Contracting in Switzerland Via UK Consultancy...

[Sea The Stars]

Has anybody ever worked in switzerland via a UK consultancy? I have been offered a position whereby I will be in Geneva for 10 months on a client site of my consultancy. .

I have had a look through other threads but nothing seems to cover the topic of being in switzerland while being contracted to a company back home..

What is the most tax efficient way of getting paid/easiest way to obtain a visa?

Thank you for any help.

[cojak]

Then I would look again because I and other regulars have replied to those type of posts.

It's up to the agency and the client to sort out your visa, you can't just organise it yourself. DO NOT start working on-site without it as you can be walked off the premises and straight onto the next plane home by Swiss police if you don't have it.

[NotAllThere]

WSS.

Check out English Forum Switzerland and do a little research.

[meridian]

Sort of what they said.

I work in CH via a UK agency, who have refactored me via a Swiss consultancy - this turned out to be easiest for all concerned, as the Swiss side can then arrange all the paperwork (and believe me, there is a lot of paperwork), tax, social insurance and pension, accident insurance, health insurance, etc.

How fast the paperwork is settled depends on factors like the canton, the consultancy that is doing it, whether you are an "Old EU", "New EU", or "Not EU" citizen, etc. If you're Old EU you won't get marched offsite for not having a permit immediately, you get a grace period in which to apply (think it's 8 days).

As NAT says, check out the english forum for further research.

[Boo]

I work in CH via a UK agency, who have refactored me via a Swiss consultancy - this turned out to be easiest for all concerned, as the Swiss side can then arrange all the paperwork (and believe me, there is a lot of paperwork), tax, social insurance and pension, accident insurance, health insurance, etc.

You wouldn't care to give finger in the air estimates for retentions rates for those kinds of arrangements in Switzerland would you ?

Thanks,

Boo

[BlasterBates]

If it is a UK consultancy then it is possible that you could be employed through them, on the UK tax system. If it is through a Swiss based co. then you'll be employed by an external Swiss co. usually the consultancy on a temp basis. Your take home would be 65-70% though some of that is refundable (the pension) after leaving.

[meridian]

You wouldn't care to give finger in the air estimates for retentions rates for those kinds of arrangements in Switzerland would you ?

Thanks,

Boo

Roughly speaking, between the UK agency and the CH consultancy they take 20% ish in fees. The deductions (tax, social security, pension) from my daily rate are compulsory and amount to about 35%, but your milage may vary depending on your canton.

Health insurance is also compulsory, about 400 chf per month. Plus any for wife and children if they follow you. Consultancy sorted it out but the deductions are separate.

[NotAllThere]

...
Health insurance is also compulsory, about 400 chf per month. ...

That's on the high side. I pay 700CHF / month for me, wife and two kids. But that is on maximum excess.