YouTubers visit village that pays people $70,000 to move there to uncover the real reason why
If you want a change of scenery and fancy taking in the lush backdrop of Switzerland, how about being paid $70,000 to move to a quaint town in the Swiss countryside? You might be asking what's the catch, and that's exactly what the Yes Theory YouTube channel did.
Many of us dream about packing it in, upping sticks, and starting afresh, but what about fleeing into the Swiss Alps like the von Trapp family while being paid to do it at the same time?
Yes Theory's YouTube video follows Thomas Brag and Staffan Taylor as they journey to the Swiss town of Albinen.
Along for the ride, they take a man called Sean (Mr. Wildenfree), who commented on one of their videos.
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The trio agreed that they were surprised a town like Abinen would struggle attracting people, commenting on how beautiful it is, but how deserted it felt.
Finding a local resident, they asked her whether the payment scheme was in place, with her confirming that people can still get paid to move to Albinen.
Although Albinen officials have received over 10,000 letters from people wanting to move there, it's not as simple as flying over with all your belongings in your hand.
While not a scam, moving to Abinen and getting the $70,000 stipend involves you investing 200,000 CHF ($250,000) into the town.
Many of the wooden chalets date back to the 17th and 18th centuries, meaning Albinen is on Switzerland's list of protected heritage sites. Until the 1960s, there were no roads into the town, and in the winter, it could easily be cut off by snow. Agriculture was the main reason for people living in Abinen, but as that dried up, people started moving away.
Yes Theory confirms that in 2017, the town council agreed on the program to attract newcomers to Albinen. In an attempt to attract young people to Albinen, those under 45 could apply to move there. Other stipulations included building or renovating a home to the tune of 200,000 CHF, staying for at least 10 years with it being their main residence, and applicants having a Swiss citizen or holding a permit C (permanent) residence.
Those who were successful would be paid 25,000 CHF per adult and 10,000 CHF per child.
Even though there are sure to be plenty who are tempted, you'll have to commit to a 'pastoral' way of life because there's no school, no bank, one bus an hour, and just a single pub and shop.
The group met with a woman called Vivian and a man called Stephen, with the pair saying the council has just voted to reinstate the program.
Alongside the infamous but perilous Albinen ladders, locals reiterated how a number of these remote towns have burned down due to houses being heated with wood fires.
The town population stood at 262 at the end of 2023, but with only being marginally up from 243 in 2020, paying people to move to Abinen might not have worked quite how the townspeople envisioned.
Still, with various social media posts and the likes of Yes Theory bringing more attention to this relatively untouched corner of the world, we imagine there will be a lot more applications.