Living and working in Valais

The canton

• Population: 360,000
• Median salary: CHF 6,200/month
• Languages: Lower Valais FR (Sion, Martigny), Upper Valais DE (Brig, Visp)

Economy

• Alpine tourism: Zermatt, Verbier, Crans-Montana, Saas-Fee
• Lonza Visp: 3,000 pharma jobs
• Hydroelectricity: 30% CH production
• Viticulture: 5,100 ha, 22% CH wine
• Valais Hospital: 3,600 jobs

Housing

• 3.5 rooms Sion: CHF 1,400-1,900/month
• Brig, Visp: CHF 1,200-1,700
• Resorts: very variable (Verbier vs villages)
• Purchase: CHF 600K-1.5M

Transport

• Sion-Geneva 1h30, Sion-Lausanne 1h
• Brig-Zurich 2h via tunnel
• Spectacular alpine train

Practical life

• Matterhorn: global icon
• 2,300 hours of sun/year: CH record
• Wine: Petite Arvine, Heida, Fendant
• Year-round skiing + summer hiking

Tips

• Lonza Visp: chemistry/pharma + German
• Lower Valais: growing market around Sion-Martigny
• Seasonal: winter very lucrative in hospitality
• Outdoor quality of life: world top