So I've nearly been in CH for 5 years. I'm from oz but have a EU passport.

My work contract runs out at the end of the year (31.12) and as much as they would like to keep me, I don't intend to renew it as I feel it's time to move back. At least for a bit anyways.

So at the start of December I'm eligible for my C permit. Is it worth me getting it before I move? What are the benefits? Will I lose it anyway if I leave for even a short time? Is it a big hassle to acquire a C permit?

Looking for advice on what I should do.

Short answer, no. If you do not intend staying here permanently once you have it there's not a lot of point. If you want to leave Switzerland long term (more than 6 months) you have to notify your commune so a C permit can be put on hold. But the criteria for holding it is very narrow. If you don't meet the criteria and you still want to leave the C permit would be cancelled.

C Permit on Hold

I am in a different canton from you, so the porcess may be different. However, I received a letter from the local canton, after 4yrs 10 months of residency, asking for my last two salary slips. I sent in one. The following week, my C permit arrived in the mail, along with a 120chf bill for it. There was no other paperwork involved.

However, I am presuming that if I want to withdraw my pension contributions ( they have been a great form of compulsive saving ) that I wil have to hand in my permits as proof that I am leaving Switzerland permanently. I'll let you know, as soon as I have that confirmed.

Thanks mate, please do let me know.

If its pretty easy to get the permit then I might consider getting. Saves having the 5 years reset back to zero if I do come back, right?

Wrong. One of the posters here has a daughter who had a C permit, went back to the UK to study and when she returned was issued with a B. As far as I know she still has it. Plus in May this year the Swiss introduced quota limits on B permits for all EU nationals as well so if the quota is filled you could easily end up with an L.

Not quite. You can only "park" your B or C permit if your absence abroad is to carry out national service or for education purposes, or professional development (eg sent temporarily abroad by your Swiss employer). And you only get your B or C back if you have found a job in Switzerland to return to. (For B permits, the advantage of doing that is that the years counting towards the C permit don't "reset")

Otherwise, anyone with permit B or C who lived here for over 5 years and leaves for any reason, will be get a L or B to work here if they return within 2 years of leaving, and have secured a job.

So if you simply leave you cannot "park" your permit, so the clock will reset no matter what, if you return. But if you were non-EU, then getting C would be advisable, as it means that if you return within 2 years you can get any job without job-approval (though will be under B/L permit, and subject to quotas). But since you are EU, you already have this so no difference really.

Im not sure im understanding you correctly. If I get the C permit and have a EU pass then i dont get to keep it, but if I had a non-EU pass and get the C i would get to keep it for 2 years if I went away for a while?