's Visp complex is one of Switzerland's largest pharma chemical and biologics sites, making active pharmaceutical ingredients, vitamins and contract-manufactured biologics for global drug companies. It is the Upper Valais's largest private employer by a wide margin and pulls in international chemists, biologists, engineers and regulatory staff. Most Upper Valais expat life orbits around Lonza in one way or another.

Can I commute to Bern from Valais?

Yes — Brig to Bern is around 60 minutes via the Lötschberg base tunnel, and Visp around 55 minutes. The Upper Valais is genuinely commutable to Bern. The Lower Valais commutes east to Sion or west to Lausanne/Geneva (Sion to Lausanne is around 70 minutes by IC).

Do I need French or German to live in Valais?

Whichever matches your sub-region. The Lower Valais runs in French, the Upper Valais in Swiss German (with a famously strong Walliserdeutsch dialect). The canton genuinely expects you to learn the local language of your commune — not the other one. English use outside Lonza, the international resorts and the Sion administrative layer is limited.

Is Valais wine actually a big deal?

Yes — Valais is by some distance Switzerland's largest wine-producing canton by volume, with the south-facing slopes of the Rhône valley producing Fendant (Chasselas), Petite Arvine, Heida and a long list of indigenous varieties you won't find elsewhere. Locally the wine economy is significant and most Valaisans take it seriously.

Valais: with family checklist

Sion • French / German • Updated August 2026

Schools, family reunification and partner work rights.

Income tax (~CHF 100k)

23.0%

Rent 1BR

CHF 1’200

Health insurance

CHF 340/mo

Valais · free tool

See what you'd actually pay in tax in Valais

Tax calculator — pre-filled for Valais. No signup.

Permits & paperwork

Apply for family reunification
REQUIRED
~6–12 weeksCHF 100–300
Spouse and children under 18 can join you. EU citizens: nearly automatic. Non-EU: requires adequate housing proof and income above social welfare threshold.
Confirm spouse work rights
REQUIRED
~30 minFree
EU spouses can work freely. Non-EU spouses joining a B permit holder can work, but employer may need a separate authorization.

Children

Enroll kids in school
REQUIRED
~1 dayFree (public)
Public school is mandatory from age 4. Contact the Gemeinde school office. Kids are usually placed in a 'welcome class' for language support.
Find childcare (Kita) if needed
OPTIONAL
Weeks–monthsCHF 80–180/day
Childcare is expensive and waitlisted. Some cantons subsidize based on income. Apply 6+ months before you need a spot.
Apply for family allowances
RECOMMENDED
~1 hourFree (you receive money)
Switzerland pays CHF 200–330/month per child via your employer's compensation fund. You apply, your employer processes.

Healthcare

Insure each child separately
REQUIRED
~1 hourCHF 100–150/mo per child
Every person needs their own KVG policy, including newborns within 3 months of birth. Children get reduced premiums.

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Valais is set as your canton, so checklists and tools across HowToSwiss now use its rates.

Permits & paperwork

Apply for family reunification

Confirm spouse work rights

Children

Enroll kids in school

Find childcare (Kita) if needed

Apply for family allowances

Healthcare

Insure each child separately

Keep reading

All 26 canton checklists