Slovak entrepreneurs can own a Swiss GmbH or AG without relocating. Compare s.r.o. capital, first-year costs, banking, 2026 taxes and Swiss property rules.
In 2022, during a Slovak state visit to Switzerland, the programme at ETH Zurich included a tribute to an engineer born in what is now Slovakia. His name was Aurel Stodola.
Born in Liptovský Mikuláš in 1859, Stodola became a professor at ETH Zurich in 1892. His work on steam and gas turbines helped shape modern mechanical engineering and contributed to the development of Swiss industry.
More than a century later, Slovak engineering, manufacturing and technology continue to connect the two countries.
For an entrepreneur in Bratislava, Košice or Žilina, the question may be considerably more practical.
Can a Slovak citizen establish a Swiss company while continuing to live in Slovakia? Generally, yes. Slovak individuals and companies can normally own 100% of a Swiss GmbH or AG.
The important decision is whether the planned Swiss business has a genuine commercial purpose and whether its benefits justify the capital, banking and ongoing costs.
Slovakia and Switzerland: Engineering, Industry and People
Economic relations between Slovakia and Switzerland extend well beyond their shared connection to the Alps.
According to the Slovak Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, bilateral trade reached approximately EUR 2.2 billion in 2025. More than 70 Swiss companies operated in Slovakia, employing around 15,000 people.
The relationship also has an interesting personal dimension.
Martina Hingis, one of Switzerland's most successful tennis players, was born in Košice in 1980, when the city was part of Czechoslovakia. She later represented Switzerland and won five Grand Slam singles titles.
These connections are reflected in several different business models.
ESET: Slovak Technology Reaching Swiss Customers
ESET was founded in Bratislava in 1992 and developed into an internationally recognised cybersecurity company.
Its software is available in Switzerland through authorised distributors, including Swiss technology businesses Alltron AG, ALSO Schweiz AG and Boll Engineering AG.
This illustrates an important market-entry model: a Slovak company can reach Swiss customers through established local partners without necessarily establishing its own Swiss subsidiary.
Vetropack: Swiss Ownership and Slovak Manufacturing
Swiss packaging-glass group Vetropack owns a manufacturing operation in Nemšová, Slovakia.
The group acquired the historic glassworks in 2002. Today, Vetropack Nemšová produces and distributes glass packaging using its local industrial facilities.
Here, the economic relationship involves Swiss group ownership and actual Slovak production.
The manufacturing activity, employees and facilities are important parts of the business, not simply the registration of a foreign subsidiary.
Basler & Hofmann: International Engineering Services
Basler & Hofmann is a Swiss engineering group specialising in buildings, infrastructure, water and energy.
Its Slovak subsidiary has operated since 2005, connecting engineering teams and professional expertise across several European locations.
This is a different model again: international professional services supported by local specialists.
For a Slovak engineering, technology or consulting business considering Switzerland, the relevant question is whether a local presence would improve customer access, contracts or service delivery.
Establishing a Swiss Company from Slovakia
1. Can my Slovak s.r.o. sell directly to Swiss customers?
Yes. A Slovak s.r.o. can generally supply goods or services directly to Swiss customers without establishing a Swiss subsidiary.
The obligations depend on the activity and transaction.
A manufacturer exporting machinery to Switzerland must consider transport, customs, import VAT and product requirements.
A consultancy serving Swiss clients remotely may face different conditions.
Slovakia's standard VAT rate is 23%, while Switzerland's standard rate is 8.1%.
These rates do not automatically determine how a cross-border transaction is taxed.
Switzerland abolished industrial import tariffs in 2024, but customs declarations and import VAT remain relevant.
A Swiss subsidiary becomes commercially interesting when local employees, contracts, inventory or customer responsibilities justify it.
2. Can I own 100% of a Swiss GmbH or AG while living in Bratislava?
Generally, yes. A Slovak individual or legal entity can own all the shares in a Swiss AG or all the participation interests in a GmbH.
The shareholder does not normally have to live in Switzerland.
The company must have a registered Swiss address and sufficient representation through an appropriately authorised person resident in Switzerland.
Ownership, company management, tax residence and immigration status are separate matters.
Swiss company formation for international entrepreneurs.
3. How does a Slovak s.r.o. or a.s. compare with a Swiss GmbH or AG?
The closest comparisons are Slovak s.r.o. and Swiss GmbH, and Slovak a.s. and Swiss AG.
The legal forms share certain characteristics but have different capital and governance rules.
- Slovak s.r.o.: Minimum registered capital of EUR 5,000. A single shareholder is permitted, subject to statutory restrictions.
- Slovak a.s.: Joint-stock company with minimum registered capital of EUR 25,000.
- Swiss GmbH: Requires CHF 20,000, fully paid at incorporation. Its shareholders and registered participation interests appear publicly in the Commercial Register.
