Reply to: Two Offers - Swiss vs Saudi Arabia - Need To Decide Which One QUICKLY

[NotAllThere]

And it's Switzerland not Swiss.

Indeed. Get that wrong and the expats will get most annoyed.

And faint at how expensive it is!

Not if you're on a normal Swiss rate. Trouble is, EU - and especially UK - contractors are cheap now.

For example, consider a contract that used to be 1000CHF per day. The client pays 1200CHF. The 1000CHF not that long ago was £450. Now it's £625 So the agency offers the contractor 800CHF = £500. The contractor thinks "wow! good rate". But in terms of standard of living, they're 200CHF a day down. If the client is on the ball, they'll only be paying 1000CHF. If not, the agency is now getting 400CHF per day. As I've not really noticed pressure on rates, it seems that it's the latter scenario that's prevailing.

[sal626]

I would have gone to Saudi – but then again, I’m brown skinned and a muslim, so wouldn’t have been target uno when it hits the fan (and no doubt it will)….

[sutsim]

Good luck in Zurich, I'm here now and it is a great place. If your pimp doesn't help with the bureaucracy (and there is a shed load of it) drop me a line. I'm no expert but have just gone through it all so can share my experience at least.

The weather is really mild, 10 to 12 degrees walking the ridge of Zurich mountain yesterday.

[Sysman]

I've done Saudi for 18 months and don't have a family.
I'd work there again but only for a minimum of double my average rate and if it was a real backward place with not much going for it then I'd probably I'd need more like 3 times!
If I had a family it would need to four times my average rate - if that's not the sort of mark up we're talking about then I suggest you don't go. Also are you sure it's going to be tax free?

Plus, if you find that for family or other reasons you can't do the full term, you might not get enough tax days out of the UK.

It´s not very sunny at all in Zürich.

It was snowing earlier today.

[Sysman]

Go to Switzerland as you can easily escape at the weekends by driving, taking the train or flying to another European country.

But try and get a longer contract as you will find it hard to get rental accommodation.

What she said. Unless you want to share (and get lucky in finding someone you can share with), short term accommodation is pretty much limited to hotels.

[BlasterBates]

Thank you ALL!!

Finally...tomorrow I'll be flying to the sunny...Zurich

It´s not very sunny at all in Zürich.

[stek]

Thank you ALL!!

Finally...tomorrow I'll be flying to the sunny...Zurich

And faint at how expensive it is!

[TTT]

Thank you ALL!!

Finally...tomorrow I'll be flying to the sunny...Zurich

[Fred Bloggs]

IME there just isn't big money in the ME any more, at least in my line of work anyway. Bob Shawadiwaddy and his mates have seen to that.

[Olly]

I've done Saudi for 18 months and don't have a family.
I'd work there again but only for a minimum of double my average rate and if it was a real backward place with not much going for it then I'd probably I'd need more like 3 times!
If I had a family it would need to four times my average rate - if that's not the sort of mark up we're talking about then I suggest you don't go. Also are you sure it's going to be tax free?

[Robinho]

Zurich by a trillion miles.

[nomadd]

2. Riyadh - 1 year ...I wouldn't bring my family there, so I'll be alone in the desert

Where would you go?

Based on the TV news coverage of the Mid-east in the last few weeks, I'd be inclined to choose any option other than "2".

EDIT: BTW, I think you need to think about the stress on your family. I've known a couple of guys who've done the 1 year stint in the mid-east in "better" times. The arguments it caused within their families (Wife, kids, Parents, even Grandparents) wasn't pretty. They will be worried about what potentially could happen to you all the time, and that's not a nice position for them to be in.

[Fred Bloggs]

Zurich - too much risk of it kicking off in Saudi!

+1.

[SueEllen]

Go to Switzerland as you can easily escape at the weekends by driving, taking the train or flying to another European country.

But try and get a longer contract as you will find it hard to get rental accommodation.

[Clippy]

+1...money no good, if you're dead!