Switzerland
 

Hello Folks,

I have been accepted for an IT role in Switzerland and I would like to see if anyone else has taken that leap (I am sure there is someone that has) and would be okay sharing their experiences with me.
I have so many variables to now consider whilst they look into the legality of hiring someone from the UK. They have to contend with the current restrictions from the Coronavirus fall out as well as later on, the Brexit exit strategy!

For myself, I have to think about

• Lifting up my life and transporting all my things across Europe
• What should be my salary expectations, will I expect an equivalent sum of money that allows for the same living standards as the UK
• The ease in which to find suitable housing for me and later on my wife and child
• My son's attendance for schooling. Quality of schooling on offer. Being 3 years old, he is applicable to attend reception here in the UK.He is also an American and British passport holder.
• Then there is the practicalities of daily life: the commuting to work, the public transport, cost of food, shopping for groceries, paying taxes
• Legalities and rights of a foreign worker in Switzerland. The options of settling down if i feel comfortable enough to end my days there.

These are a few of the many thoughts going around my head. Its not the first time I have moved country for the purposes of taking up a new job. I spent 5 years in the US which was an amazing experience in itself so I have already tackled some of the problems, moving country. Although the US culture is quite similar to ours it wasn't a particularly difficult thing to adjust to.

Anyway, just to reiterate, would be interesting in hearing from those that have already trodden this same path.

Bye for now!

Re: Switzerland
 

Howdy.

You don't say whereabouts you would be planning to move to; I worked and lived in the canton of Geneva for almost thirty years as an IT software technician, so could pass on some thoughts if you were looking to be based in Suisse Romande.

Generally, coming from the UK you will find it to be eye-wateringly expensive in terms of accommodation, health-care, groceries, most things really.

Public transport is excellent, and surprisingly good value for money.

If possible, think to place your son in a state school, rather than an International school. This for quality of tuition, continuity of friends and cost. Lots of kids in the international schools are transitory, and will leave when the parents' overseas assignment ends.

Paying taxes should not concern you for the first few years, that will be handled by the Swiss equivalent of PAYE until you convert your permit from a "B" to a "C".

Do you speak the language of the region where you would be residing/working? The languages are not on the whole interchangeable, and English is not as widely spoken as in, say, The Netherlands.

Here's a site to give you some good basic information A service of the Confederation, cantons and communes

Have a look at that site, come back with any more info that you care to share, and any questions.

It's a 'different' place for sure, but fun. I enjoyed my time there, but the idea of retiring there was a complete non-starter.

Re: Switzerland
 

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As mentioned by BuckinghamshireBoy a lot will depend on location. Will it be the French, German or Italian speaking areas?

Re: Switzerland
 

Thanks to the responses, the location is Baden, which seems not far from Zurich. If the option to settle down is a non-starter that could have an impact. I would need to look into that.

I will take a look at that link - thanks you BuckinghamshireBoy!

Re: Switzerland
 

I know someone who took an IT job in Zurich and they said the same as BuckinghamshireBoy. He could speak fluent german, french and english too.

Re: Switzerland
 

A Swiss once said to me: we are friendly folks as long as you don't want to come to live in our country. I can speak German, understand Swiss German.

Re: Switzerland
 

Those living in any German-speaking Cantons even look askance at any one from the Suisse Romande or Ticino...
Before coming to live in France, I worked in Zürich. I spoke Hochdeutsch, and discovered a new language, Züridüütsch (different dialect for each Kanton). You'll understand my embarrassment when, after a few months of tuition from work colleagues, I went into a Konditorei and asked for a Chuchichäschtli instead of a Chäschüechli:eek:

Re: Switzerland
 

Haha, I had a good laugh. Our dialekt across the border in Austria is very similar. I face less language issues when in Switzerland.

Re: Switzerland
 

Having chuckled at your post, I couldn't resist adding this:
From the original...

;)

Re: Switzerland
 

Sorry to potentially necro an old thread but I've been contacted by a tech recruiter about a job in Zurich. It's very early stages and I haven't even had a first interview yet but I'm just wondering if anyone can offer advice, especially about what my salary demands should be.

It's an all English speaking office so communication at work at least shouldn't be a problem however I'm not sure what I should be asking for. I'm a DevOps Engineer by profession and salaries there seem to go up to around £100k which is more than you would get in London but obviously it's a far more expensive country. In fact I know very little about Switzerland other than the fact that it's really expensive to live there.

Re: Switzerland
 

No idea about living costs but https://ch.talent.com/salary?job=devops+engineer gives an average of CHF 110,500 and experienced up to 150,000 Der durchschnittliche devops engineer Lohn in der Schweiz ist CHF 110'500 pro Jahr oder CHF 56.67 pro Stunde. Einstiegspositionen beginnen bei CHF 79'350 pro Jahr, während die meisten erfahrenen Mitarbeiter ein CHF 150'000 pro Jahr erhalten.

After tax https://ch.talent.com/tax-calculator...&region=Zurich

Around 1/4 of the people in Zürich earn more than CHF 10,000 before tax monthly and these stats are from 2018
Rund ein Viertel der Beschäftigten verdient mehr als 10'000 Franken, wie aus der jüngsten Statistik der Stadt hervorgeht, die am Mittwoch publiziert wurde. Viel auf dem Gehaltskonto haben vor allem Zürcherinnen und Zürcher mit Hochschulabschluss (10'388 Franken), Kaderleute (10'538) und Angestellte der Finanzbranche (10'949).

Re: Switzerland
 

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll see what they say anyway, they may not even want to interview me and the job spec the recruiter sent over was pretty brief. I had a preliminary screening interview this morning but it only lasted a few minutes and the tech questions they asked me were pretty basic. They haven't mentioned any numbers yet either and the estimate I gave in my previous post was just what came up first on Google.

The recruiter also said that Switzerland and the UK have decided to continue free movement after Brexit which seems slightly unlikely to me from the UK's angle. The only info I've been able to find is this but I'll leave the legal side of it up to them anyway.

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/new...lengthy-stays/

Re: Switzerland
 

The cost of living is higher there, dont feel shy about asking for the salary you feel is necessary to live there comfortably. Zurich is high for rent plus tax & insurance and they will be in agreement. I asked for more than £100k and secured it. I'll be relocating to Zurich next week infact.

Re: Switzerland
 

Thanks, I'll see what they say tbh. Nothing may even come of it because the agent did say they were already undertaking the selection process by the time they contacted me. I wouldn't do it for less than £100k though because that seems to be the standard salary there for my line of work anyway.

Good luck with your move and please let me know how it goes.

Re: Switzerland
 

No matter how long you live in The Helvetic Confedetaion you will always be an outsider and never one of the Eidesgenossen. I found it even weirder than Austria ! Give me Protestant/Marxist North Germany any day !