Swiss village plans to offer Dh94,000 to people to migrate there

Dubai - Families with children will get an extra Dh37,000 per child.

We love Switzerland. All of us. The idyllic country is seen as the perfect place to live, work and holiday.

Now, a village named Albinen, in the scenic canton of Valais, is planning to offer 25,000 Swiss francs (Dh94,000) per person to live there permanently. Families with children will get an extra 10,000 Swiss francs (Dh37,000) per child.

But there's a catch...

The new residents must be under the age of 45, and are required to build or purchase a property to live in full time, not used as a holiday home, worth at least 200,000 Swiss francs.

You'll also have to remain in residence there for at least 10 years, or forfeit the fee. Anyone who moves away after less than 10 years will be forced to hand back the cash.

Residents of Albinen will vote on this proposal on November 30.

The tiny village of 240 inhabitants is one of many in Switzerland that have experienced a worrying exodus of permanent residents in recent years.
 
Though there are many holiday homes in the picturesque village, permanent residents, especially young families, are choosing to move away. Three families have left the village in the past few years alone, including eight children, meaning the village school was forced to close.