The Rhine Valley is home to globally active high-tech producers as well as regional businesses. The more than 5000 companies include micro-enterprises as suppliers as well as companies with several thousand employees.
The largest companies in the region (in terms of number of employees) are:
The Rhine Valley of St.Gallen is one of the regions in Switzerland with the highest proportion of industrial companies in the high-tech sector. Industries such as mechanical engineering, electronics and optics are strongly represented here – often as world market leaders. Compared to the rest of Switzerland, one and a half times more companies are situated in the Rhine Valley of St.Gallen that are active in manufacturing, goods production or construction.
Important sectors:
- Metal/machinery industry
- Construction/construction-related trades
- Chemical/medical engineering
- Plastics processing and packaging
- Services
Jobseekers from another Swiss canton do not need a special permit to work in the region. EU/EFTA nationals can enter Switzerland to look for a job. No permit is required for a stay of up to three months. For longer stays, you need a residence permit. You must register with the municipality of residence before starting the employment. Further information can be obtained from the residents’ registration office of the municipality of residence.
https://www.ch.ch/en/foreign-nationals-in-switzerland/working-in-switzerland
The interregional train IR13 runs hourly (half-hourly as of 2025) and connects the cities of Chur, Sargans, Buchs, St.Gallen and Zurich. The S-Bahn St.Gallen (S4) runs every half hour and stops in various municipalities. These are connected to the surrounding regions and municipalities by a dense bus network. The ÖBB connects St. Margrethen, Buchs, Sargans and the region with Vienna and Zurich. Bicycle paths are well marked in all municipalities. The network is constantly being expanded.
Spouses and children of EU-27/EFTA nationals who have been admitted as part of family reunification have a legal right to access the labour market, regardless of their nationality. Taking up gainful employment must be reported in advance to the competent cantonal migration authority.
There is a lot of valuable information on the internet that can help you take the first steps, such as
In the region, STARTFELD supports you in setting up a business – from initial advice to financing. Coaches from the Rhine Valley Region are of course also available to help you. Start your business with the Startfeld support programme for young companies! Click here for the Startfeld support programme.
Startfeld is also the network for innovations and start-ups in the region of Eastern Switzerland. Ambitious founders are supported in all phases of innovation, as well as established SMEs that are open to impulses and want to drive new things forward.
Startfeld Association
Lerchenfeldstrasse 3
CH-9014 St.Gallen
Phone +41 71 277 20 40
info@startfeld.ch
www.startfeld.ch
The first point of contact is always the residents’ registration office in your municipality. There you can register and receive important information about life in the municipality.
At a newcomer’s party, you will get to know the local municipality and the municipal authorities better.
In the municipalities of St. Margrethen, Au, Altstätten and Eichberg, welcome talks are also offered by the Integration Office.
For nationals of EU/EFTA states, the full free movement of persons applies. This means that they are allowed to enter Switzerland, live and work here. Different regulations apply to family reunification
depending on the country of origin. If you have an EU/EFTA residence permit in Switzerland, you may be allowed to be joined by your spouse, children,
grandchildren, parents and grandparents under certain conditions. Persons who come from a third country (countries that do not belong to the EU and/or the Schengen area) and have a Swiss
permanent residence permit (permit C) may, under certain conditions, be joined by their spouse and underage children. Detailed information can be obtained from the cantonal migration office.
If you have a residence permit in Switzerland, you can rent a flat or house without a special permit.
https://www.mieterverband.ch/mv-os.html
An information brochure on the Swiss rental system is available in 17 different languages at:
https://www.bwo.admin.ch/bwo/de/home/wie-wir-wohnen/infoblatt-wohnen/infoblatt.html
EU/EFTA citizens resident in Switzerland also have the same rights as Swiss citizens when buying property and therefore do not require a special permit. Nationals from third countries must fulfil specific requirements. General information can be obtained from the land registry of the municipality of residence.
The federal government, cantons, municipalities and regional churches are authorised to collect taxes.
Switzerland’s tax system is characterised by the fact that both the federal government and the 26 cantons and even the approximately 2,600 municipalities levy taxes.
In addition to the federal government, each canton has its own tax law.
The municipalities levy their taxes as surcharges on top of the cantonal taxes.
The most important tax revenues for the cantons and municipalities are clearly the direct taxes, i.e. the income and wealth taxes of natural persons and the profit and capital taxes of legal entities (around 90 % of total tax revenues). The federal government also taxes income and profits, but less heavily than the cantons. The federal government generates the most revenue from VAT.
The tax calculator can be used to calculate the tax burden for each St.Gallen municipality. You can also obtain information from the tax office in your municipality of residence.
Admission to a new school or a change of school in the middle of the school year is possible in exceptional cases such as a relocation or move.
Registration takes place at the school administration of the municipality of residence.
Children and adolescents with a migration background are enrolled in school like all other children living in Switzerland. For children who do not speak and understand enough German, there are supplementary school programmes. The integration office offers various language support services for foreign-language infants and their parents.
Life in the Rhine Valley region is more favourable than the Swiss average.