Dear all,

I have been proposed to participate to a consortium of freelancer professionals, in the development of a project.
To participate to the consortium, I shall start my own one-man company, start an office, buy software, etc etc etc.

Actually I am an EU employed in a Swiss institution, thus I do not know anything about starting a company.
What are the basic step for a foreign to open a company in Switzerland?
What are the problems/showstopper?
A rough estimation of the tax rate applied?

Any information is useful,
with best regards,
edo777

Well, I guess if you search these forums you'll find the answer to most of your questions.

You three options for setting up a company

1. Self-employed - for this you have to show that you are not an employee of your client, by having, if I remember correctly, 3 clients. Quite cheap to set up.

2. GmbH - you'll need 20'000CHF to give to your GmbH. Of which 10'000 must be cash, the rest can be assets. You need two people to do this. Cost ~CHF4'000 to set up.

3. AG - even more money, even more people.

I opted for GmbH. My office is in my cellar... I've no idea what the tax rates are, because I take nearly all the profit as salary.

You should first and foremost contact a legal advisor. They'll take you through the steps, and the initial advice will only cost you a few CHF100. But potentially save you a lot of pain. A lot depends on precisely how you will work with others and with your clients.

__________________
Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!

As of January '08, you can start a GmbH with only one person.

There is good info about how to start a business in CH at www.gza.ch and www.gruenden.ch

fduvall

Thanks for your advices. For what concerns the residence permit, has one to proof the working volume, pending contracts, or...?