itxrd

Interesting.

Swiss

As Amazulu says are miserable and not friendly
Language barrier - which could be seen as a positive as your kids will be multilingual
have better chocolate

Oz

More friendly than Swiss but we're not talking Scottish/Irish friendly
Better weather by far (if you like warm weather)


Both are as expensive as each other

I'd say if you don't mind the swiss weather and you find the swiss to be okay stay put

Bermudashorts

Even if I became a Swiss citizen, I would still speak English or perhaps eventually French / German/ Italian with an english accent. I would still be foreign. Would it be benefical to be a citizen anyway? Europeans are free to lvie and work in Switzerland AFAIK.

I worked for Swiss organisations from 1997 to 2008 and have spent a lot of time there, particularly in Zurich. It has to be the most dreary, grey, depressing city on the planet.

JAJ

Free to live and work in Switzerland - yes, but without full citizenship rights and that could always change.

General discussion of the pros and cons of becoming a citizen is here:
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Acquir...te_Citizenship

As for the rest, all valid but this will be encountered no matter where you emigrate to and choosing to remain a non-citizen isn't going to help you integrate.

moneypenny20

Personally Zurich gets too much snow and cold weather and GC never gets uncomfortably hot. Ergo Australia has better weather.

Case closed again.

gere

Having lived in both countries, I would say Switzerland wins over Australia because:

Switzerland has the world's most competitive economy. Technologically and economically speaking, Switzerland is very advanced. Australia has a long way to go. With no natural resources, Switzerland produces high tech products.

The quality of life in Switzerland is highler, better economic opportunities,better health care and education (Zurich federal institute is one of the best universities in the world).

Switzerland is close to Paris, Rome, Venice, Milan and other countries. It is easy to holiday there, a short drive by car and you are there. Switzerland is close to many dream destinations. Australia is on the other side of the world, very isolated.

Switzerland is known for high and great products. Australia is not.

Financially speaking, salaries in Switzerland are higher and taxes are lower. You save more than in Australia.

The Australian economy is very vulnerable and risky, the same for its currency. The main export are raw materials and Australia depends lot on China. China cannot continue to grow at the current rate.

Switzerland is free from the dangerous insects, snakes, spiders etc...

Australia is known for of high rates of skin cancer, Switzerland is not.

Speaking of the weather, the Australian weather is not that perfect. It can be bad.

Many rich and wealthy expats call Switzerland their home. Some of the richest people on the planet moved to Switzerland to live there because Switzerland offers high quality of life.

The list is longer ....

Amazulu

Looks like Switzerland is for you then. Hope you enjoy your life there.

Can you explain why the Swiss are so miserable and uptight?

gere

Miserable and uptight in your eyes, but not in the eyes of the wealthy and rich expats and many others expats who call Switzerland their home. Swiss are one the happiest people in the world, even happier than the Aussies (see link http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/23/hap...0423happy.html). According to Forbes magazine, the happiest people are ranked (ranking of 2008) as follows:

Denmark
Switzerland
Iceland,
Finland
Australia
Sweden

You speak about miserable Swiss, what about the Aussies who chose to eat just rice in order to service their mortages, what kind of life and happiness you are talking about here? (see link http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...30/2940555.htm)

Vash the Stampede

Hmm, it's a tough call.

On the one hand: a modern, vibrant, prosperous western nation with a cultural heritage stretching back thousands of years, excellent roads, clean suburbs, beautiful countryside, awe-inspiring mountains ranges and excellent ski slopes.

On the other hand: Switzerland.

Amazulu

Forbes, Shmorbes. I've been there many times and found the Swiss to be miserable, arrogant, unfriendly, moany. Our friends who used to live there agree. If you are rich and and read Forbes magazine then I guess you would be happy there.

I only eat rice with curry or stirfry.

Where do you live?

gere

I did not say you only eat rice with curry or stirfry. It is pure sarcasm, I thought you were serious is your discussion.

As far as I am concerbed, this topic is closed.

ozzieeagle

Hmmm not quite utopia from these reports. Plus on a quick look the average wage in Switzerland is now just 4,000 Aud PA higher than Aus..... That could be fixed by another currency fluctuation. Up or down admittedly.

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss_ne...ml?cid=8781130

In fact the Average wage in the ACT is higher than Switzerlands.

Looks like Aus maybe closing the gap on the few remaining Countries deemed to be better off.

Someone mentioned holidays before.... I can only see 1 public holiday difference ? (10 for Aus/11 for Switzerland) Which All Aus government workers get anyway. Plus 4 weeks is supposedly the standard for both countries. Some companies get 5 in Switzerland as do some here.

Your correct about one thing though, Aus standard of living does depend on China, plus Asia as a whole. Hopefully that wont be going backwards for a while.

IMO Australias main achilles heel is its Geographic position.

Amazulu

Chillax - I was taking the piss. Are you Swiss, as you come across as being pretty uptight?

Remember, this is an internet forum (ie entertainment) and not the Harvard University debating society.

itxrd

Ha ha ha. It seems like they are rich in Switzerland and uptight. Maybe its common for rich folks to be miserable.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

There are sooo many people who don't understand that.

Mr Grumpy

Switzerland is an incredibly sexist country. Women only gained the right to vote in 1971!

I have known 2 women to have lived in Switzerland, one Scottish and one Australian and they are treated like infants. Everything is referred to the man.