Reply to: Possible contract in Geneva - is it worth it?

[BlueElise]

Some words of warning, you need a work permit for the Geneva canton (county) to work there. The agency or client should arrange this for you BUT when I was there all the contractors were registered for the agencies office in another canton - hence the letter from the police saying turn up tomorrow with your passport - it happened to be the last day of my contract so I left the country.

Also there was a pension, but it was reclaimed after the contract ended.

And renting a flat is very hard, they basically have an open house and the first person to get there takes it, and they expect you to rent for a long time and renewals are automatic. Might be easier to share a flat with someone who already lives there.

Oh, don't cross at the lights without a green man, it is illegal.

Otherwise it's a lovely place and I enjoyed it!

[Petal]

The agencies who deal with the international contracts seem to be really bad for this sort of behaviour.
It's really bizarre though, no fishing for referernces, just a lot of time talking the job and you up then a very polite nothing back... or it'll be 3 months before anything is going to happen
At least they pick the phone up though

Exactly! As you say, he phoned me back, we spent a while talking and he didn't think it would be a problem my having not worked for a year due to all sorts of things outside my control, and no fishing for references either.

Hey Ho....

[Spacecadet]

Agent has gone very quiet after the initial excitement which is occasionally the way. Still, thanks for everybody's help. I now have a fair idea of what's involved.

The agencies who deal with the international contracts seem to be really bad for this sort of behaviour.
It's really bizarre though, no fishing for referernces, just a lot of time talking the job and you up then a very polite nothing back... or it'll be 3 months before anything is going to happen
At least they pick the phone up though

[Brussels Slumdog]

The problem with to days market

Apologies for disappearing - been celebrating a "Big" birthday along with several visits to A&E although none of it was linked!

It's all gone a bit quiet on the Geneva contract and it would have been for a large international "financial media" firm, if I can get away with writing that.

Agent has gone very quiet after the initial excitement which is occasionally the way. Still, thanks for everybody's help. I now have a fair idea of what's involved.

This is the problem at the moment. An agent puts you forward for a job
in one country which means that you spend the whole day doing research
on the off chance that you get the contract.

[Petal]

Apologies for disappearing - been celebrating a "Big" birthday along with several visits to A&E although none of it was linked!

It's all gone a bit quiet on the Geneva contract and it would have been for a large international "financial media" firm, if I can get away with writing that.

Agent has gone very quiet after the initial excitement which is occasionally the way. Still, thanks for everybody's help. I now have a fair idea of what's involved.

[NotAllThere]

And am aware of the need for health insurance if you intend on staying over 3 months as well as the fact that there are federal, cantonal and municipal taxes. To be honest, reading about all the tax scares the bejesus out of me.

No need. Even added together it'll be less than what you'd pay in the UK.

I also understand that a certain percentage will be paid into a Compulsory Pension Scheme and I read somewhere (Blaster Bates - a fountain of Swiss knowlege perhaps?) that this is returned if you are contracting and leave the country after a length of time, although I could have misunderstood this somewhat.

True, but unfortunately for EU citizens it has to go into an approved pension fund. Or as BB says - you keep it in CH.

The biggest risk healthwise is a longterm serious illness, and in any case unless you're a Swiss citizen you'd end up back in Blighty anyway.

Not if you've got a C-permit. (And possibly not with an EU B-permit).

[BoredBloke]

On a 1000 chf a day you'll be fine. My initial rate was 656 when the agent somewhat stiffed me. I threatened to leave at the renewal time and they upped it to 850 a day. The management company know I stay in France but said that it shouldn't effect my tax status. However, as you are on a good rate and a long contract I think I'd stick with Geneva. Accomodation is hard to find and expensive. As you have a 12 month contract you should find things easier though. Your problem will be where to stay while you find somewhere. Hotels are expensive - a quick search on hotels.co.uk will show you that.

I get roughly 65% of my pay after tax. Today tour day rate equates to about 600 gbp a day. If you get about 65% also then that leaves you with about 400gbp a day to play with. If you have kids then it's worth stopping any child benefit in the UK and claiming it in Geneva as it's worth a lot more. A collegue of mine was on the same rate. His four young kids meant that his takehome was close to 70% of the total.

The language is fine - I don't speak French and not had any real issues. The people in the office all speak english - except when they are talking about you

Who are you going to be working for? This place use quite a few contractors.

