Hi Gladys,

I Have recently moved from Switzerland to France (but still working in Switzerland) and yes I have had to change my Swiss B permit.  I cant tell you anymore than that about the permit as the company I work for actually sort the process for me.  I am currently waiting to recieve my new permit.

I cant really comment on the pro's and cons of living in France as I only lived in Switzerland for 3months in provided accomadation, BUT I would say fruit and veg and I think food in general IS much cheaper in France.

Im hoping I have helped a little

Don't move!!

Wendy, I wanna know why I shouldn't move......cant find housing in Gva.

Can you move to France if you are a non-EU citizen and hold a B Permit in Geneva (and working in Geneva)? I thought the OCP would not like that.

If you live in France and work in Swiss assuming you have EU passport , you will get a G permit ( frontalier )­ , taxed at source and if you get unemployed you get it from france  not from swiss something like 58%.

If you are not EU , i am not sure if you have the right to live in France.

I am not 100%sure but that what i know

I live in France and hold a G permit (Frontalier), and work in Geneva. I have done for over a year and apart from my commute I would recommend it. I am an EU citizen so had no problems with work permits etc.

Pluses:
In France you get more for your money on just about eveything
I have a 3 bedroom duplex apartment with 2 bathrooms for less than a studio in Eaux Vives
Finding housing is a doddle! None of this queuing with 60 other "hopefuls"
Shopping is way cheaper, landlords/regies are generally freindly and helpful
Parking is easy and free
We have a garden! (and access to a local outdoor pool)

Minses:
Communting (although its nothing compared to my 100 mile commute in the UK)
I needed to own a car - living in Geneva I wouldn't have
RED TAPE! France is the home of mass bureaucratic nonsense
You cant have a night out in Geneva unless you bunk at someones place or drive home
If i lose my job I wont get chomage but then I dont intend to lose my job.

That's about it.

Oh and dont let anyone tell you that you need to be fluent in French, I'm not and I get by absolutely fine!

Thanks for the info!!

One more thing Gladys: Time spent on a G permit does not count toward a C permit, if that's one of your goals...

> If i lose my job I wont get chomage 

Who do you work for, Chris?  Usually you get (or don't get) unemployment benefits regardless of where you live.

A lot of employers in Switzerland wont' accept a G permit if you want to change job.

The main risk with a French residence is probably related to the unemployment question (unemployment paid according to French rules). Otherwise, the move involves a few administrative matters (exchange of drivers license for a French one, change of number plates of the car, technical test for the car).

In matter of health insurance, the situation is relatively flexible (possibility to either stay under the Swiss system or go for the maybe cheaper French insurance system).

In matter of taxes, the person working in Geneva would be taxed at source in Geneva and would only pay income taxes on passive and similar income in France, plus a residence tax (taxe d'habitation) and possibly a real estate tax if you own a property (taxe foncière). If you own a property in France you do not have a theoretical income tax related to the rental value (in Switzerland there is such theoretical revenue called: "valeur locative" which artifically increases your taxable revenues). For the person working in Vaud, it's different. This person will paid his/her taxes in France and not in Vaud.

I think the health insurance is the key point. IIRC there is no way to opt out of the french system once you live there if you have a frontalier status. So you'll have to pay 8% (?) of your gross salary for a system that only allows you to visit doctors on the french side.

http://hr-services.web.cern.ch/hr-services/Ben/chis/frontaliers.asp 

There are pros and cons in both countries:

You lose your B permit if you live in France, which in itself should not be a problem, but if your read and hear the rethorics of political parties such as UDC and MCG who would like to put a cap on even EU permits and give preference, when recruiting, to CH residents, then I would worry a little. Having said that, Geneva's economy cannot function without the frontaliers so hopefully it is just a phase in a slightly less good economic climate for Geneva.

Food is indeed cheaper in France...something I hear a lot. True for some products, but not always. Unless you buy in a farm shop, the quality of fruits and vegs is better in Swiss supermarkets, but the service is dreadful (and a bit better in France). There is better bread and cakes in France.

Commuting, but even when if you live in Geneva you're not spared the awful traffic jams.

Housing is a big plus in France, far more choice and still a lot cheaper than France. If you buy to make a family home, bear in mind that inheritance tax are super high in France, virtually non-existent in CH.

Tax, social security, health: you pay more in France overall, but theoratically get your money's worth. This is less true around the Geneva region where a lot of the specialist treatments (cancers, severe accidents...) were treated in Geneva by mutual agreements with the transfrontaliers' insurance. With the new regime imposed by the French government, you will need to optfor the French system and specialist treatment tends to be in either Lyon or Grenoble...not on your doorstep. I am not in possession of all the facts, so may need to be corrected or to qualify, but this is what I understand from the local press and colleagues who live in France.

The mountains are all around you and there are lots of very friendly people, France or Canton Geneva,wherever you choose to live!

My 2 cents:

Read this thread where the new system has been battered out, 

http://www.glocals.com/forums/general/168168.htm

We have been Frontaliers for 3 years and are now on the way to moving to Lausanne or somewhere similar. 

With these new charges, commuting times, horrific customer services etc, it is no longer in our opinion advantageous to live here. Yes you can get a bigger house, a few more groceries but you offset it by paying 60+chf to get home after a few beers. 

For the sake of cheap groceries I can drive across the border on Saturdays. 

Good Luck