- Swiss AG: Requires CHF 100,000 nominal share capital, with at least 20% of each share and at least CHF 50,000 in total paid at incorporation.
An AG may offer greater flexibility where external investors or future share transfers are planned.
A GmbH can be suitable for an owner-managed operating company or subsidiary with stable ownership.
First-Year Costs and Swiss Banking
4. How much should I budget for the first year in Switzerland?
The budget has two main components: one-time incorporation costs and yearly maintenance costs.
Company capital and operating funding must be considered separately.
One-time incorporation costs depend on the complexity of the setup.
The legal form, ownership structure, documentation, required services and banking arrangements influence the amount.
Existing Swiss bank accounts or banking relationships can affect the preparation involved. A new company must nevertheless satisfy the bank's requirements for its own capital-payment and operating accounts.
The legal form determines the capital commitment:
- GmbH: CHF 20,000, fully paid at incorporation.
- AG: CHF 100,000 nominal capital, with at least CHF 50,000 paid at incorporation and at least 20% of each share's nominal value covered.
This is company capital, not an incorporation service fee. After registration and bank release, it can be used for legitimate business expenditure, subject to capital-maintenance requirements.
Yearly maintenance costs depend on the scale and complexity of the company's operations.
Accounting, annual financial statements, tax administration, payroll, banking and any required Swiss representation contribute to the recurring budget.
Employee numbers and the office model also matter.
A registered business address with occasional workspace creates different costs from a dedicated office employing a local team.
Salaries, employer contributions, premises and other operating expenses need their own budget.
Finally, the canton and municipality influence corporate taxation. The location should correspond to the company's actual activity and management.
Our calculator offers an initial estimate of incorporation and selected service costs. Related guides explain legal-form differences and local taxation.
Company formation cost calculator, AG versus GmbH and Swiss corporate taxes by canton and municipality.
5. Can a Slovak-owned company open a Swiss business bank account?
Yes, a Slovak-owned Swiss company can apply for a corporate bank account. Approval depends on the bank's assessment.
Banks consider beneficial ownership, source of funds, business activity, expected transactions and the reason for the Swiss operation.
An existing Slovak company with established Swiss customers may have a different banking profile from a new company without an operating history.
The capital contribution account and the later operating account serve different purposes.
Slovak EU membership does not guarantee banking acceptance, just as Swiss incorporation alone does not guarantee an account.
Corporate Taxes and Personal Relocation
6. Is corporate tax lower in Switzerland than in Slovakia?
Not necessarily. Slovakia applies different corporate income-tax rates according to the company's taxable revenues.
For tax periods under the rules applicable in 2026:
- 10% for companies with taxable revenues not exceeding EUR 100,000.
- 21% for companies with taxable revenues above EUR 100,000 and not exceeding EUR 5 million.
- 24% for companies with taxable revenues exceeding EUR 5 million.
These rates apply to the relevant taxable profit, not to the entire revenue.
A small Slovak company qualifying for the 10% rate therefore starts from a different position than a larger company subject to 21% or 24%.
In Switzerland, corporate income tax combines federal, cantonal and municipal components.
Canton Schwyz's official 2026 illustration shows CHF 11,599 of corporate income tax in Wollerau on CHF 100,000 of profit before tax, approximately 11.6%.
The corresponding figure in the municipality of Schwyz is CHF 13,302.
A Swiss company does not automatically make profits earned through Slovak operations taxable in Switzerland.
Actual business functions, place of management, personnel and contractual responsibilities remain important.
Slovakia and Switzerland also have a double-taxation agreement relevant to certain cross-border income and distributions.
Swiss corporate tax rates by canton and municipality.
7. Can I move from Slovakia to Switzerland to manage my company?
Yes. Slovak citizens generally benefit from the Switzerland–EU free-movement framework, subject to the applicable conditions.
For employment lasting more than three months, EU/EFTA citizens normally register with their Swiss municipality within 14 days of arrival and before beginning work.
A Slovak entrepreneur intending to become self-employed must demonstrate genuine self-employment and sufficient means under the applicable rules.
A person moving without gainful employment may qualify for residence with sufficient financial resources and appropriate health insurance.
However, living in Slovakia does not necessarily mean holding Slovak or another EU/EFTA nationality.
Non-EU/EFTA residents may be subject to different Swiss admission requirements.
Company ownership and residence permission remain separate matters.
8. What happens to my personal taxes if my family moves to Wollerau?
Slovakia introduced four progressive personal income-tax bands in 2026: 19%, 25%, 30% and 35% for the relevant categories of income.
Slovak dividend taxation also depends on when the distributed profits were generated. Dividends from profits arising in 2024 may be taxed differently from dividends arising in 2025 or later.
The Swiss personal-tax system combines federal, cantonal and municipal income taxes with cantonal and municipal wealth taxes.
