Swiss employer engages off shore company who engages UK agency to recruit staff - me, the newbie. I work via Swiss payroll company. Seems Offshore Co and UK agency creaming off about 50% from Swiss employer before my payroll co is paid. I, of course, have to pay the Payroll co.

Rate still ok, but other expats do not have this muti-tier arrangement and get about 40% more. Some guys went home when they found out plus realised how expensive it all gets here.

Manager at Swiss employer tried to save one guy by telling him to forget UK agency and Off Shore Co, and just work using another 'preferred' co who would also do the payroll for a very reasonable fee. Surely a breach of contract given the usual 'transfer direct to client' clause. Another contractor told me that such a clause unenforecable under some 'freedom of movement' human rights.

Offshore Co and UK agency are 100% pimps so no point discussing with them. Seems unfair that Swiss paying top money and staff still walking away due to money - simply because of these pimps.

Does anyone know what I can do to stop myself being taken advantage of (to this extreme). Can I just terminate with pimps and set up a new contract with this other 'preferred' co ? I'd be surprised if i could !

TIA

Swiss employer probably has a deal going with the others. They guarentee to supply him with workers, workers indirectly pay the pimps.

Best advice is to find another job, and be careful next time. If you register yourself at the tax office as self employed, you can avoid the parasites and submit your invoice and pay the MwSt yourself.

Stop moaning then - assuming you were happy to sign up to the rate why should you care what otehrs make. I once found out a certain database vendor was making 40% out of me and I reacted like you for a few days until I thought about it - if I hadn't found out I wouldn't have cared .

Rate is reasonable but I mostly took the job for specific experience.

However slightly mis-sold by pimps so experience not what I thought and now I discover they are taking advantage. Plus this muti-tier arrangement means payment is nearly 3 weeks after the end of the month.

Anyway can I dump them and just go to 'preferred' co. Split the difference with Employer so I get more and they pay less plus payment in 5 days.

You can but try. If the end client is happy, then that adds more weight.

It is very unlikely that, as another poster suggested, you can go self-employed, as you only have one client.