Schwyz citizenship test

How the canton of Schwyz checks your knowledge

In the canton of Schwyz the decision lies with your municipality’s naturalisation authority. It either checks your basic knowledge itself in a personal hearing or requires you to take a written exam at the vocational training centre (BBZ) Pfäffikon. The BBZ is the only centre recognised by the canton for this exam. Many municipalities combine both: according to a 2017 survey, 4 municipalities required only the exam, 10 only the hearing and 14 both.

The BBZ exam consists of 35 to 41 questions, some open, some multiple choice. It lasts 75 minutes plus 15 minutes of instructions and is held in Pfäffikon and in Goldau or Schwyz. The pass mark is not published. The exam alone costs 150 francs; the preparation course of six evenings including the exam costs 420 francs (according to the BBZ information sheet).

The exam covers Switzerland, the canton of Schwyz and the municipality: history and geography, democracy and federalism, political rights, social security and schools. In the hearing, municipalities often ask local questions too.

What you should know about the canton of Schwyz

• Name and flag: The name «Switzerland» (Schweiz) comes from Schwyz, and the red banner with the white cross also goes back to the Schwyz banner. The Federal Charter of 1291 is on display in the Museum of the Swiss Charters of Confederation in Schwyz.
• Districts: Schwyz has six districts with real significance: Schwyz, Gersau, Küssnacht, Einsiedeln, Höfe and March. Gersau was a small republic of its own until 1817, and in the Höfe district the capital alternates between Wollerau and Pfäffikon. The canton has 30 municipalities.
• Authorities: The Kantonsrat has 100 members and is elected by proportional representation, with the municipalities as constituencies. The Regierungsrat has seven members. The Kantonsrat elects the Landammann from among the Regierungsrat for two years. The constitution dates from 2010 and has been in force since 2013. The highest court is the Kantonsgericht, and in every municipality a mediator (Vermittler) settles civil disputes.
• People’s rights: An initiative needs 2000 signatures with no collection deadline, a referendum 1000 signatures within 60 days.
• History: In 1315 the men of Schwyz defeated a Habsburg army at Morgarten; the defeat at Marignano in 1515 ended the policy of expansion. Schwyz remained Catholic during the Reformation and rejected the new Federal Constitution in 1848. In 1806 the Rossberg landslide buried the village of Goldau.
• Nature and places: Einsiedeln Abbey with its Black Madonna has existed since 934. The Hölloch in the Muotathal is one of the longest cave systems in Europe. The highest summit of the Rigi is Rigi Kulm. Lakes Lauerz and Sihl lie entirely within the canton, and the Hohle Gasse sunken lane near Küssnacht is linked to the Tell legend.
• Economy: Victorinox, maker of the Swiss pocket knife, is a major employer in Ibach. The Gotthard line runs through Arth-Goldau.

The naturalisation process in the canton of Schwyz

You submit your application to your municipality. Its naturalisation authority decides whether you must take the BBZ exam and holds the hearing. After the decision on municipal citizenship, the canton reviews the application and forwards it to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). After federal approval, the canton grants cantonal citizenship.

Note the higher language requirements: Schwyz requires German B2 spoken and B1 written. The residence rule is five years without interruption in the municipality. According to the Federal Council, Schwyz is among the cantons with fairly low cantonal fees, in the range of 300 to 500 francs for a single person.

How to prepare

The BBZ Pfäffikon provides useful material: the study dossier «Informationen zum Kanton Schwyz» and sample questions with solutions, both for the canton and for the whole exam. For the part about Switzerland the canton recommends the booklet «ECHO – Informationen zur Schweiz».

First check with your municipality whether it requires the BBZ exam. If so, the preparation course is worth it, because the exam also includes open questions where you have to word the answer yourself. For the hearing you should know your municipality and your district. In Schwyz, with its independent-minded districts, the authorities like to ask about them.

The practice questions and the mock test on this page show you where you stand. Because the exam differs from municipality to municipality, the mock test uses a practice format with 30 questions.