Canton Schwyz's official 2026 example shows annual wealth tax of CHF 2,610 in Wollerau for a married couple with two children and CHF 2.5 million of taxable assets, excluding church tax.
A business owner moving to Wollerau while retaining shares in a Slovak s.r.o. may need to consider the value of that business in the Swiss wealth-tax assessment.
The calculation should therefore cover salary, dividends, private investments, company ownership and actual tax residence in both countries.
Could expenditure-based taxation be relevant?
Some qualifying foreign nationals genuinely relocating to Switzerland without pursuing gainful activity there may be eligible for expenditure-based taxation, also called lump-sum taxation.
Canton Schwyz permits this regime under statutory conditions.
The minimum cantonal income assessment base is CHF 600,000, with expenditure and statutory comparison calculations potentially producing a higher amount.
This is an assessment base, not the annual tax payable.
An investor who has retired from daily management and a founder moving to run a Swiss company have different circumstances.
Residence permission and tax eligibility must be assessed separately.
Swiss Property for Slovak Investors
9. Can I buy Swiss commercial property while living in Slovakia?
Generally, yes. Foreign non-residents can often acquire qualifying Swiss commercial property without Lex Koller authorisation.
Such premises may include offices, shops, warehouses and industrial buildings used for genuine business activity.
Commercial property may also be leased to an independent business.
Mixed-use buildings containing residential accommodation require closer legal assessment.
For an investor in Bratislava, the financial calculation should consider the tenant, lease, financing, maintenance and currency exposure between the euro and Swiss franc.
Our commercial-property guide explains the legal framework, while the property calculator provides an initial cost estimate.
Commercial property for foreign investors and Swiss property purchase cost calculator.
10. Can I buy a Swiss apartment and rent it out?
If you continue living in Slovakia, ordinary Swiss residential rental investments are generally restricted under Lex Koller.
A Swiss company controlled by persons abroad can also fall within these restrictions.
However, the position changes for Slovak citizens who genuinely and lawfully establish residence in Switzerland.
As EU citizens actually domiciled in Switzerland, they generally enjoy the same acquisition rights as Swiss citizens under Lex Koller.
This can include residential investments beyond their principal home, subject to other applicable property rules.
Buying a property does not itself establish a right to live in Switzerland.
The distinction between continuing to live in Bratislava and genuinely relocating to Wollerau therefore matters.
Can a foreign investor buy Swiss residential property to rent out?.
Three Distinctions Worth Remembering
- Slovakia is in the EU; Switzerland is not. Familiar European commercial relationships do not remove Swiss customs, VAT, banking or company-law requirements.
- Slovakia's 10% small-company rate is not the rate paid by every Slovak company. The applicable corporate rate depends on taxable revenues and other relevant circumstances.
- Company ownership, personal residence and property acquisition are separate decisions. A Slovak entrepreneur can own a Swiss company without relocating, but that does not settle every tax, immigration or property question.
Planning Your Swiss Presence
A Slovak company may enter Switzerland through direct sales, a local distributor, a service team or a separately incorporated subsidiary.
The appropriate structure depends on customers, contracts, personnel, capital, banking and the activities actually performed in Switzerland.
From Wollerau, Alpine Capital supports international entrepreneurs with Swiss company formation, banking, ongoing administration and commercial-property considerations.
Sources and Further Reading
Slovakia and Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs — bilateral relations with Slovakia
- ETH Zurich — Aurel Stodola and his contribution to mechanical engineering
- Swiss Federal Council — Slovak state visit and tribute to Aurel Stodola
- Women's Tennis Association — Martina Hingis
- ESET — company history and Slovak origins
- ESET — authorised Swiss distributors
- Vetropack — manufacturing operations in Nemšová, Slovakia
- Basler & Hofmann Slovakia — engineering operations
Company Law, Taxation and Residence
- Slovak Commercial Code — company forms and capital requirements
- Slovak Financial Administration — corporate income-tax rates
- Slovak Financial Administration — VAT rates
- Slovak Income Tax Act — personal income taxation
- Swiss Federal Tax Administration — Slovakia double-taxation agreement
- Canton Schwyz — 2026 corporate and personal tax illustrations
- Swiss State Secretariat for Migration — EU/EFTA residence and employment rules
- Canton Schwyz — expenditure-based taxation requirements
- Swiss Federal Office of Justice — property acquisition by persons abroad
Related Alpine Capital Guides and Calculators
- Swiss company formation and ownership
- Swiss AG versus GmbH
- Company formation cost calculator
- Swiss corporate tax rates by canton and municipality
- Swiss bank accounts for international companies
- Wollerau as a business location
- Can foreigners buy commercial property in Switzerland?
- Can foreign investors buy residential property to rent out?
- Property purchase cost calculator
Information reviewed: 5 November 2026. This guide provides general information and does not replace individual legal, tax, banking, immigration or investment advice.