Empathy as we're going through a similar process, although we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. For securing accommodation, we were surprised to find out we needed the work permit, but a letter of confirmation from the employer stating that the permit had been applied for seemed to do the trick as far as the letting agent was concerned. A signed employment contract was key. Remember that in some canton, they might not let you take accommodation where the rent is more than a third of your net monthly salary, although I got the impression that this was not an official rule (we certainly were asked to produce evidence of my wife's income because of it)

Good luck in your search! Painful as it is, you know it will be all worth it in the end!

You are British. You do not need a work permit. I guess you are thinking of a residence permit which you pick up directly on arrival.

Renters should be aware of this by now but sadly many haven't read the rules which changed, in your case, in 2004.

All this talk of permits... as an EU-17 passport holder, seeing as we can freely enter the country for travel, what's the implication of coming into Switzerland and just staying here?

My parents have a chalet here (purchased when it was still relatively easy for foreigners to do so), and i'm contemplating staying a while. Not seeking employment, can I just bum here for... say... 6 months? Or i'll have to register somewhere?

Will anyone even know / care?

If you intend staying more than 3 months you should register at the local town hall and you will need to get Swiss health insurance. If you stay 6 months you become liable for tax.


Oh yes, they have ways and means .

Hello,
I am new to the forum and tried to search all of the threads, but didn't find a definite answer. I am currently working in Switzerland with a Swiss employer since 2009 and have 5 years B permit. I am considering a change of jobs, but the company doesn't have a legal entity in Switzerland. They do have it pretty much everywhere in EU though. So my question is, if I change jobs and my contract is say with Germany, does it allow me easily to stay in Switzerland? I wouldn't want to move out and am considering this option. Do you know if it makes a difference financially to receive the same salary (ca 150K) from a swiss based company vs receiving it via a contract from another EU country?
Thanks a lot for your help!

Where will you actually work?

Not quite. 183 days in a year, yes. But 91 days in succession will do it. One needs to leave Switzerland for an [undefined] number of days and can then return.

The UK rule is more complex: 183 days in any one year, and 91 days average over a period of years.

Best advice: don't rely on a public form for definitive tax advice!

By and large, tourists are ignored though. While I would not advise a client to take the risk, and wealth tax creates a real risk even for nonworking spouses of wealthy foreigners, there are few cases of tax authorities monitoring (i.e. auditing) arrivals and departures, the way HMRC are said to do in Britain. The real problem is the conflict (inconsistency) of definition between Switzerland and foreign tax criteria, leading to traps for the unwary.

I think that depends on tax treaties between individual states? At least in 2001 / 2002 I was in CH for 2 * 6 month stretches. I was taxed in the UK only and had written confirmation from the Swiss tax authorities that the tax treaty in place with the UK at that time left me with no liability for tax in Switzerland. Might have changed since then of course.

I would work from home, but my work includes a lot of travel abroad.

The choices are:

• Your employer opens a branch in Switzerland to employ you.
• You work via an agency / umbrella company that employs you and invoices the company for your services - of course they will want a % your invoice value
• You could try to register as self employed but with a single client that's not likely to be successful

Thanks for that, and the other replies.

As a Shengen participant though and, with an EU passport, having no formal record of entry or exit - how can I even prove I left if I disappear for a week?

I suppose just like everything else in Switzerland, the 'spies' will know somehow!

I dont know if this is the right place, for the question, but it seems to have some links to EU permits

Can a EU citizen - EU 17, not working in CH (i.e. not reside in CH?), but purchase properties in CH? Any limits in term of Location/ Number of Properties, etc..?

Last question, being defined/granted for resident in CH, apparently from what i read here, having the ability to prove that you have enough income to support yourself can also be a way, right? But how much is the enough income....? Any estimation can be given here?

thanks

wow..short and clear! covered the basic questions. Cool!
thanks,
bella

Just 4 small questions regarding a C-permit. I scrolled down, but couldnt find an answer (please forgive me, if it was written on one of the 10+ pages..!)

