Hello I also been to the RAV today and would like to share my experince.

I was told that although I belongs to the same Canton, I should go to another RAV office which my village belongs to. So please double check with your germindehaus before you spend the time to visit a wrong RAV. I am not complaining just better make sure to save the headache.

The staff speaks no English but I speak very very very basic German so I can understand a bit. They gave me a map to the right RAV office and a sample registration form and telling me what to do next.

Then I call the right RAV office. No one speaks English but they are patient and helpful. I reconfirm with a staff by using German to ask her what I should bring to the RAV office, she said the 1st thing on my list should be "a friend who speak German". However, I still think it doesn't harm if you go there and take a look. Most RAV office situated just around the Bahnhof area.

I wrote a note about my situation and sayin that I want to inquire on training grant etc. I have it translated, so I think it is useful if you have something in German with you otherwise they really have no idea what you want. They are trying to be helpful but the language barrier is huge.

Just my experience, good luck to you all

Thanks for posting up the outcome and good luck with your continuing job search.

GS

Hi Chris! I'm Hudson from Brazil living in UK for almost five years now and working for a event & exhibition security company. I've been to Switzerland many times but until now had no courage to take a step in. Could you please let me know how you sold out your problem with the German course. As I have an Italian passport and payment taxes in UK for five years next November I believe I would be ok for that German course you've talked about. Hope you've got a job now and best luck!

This is an update to my previous post. I am no longer dealing with the RAV, after 3 months they wanted to pay for my German Course, but with two conditions, 1) They would choose the school 2) I have to take a full day of class, meaning mornings and afternoons.

After already being enrolled in my 2nd course, I felt I had established a learning pace and and I was happy with the school I was attending (HDS in St. Gallen) So I decided not to take their offer also because being in school a full day would leave me little time for a job. Also there is a difference to learning with people that have paid and people that get it for free, usually the paid classes are less crowded.

Nevertheless, It was a good learning experience to have gone to the RAV, but if you can't afford to pay for school, its an amazing option I don't think many countries offer.

Also keep in mind, there are still people that didn't pay for their school in my class, they were sponsored by the Social Services they are political asylum seekers. I find that they are very driven to learn the language.

... and what does "asylum seekers" have to do with the RAV?

The RAV is paying for the language courses for the unemployed because it will help them to find jobs, and because they paid into the system in the past while they were working.

Asylum seekers has nothing to do with RAV , I just mention it because I was surprised to know not everyone in my class was paying out of pocket, some are being paid for by the state. Wheather is RAV or any other entity