Can you recommend the top 2–3 relocation companies in Lausanne?
Yes. The top 3 in Lausanne are Auris Relocation, Prime Relocation and Welcome Service, in alphabetical order. They are partner agencies we work with directly, whose client work and response times we know. No agency pays for its position; each agency's rating, review count and ReloFinder score (its Google rating weighted by its number of reviews) are in the list below. If you would rather not choose yourself, get matched and we pass your request to one partner agency that fits.
I am joining EPFL or UNIL. Where do I start?
With the permit and the flat, in parallel. EU/EFTA nationals: a contract of at least a year, or an open-ended one, gives you a B permit valid five years; a contract of more than three months and under a year gives you an L permit for its length. Third-country nationals: the employer files the application, and the rules are stricter (priority for workers in Switzerland and the EU/EFTA, qualifications, quotas). In canton Vaud, 0.87% of dwellings stood empty on 1 June 2026, so start the search as soon as you sign. EPFL is in Ecublens; Renens is 5 minutes away by metro M1, Morges 17 minutes.
Source: Service de la population du canton de Vaud, State Secretariat for Migration, 4 October 2026Source: Canton of Vaud, Federal Statistical Office, 1 June 2026Source: Statistique Vaud, transport.opendata.ch, 31 December 2024
Our children don’t speak French. How does school work in Lausanne?
Public schools in canton Vaud teach in French and take in children who speak another language: in an ordinary class with intensive French lessons, in a reception group or, from the second cycle of primary school, where a school offers one, full-time in a reception class (classe d’accueil). This usually lasts a year, exceptionally two, and the school’s management decides which option your child gets. The alternative is an international school: ISL, Brillantmont and St. George’s charge between CHF 14,900 and 49,250 a year in 2026/27. Settle the school before the flat, because the commute to it shapes where you search.
Source: État de Vaud, 4 October 2026Price pages: International School of Lausanne, Brillantmont International School, St. George’s International School, 4 October 2026
Several hires for Lausanne: how does HR compare agencies?
With one anonymous brief: where, how many people and which help they need, such as home search, permits and schools. A person at ReloFinder reads it within one business day, and up to four matched partner agencies reply with terms and a named lead consultant, side by side. Anonymous until you choose to connect, and free for employers. If each employee should choose for themselves, ReloFinder for Teams matches every hire with partner agencies for their canton, and they pick the one they trust.
Is a new lease in Vaud more expensive than the average rent?
Yes, clearly. In 2024 a 3-room flat in canton Vaud cost on average CHF 1,477 a month without charges across all leases, but CHF 1,668 when the lease was under two years old and CHF 1,092 when it had run for 21 years or more. For a 4-room flat the figures were CHF 1,807, CHF 2,074 and CHF 1,353 (FSO structural survey, Statistique Vaud). Budget with the new-lease figure, and plan for the deposit: up to three months’ rent, held in a blocked account in your name.
Source: Statistique Vaud, 31 December 2024Source: Fedlex, 1 January 2026
Can I work in Lausanne and live in France?
Yes, with a cross-border permit. EU/EFTA nationals can obtain a G permit if they return to their home abroad every day or at least once a week; border zones no longer apply. Third-country nationals need a permanent right of residence in France and at least six months’ residence in the border zone. Unlike Geneva, Vaud falls under the Franco-Swiss agreement of 11 April 1983: cross-border workers are taxed in France, where they live, not at source in Vaud, provided the employer holds the French residence certificate. For health insurance, EU/EFTA nationals can usually choose Swiss or French cover, within three months of starting work.
Source: State Secretariat for Migration, République et canton de Genève, Steuerverwaltung Basel-Stadt, Federal Office of Public Health, 4 October 2026
How much does a relocation agency in Lausanne cost?
Agencies that publish prices charge CHF 2,500–5,000 for a home search (or about a month's rent on success), CHF 1,950 for a settling-in day and from CHF 5,950 for a full-service package; permits are quoted per case. Of the 17 agencies on this page, 16 offer a free first consultation and 14 price by package, so you see a fixed quote before you commit.
How many relocation agencies work in Lausanne?
14. 7 have an office in the region and 7 name Lausanne in their own service area. Just Relocation, Prime Relocation and Relonest, partner agencies based elsewhere, are listed here as Swiss-wide partners. 14 more cover all of Switzerland without a local office; they are on the list of all Swiss agencies, never mixed into this ranking.
Which Lausanne agencies work in English and French?
Of the 17 agencies on this page, all work in English; 15 of 17 in French. Between them they cover 8 languages, including German (11), Italian (4) and Dutch (1). Each agency's languages are on its row in the ranking.
Which agencies in Lausanne are taking new clients?
16 of 17 say they are taking new clients. Global Relocation has a waitlist; ask to be matched with a similar agency instead.
Which Lausanne agencies are SARA or EuRA members?
6 of the 17. 4 belong to SARA (Relonest, Lodge Relocation, La Boutique Relocation and A Good Day Relocation) and 4 to EuRA (Prime Relocation, Relonest, Lodge Relocation and Connectiv Relocation AG). Membership is shown on each profile and never changes the rank.
How are the Lausanne rankings decided?
14 agencies have an office in Lausanne or name it in their coverage. Just Relocation, Prime Relocation and Relonest, partner agencies based elsewhere, are listed here as Swiss-wide partners. 13 of the 17 on this page have at least 5 Google reviews and a ReloFinder score, a Bayesian average of their Google rating that weighs review volume (reviews captured per agency between November 2025 and September 2026). 14 other nationwide agencies without a local office are not in this ranking. No agency can pay for position. The top five are partner agencies we work with directly. All other agencies follow their review score.