I have a B-permit and I will apply for a C in June 2011 (when I have been living in CH for 5 years). Hopefully they will give me one (ive heard of some ppl getting another B after 5 years...).

My questions are:
* Can I leave the country for 1-2 years after June 2011, and on my return receive my C permit back (again ive heard stories of ppl leaving with a C and re-started with a B...)?; Id like to quit my job and go and travel for a year.
* Does C mean I can live in CH for longer than 3 months without a job?;
* Does anyone have experience with sub-renting temporarily his/her appartment? I understand this is legal.
* I guess the CH authorities keep seeing me as a CH resident because I keep my appartment (sub-renting). Changing from B to C means no more impot a la source but filling in tax returns once a year. When staying a CH resident, do I need to fill in CH tax returns also if I have no Swiss (or other worldwide) income in that year/ 2 years?

Thanks alot for your help!

No.
Yes.
It is if your landlord gives you prior permission.
Yes.

Hi, I am really sorry, am new to this forum and been trying to make my way through the 9 pages of messages here and trying to find the information elsewhere but am getting more and more confused.

My partner is Spanish but was raised in Switzerland. Two years ago he got a Swiss ID so is now Dual Citizen.

I am British with a British Passport. We have lived in the UK for the last year where I work as an Investigator, I have a good wage so we both live off that. He wants to go home and I want to get out of the UK so we are moving back to Lausanne at the end of October. I am now in a mad panic as its all becoming a reality.

My partner with PROBABLY go back to his job, however, this may not happen and he may go on benefits initially until he finds something. We will live with his Mum initially until we get sorted out. I was also thinking of going to a French School to learn the language.

I am starting to apply for jobs but may not/probably won't have one by the time we move. We will be able to support ourselves until we find work.

From what I am reading, it looks like I will get 6 months, 3 as a visitor and 3 to look for a job. Is this right? I thought as an EU citizen I could just move there. How do I apply for this permit? is this the same as me having to go and register as living there at the town hall? Some people have also posted text about having health insurance and being able to support oneself, can I not just use my EU health card until I find work and then take out the Swiss Health Insurance?

I appreciate this has probably been covered, but there is so much information I can not find what I am looking for and am getting myself confused and stressed.

Any help would be appreciated!

Trying hard to resist the obvious .... .

Social security or self sufficient - which is it?

No. When you register as a job seeker you will get a residence permit for 3 months. This may be extended for a further 3 months at the discretion of the authorities (pretty much 100% gauranteed).

Yes.

No. Once registered you must obtain Swiss medical insurance. If you do not, it will be arranged for you and backdated to your registration date.

Brings us back to resisting the investigator jokes .

ha ha ha, yeah SwissBob! Thanks for resisting ;-) I guess I should have thought more before putting that on here! I am obviously not a very good investigator! ;-)

The company have been asking him to come back to them, but its dependant on a position becoming available. Chances are it will and we will be fine. If not then will go onto Social Security until work is found. I am also bringing over about 4-5k GBP. So it will be a combination of the two.

Thank you for your post and help, was a bit worried I was going to get a telling off! lol

Hi All,

I went to the city hall and applied for a residence permit. Then I was told that they would send my documents to the immigration to be processed.

How do I actually get to receive the work permit? Am I request to do something else or just wait at home and check my mailbox?

Any idea?

Thanks,
Lorenzo

Hi. Maybe somebody can help me to answer one question. I am a PhD student from Greece and I have a L permit. My wife is from a new EU country (EU-8) and she has a B permit (also a PhD student), which expires end of the year. Can she get afterwards (if she does not find a new job) a permit dependent on my L-permit? Does it matter, that I will still have only a PhD salary? Does it matter how much you earn/month/person. PhD salary is 50% only, so around 3500 CHF/months. Does it matter to get a dependent permit for a wife?