bart.klopper82

Hey all,

I'm new to this. I'm a UK national, moving to Montreux, Switzerland beginning September and want to know if there's anyone that could help me, with regards to work. I only speak a little French - so to start with, I need guidance on what and how...

Hope someone can help me out...

dmu

Hi and welcome to the forum!
I live in France and can't help, but maybe you should give a few details on your age, qualifications, what sort of work you're looking for ... Also, without wishing to be too personal, is there a particular reason for moving to Montreux without having a job to go to?
Be aware that the Swiss are usually bilingual (with English) and often trilingual, and you should get your French together quickly in order to compete with the Swiss in your field of work.
Hopefully some one living there will come along to advise.
Good luck!

Ray51

Congratulations !
You are moving to a lovely place ( can get a bit boring , unless you are a huge playboy or gambler ) , yet there are just so many other interesting places nearby : Vevey , Lausanne , Geneve , all around the lake , or further north , or into nearby France ;
if you're into a good job there , you've hit the jackpot , enjoy !
Bon Courage !

bart.klopper82

thanks for your reply, i have friends living in Montreux and i have been to many places in Europe, but never lived in any other country for a number of time. i need a change in my life i guess, so my friends have asked me to come live with them for a while - so i think when i get there - i'll be more specific in what i'm looking for and wanting to do....just thought someone would be able to help or guide me, while there.

regards,

bart.klopper82

hey Ray, i have looked on google to see what montreux looks like. like mentioned, i have friends living there and they have convinced me to move there for a while - change in life-style i guess from the normal 9-5 daily routine. hopefully when i get there, i'll be able to move around and hopefully meet some people to show me around...i realise i'll have to polish my french, as i only speak a little (enough to get me around, i suppose)...

Ray51

Montreaux is lovely , if somewhat old-fashioned ; which is not serious , still a great place to be ! And so many other good places nearby !
Maybe you don't yet realise , just how lucky you are ?
In any case , many of the Swiss speak English - which can be helpful in emergencies , but in the long run is not good for you .
Reason : everytime you speak to a doctor , pharmacist , a hairdresser , a vet , a mechanic , a computer guy etc...or anyone similar , in your new French , they recognise where you're coming from and answer you in English ; so much for the practice ( don't worry , Belgium is even more like that ! ) .
But , time sorts many things out ;
still you are a lucky one , I wish you the best !

dmu

That's good if you've got friends to go to! One less thing to worry about...
I worked in German-speaking Switzerland in an earlier life and found the cost of living very high, so take enough money to tide you over for several months.
I would also look into the question of healthcare coverage. It may come expensive if you need medical care before you find a job.
Once again, good luck!

Swiss_mimi

Hi,

I live in Switzerland although in the German speaking part (Basel). Switzerland is really lovely and I'm sure you'll be pleased that you made the move!!

There is a really helpful English Forum for people living in Switzerland but I don't think I am allowed to post the link here.....if you do manage to find it then you'll find a wealth of knowledge on permits, renting, health insurance etc.

Feel free to PM me and I'd be happy to share any knowledge I have with you.

Good luck with the move

Hunter10

Hi

I live in Valais Nr Sion, I have been here for over 4 years and love it there is so much to do you will never be board.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like any advice on what to see or do, Valais has skiing, mountain biking, hiking, lakes, wine, cheese, sunshine and much more

KevinF

Fairly recently there have been some significant changes as to how the British tax authorities are now prepared to allow British folk, who are living abroad, to set up a form of offshore Pension arrangement which has the effect of substantially reducing their liability to Inheritance Taxation and at the same time providing for a tax efficient retirement income ( at anytime from age 55 onwards ) . Also anybody of any nationality who has worked in the UK and has a paid up pension scheme there can transfer it overseas with some great benefits.

Given that most British nationals living outside of the UK ( not that all of them realise this by any means ) are, if they are a British passport holder born of a British father, effectively 'captured' for 'ever and a day' with Inheritance Tax liability ( IHT ), this Inland revenue approval is giving considerable scope for IHT planning as to reducing or even eliminating the liability.

For a single person, the exemption, before IHT "kicks in", is at only £325,000 ( for a British married couple who are leaving their estates to each other, this increases, in effect, to £650,000. For a Brit. married to a non Brit. the figure is only £380,000 ). Any figure over and above the exemption figure on the total value of all worldwide assets will mean a huge tax bill levied at a swingeing 40%. ( For example, a British couple with worldwide assets of, say, £1,650,000 will find that their beneficiaries will have to pay £400,000 in tax once they have both died ! ).

IHT planning for British expatriates ( especially given the aggressive stance that HMRC are taking these days ) has become hugely important for estate preservation purposes.

<snip>

Kevin Jenkins (EFS)

punktlich2

The English law of domicile is arcane, quaint, and dangerous. It is true that one's domicile of origin (the domicile of one's father at his/her birth) is difficult to divest oneself of. But marriage to a foreigner and long-term residence abroad, and a timely filing of But there is a UK-Swiss convention on taxation of estates and inheritances that can prevent the application of IHT in certain cases:
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk.../2793/2793.pdf

If you sever all ties with Britain, divest yourself of real property, move Sterling accounts (perhaps the Channel Islands would do), avoid regularly scheduled visits other than for business, you should avoid the Gaines-Cooper tax-residence stumbling block. See booklet HMRC6 and Form 85, which you can send in. Also, if you haven't much money or income, you aren't really much at risk.

Remember that you can file for and pay voluntary Class 3 National Insurance Contributions if you can and you definitely should do so (or use one of the cheaper options, sometimes Class 2 works even if you're abroad) to get a full State Pension. Some people (myself included) collect both Swiss and UK state pensions.

I write these words in Montreux, looking out across Lac Léman. It is true that Montreux itself can be boring, but it's beautiful and is close to many places that are far from boring. Nestlé and other international firms are within commuting distance, in the case of Nestlé in Vevey, a trolleybus ride away. Other firms that hire expats with appropriate skills include Philip Morris, various banks and law firms between here and Lausanne (which is where the Swiss Supreme Court and the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law are located). I am told that certain skills, especially computer skills, are in great demand. The englishforum that someone else mentioned may be helpful; it's well indexed on search engines.

Accommodation here is quite dear. You can save money by living in Valais, across the lake (there are ferry services year 'round), or even in the area of St-Gingolph (the border town with France, split in the middle by the River Morge).