[Petal]

I'm working through a company called Tresag and I've had no problems with them.

Once you get over the inital expense of the place it's not too bad - a good rate is a must. When I first came out here I was on 656 chf a day and that didn't cut it.

Finding accomodation is difficult. My contracts have only been 3 month ones which don't cut it when it comes to renting. I stay just over the border in a shanty town just inside France.

Hi Tony,

I was hoping you'd pop up as I've read a lot of your postings on my monumental trawl through the forums. It sounds as if you've had a hoot!

I've worked out that somewhere in the region of 1000 chf a day, or as near as dagnammit, would do. Agent says that the team manager is keen to ensure that whoever they get out there is comfortable with the rate as they don't want them to leave after a while because it's too expensive. The contract is for 12 months and possibly longer so that may help with getting accommodation.

How does staying over the border in your French shanty town affect your tax status and how are you finding the language side of things?

I have a passable French accent although my other half has most of the words - he says something and they look at me, baffled. I then say exactly the same thing and off they go. This then involves me turning to other half and saying "I got most of that but what was that bit about the inflatable whale?"

Still English isn't my first language and I know from working in Brussels that if you have a go at the language it tends to open doors.

[BoredBloke]

I'm working through a company called Tresag and I've had no problems with them.

Once you get over the inital expense of the place it's not too bad - a good rate is a must. When I first came out here I was on 656 chf a day and that didn't cut it.

Finding accomodation is difficult. My contracts have only been 3 month ones which don't cut it when it comes to renting. I stay just over the border in a shanty town just inside France.

[Brussels Slumdog]

My experience only

Thanks for the response - A large number of your postings came up in response to my trawl through the forums.

Albany no longer have a presence in Switzerland according to Richard. They recommend a company called Tentoo - does anybody have any experience with them? I have heard good things about Pearl but some of the other names that came up through the forum search people weren't completely convinced about.

Cheers!

Not Spam- my experience only

I used V5 GmbH which is run by an English guy and he does Switzerland
only unlike other management companies.
For more info PM me

[mailric]

Switzerland just in time for the ski season.... whats stopping you?!

[Petal]

Yes lake Geneva is a fantastic area, was down there a couple of weeks ago, fabulous, though we stayed in Evian, just opposite Lausanne.

So...really you've no choice but to go as an employee. Take home ranges from 65-70%, mine is about 68%, that does include your pension contributions, which unfortunately you now can't repatriate anymore, as the rules changed. But it is kept for you and will provide with a pension even if you're not in Switzerland. Positive ...after a year or maybe 18 months I'm not sure you become eligble for a generous unemployment benefit that amounts to several thousand Francs a month, if your contract isn't extended...can't be bad really in this difficult market. The unemployment benefit is payed out for 18-24 months I think.

Thanks for the response - A large number of your postings came up in response to my trawl through the forums.

Albany no longer have a presence in Switzerland according to Richard. They recommend a company called Tentoo - does anybody have any experience with them? I have heard good things about Pearl but some of the other names that came up through the forum search people weren't completely convinced about.

Cheers!

[DS23]

jfdi

[BlasterBates]

Yes lake Geneva is a fantastic area, was down there a couple of weeks ago, fabulous, though we stayed in Evian, just opposite Lausanne.

So...really you've no choice but to go as an employee. Take home ranges from 65-70%, mine is about 68%, that does include your pension contributions, which unfortunately you now can't repatriate anymore, as the rules changed. But it is kept for you and will provide with a pension even if you're not in Switzerland. Positive ...after a year or maybe 18 months I'm not sure you become eligble for a generous unemployment benefit that amounts to several thousand Francs a month, if your contract isn't extended...can't be bad really in this difficult market. The unemployment benefit is payed out for 18-24 months I think.

Health Insurance if you just cover yourself and are prepared to pay up to certain amount yourself it is very cheap. I would advise doing this. The biggest risk healthwise is a longterm serious illness, and in any case unless you're a Swiss citizen you'd end up back in Blighty anyway. I pay about 150 CHF a month for health insurance, but basically for all the small ailments I have I pay the Doc myself.

[Unwitting Catalyst]

technican help thyself

If I wanted to know about contracting in Geneva, I would

Click on "Search" and enter the terms

contract geneva

If there was anything not covered in these threads, I would ask a specific question