I just got off the phone with the department that deals with work permits enquiring about becoming self-employed/starting my own business. I was told that as of a few days ago, all non-EU members holding less than C permits will not be allowed to be self employed because of the economic situation here in CH.

One would assume that someone being self-employed would be less of a burden on the system, and could possibly create jobs if successful...

Things that make you go Hmmmmmmmm......

D'oh!

Actually, I can see this as perhaps there were too many which failed and then the government had to bail them out in some way.

The optimist in me is saddened by this, the pragmatist realizes that if this change was made, there surely was a good reason.

I was told that the directive was given out by Bern a few days ago, and that is was because of the economic situation here in CH.

Oh no! It's hard enough as it is without withdrawing another potential way to do some work!

This must be only for new applications, I hope?

Having only just gone through the convoluted process that is getting permission to be self-employed with a non EU B permit, I would be very reluctant to relinquish it so soon!

But for anyone wanting to try for it, I would check and double check the truth of it. I was told by quite a few officials from various offices that I wasn't allowed to be self-employed when in fact I was. As with any big bureaucracy, the left hand doesn't always know what the right hand is doing. In the end the process was quite simple, but if I hadn't had a local friend to help me make all my phone calls I would have stopped at the first 'no'.

Kate

Same boat as tildaoz, I'm non EU with a B. Married to a Swiss girl though. I recently went through the process and was allowed to 'invoice' my boss back in Australia, i.e. sole contractor status here in Switzerland. I hope this doesnt affect me as I started this whole process last year and finally got the ok in Jan. I am guessing that Im ok.

As you so rightly say, if successful and a lot are not.

The problem is once you have your own company or are self employed, you can legally take the funds in your pension fund to get going. Once these have gone and your business has failed, who pays ?

then you need a Swiss partner to set up a GmbH. then after one year, you can delete ur swiss partner on the Handels Amt.