Hi James,

Not a specialist here, but here is how I would analyse your various options:

1.  Art. 32 is probably the "impôt au forfait" (lump sum tax).  Basically, you're a very wealthy person and your tax is calculated on your spendings (property/rent, living style, etc). and you are not allowed to have any income-generating activity in Switzerland.  This is the status of most music stars, sportsman, etc. 

2. Find a job.  Your employer will ask for a working permit for you.  As a US citizen, you won't be subject to any quota so this should be fairly easy to get.

3. Start your own company. Incorporate a company and become your own boss. Similar to solution 2.  Not sure which type of entity would be needed though. Sàrl, SA? For this, you'll need a business plan but probably nothing too complicated.

For solution 1 and 3, getting some legal advice is recommended or maybe some members out here have already encountered your situation.

Good luck and welcome to beautiful Switzerland!

Cheers,
P.

Thank you all for your insights.

Thanks for your concerns, Justdoit. 

FYI, I just did not want to feel locked into Los Angeles just because I run 2 very sucessful business's.  I got my global health insurance prepaid for a year.  I own homes in two countries.  I have worked very hard to create enough that I don't need a job.  I left to escape what I call a "rat race".  Never committed a crime and actually went to the State office and got a certificate that says so with an official California seal, just in case I run into you behind some desk.  I'm traveling alone now with my family in our Moscow home, hot, but comfortable.

I visited last year with the whole family and loved this place.  So I am here now solo, looking for permanent ways in.  I would rather rent a place first than buy, so I am looking.  As well, I am looking into the ways I can legally immigrate here.  I still don't know what the $ value is of Ariticle 32, but I am sure that whatever that level is it doesn't matter because I would like to open some offices here and work and not be restrained from being productive.

I am totally unprepared, yes.

But doesn't everybody start that way before preparing themselves, like me now.  I just moved my family from our most permanent home to our 2nd home in Moscow to "press start", on getting out of LA.  You'd want to move too probably if you lived there.  If not, I got a nice house, 4 bd 3 bath on 8000 sq foot property in Los Angeled for 4k a month if you want it. Just Kidding.

Thanks all for the advice above.

What kind of advice might I get regarding opening up an office here in Switzerland as a second office to my primary office in Los Angeles?

Would a business plan involve more of a reasoning regarding the need to do so and the plan of doing so?  I am sure many companies have opened up Swiss offices (and surely got legal advice from law firms in the process and not consultation from general fourms), but I am just asking, and thanks for your help.

By the way, whom am I buying dinner tonight next to the Bear pits in Bern?

Regards,

James

Hi James,

from my (non-specialist) opinion, you should look into the possibility of setting up a Swiss structure, either a branch or an independant Swiss entity.

I don't agree with Justdoit as I have experienced enough cases similar to yours in my work (I work in a "Fiduciaire" or Trust company).  I've also faced cases where people are taxed on a lump sum basis.

In any case, I would recommend to get legal advice but if you're already a successful entrepreneur, it should be fairly easy to get you settled in this country.

Cheers,
P.

PS:  Bern is a bit far for me for dinner...

Hi James and Christian,

conclusion I guess is that there are ways for an entrepreneur to get settled in Switzerland but it's a case-by-case issue.

From what you have told us, your profile seems to fit and with the proper advisors, you should get yourself into Swizerland without too much pain.

It's more than do-able, as I hardly know any country which wouldn't welcome a successful entrepreneur, who will:

1. Setup a company which will possibly pay taxes
2. Pay taxes as employee of his own company
3. Potentially reduce the unemployment

My two cents...

Cheers,
P.

2 - as a recruiter i can tell you this seems quite WRONG. any non EU-15 national / Swiss national / married to Swiss needs to get a potential employer to prove that this person is more qualified than 10 physical persons in the entire EU. If this person is not part of the extended EU the search factor extends to the extended EU.

James i was acting translator in a legal meeting with a HNW from CIS country looking at EXACTLY this situation 1 yr ago - if you want to set up your business here - the more high-tech, green, good for humanity etc it is - the more innovative and useful the easier it will be for you to get authorization for work. the other option the HNW was recommended to look at was purchasing a flailing Swiss business employing Swiss people and turning the business around for the better - in both cases the more Swiss people you employ the more favorable the gov't will be towards you, and the more innovative /useful to society your idea / patented tech etc is, once again, the easier it will be to open shop / get authorization

hope this helps