I'm from Switzeland, and it's hard enough being already here.

and looking from the referedum on the 9th of Feb it seems like your eggs are getting fried before hand.

Thanks for your reply Alexander. I thought so, although as far as I know they have 3 years to do somehting about it...not great anyway. 

I totally underestimated the level of effort, being a wealthy country I thought it would be much easier to find a job there but I guess my assumption was based on what people used to say a good while ago and competition is much tougher now as many more people apply for fewer positions. 

I'll keep on trying, I have a couple of interviews lined up and let's see if something comes out of them. 

Always happy to have a chat anyway :)

If you can do project management and have the relevant certification (or even not in some cases) you will find work here. There are more jobs in Geneva than Lausanne, so you might have to start off there. Linked in has a lot of jobs listed.

On the permit side, if you get a job you will get a B-permit. There are no quotas in place yet. 

Hi Richard,

yes, I'm a Prince2 accredited practitioner although I mainly use SCRUM. 

Thanks a lot for the heads up, I've recently broadened my search to Geneva too so I hope I'll have better chances.

Luca

Just my two-epnnyworth Luca

One of my students [learning English with me] is here with a B Permit [i.e. permission to stay and work in CH for 5 years, renewable] who has been unemployed for months, despite being very well qualified and experienced with web design, systems analysing etc. Reason : he doesn't speak very fluent German or any French. Ironically enough, he has received several probable opportunities for work in England, but does not now want to give up this cherished permit which we can all understand. Good luck anyway

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Sheila, really appreciate it. 

It's this kind of stories that 'scare' me a little: qualified people who already live there with a permit not being able to find a job for months. 

I do get offers in London, but I'm turning them down as the idea is to find something there. I might have to change strategy or just be patient, but from what I've gathered so far being there is not much better than looking for something from here. It would obviously be slightly easier, but probably not worth the risk of being unemployed for several months. 

Thanks a lot for the feedback so far guys, I'm sure this thread will be very useful for other people too.

Luca

I have seen many people who are unemployed in switzerland and the main reason is they don't speak french or german. Most emmployer are seeking person who speaks german or french depends on the region you are looking for the job! if you get a good job offer in another country i would say it is better to get the oppertunity instead of staying unemployed. More time you stay unemployed chances of getting a job shrinks more

Even worse. In Romandie employers are now looking for people who speak French AND German. This was not the case even 5 years ago. At that time, only French or English and French were required.  

To the OP, your chances of getting a job in Switzerland are much better if you are IN Switzerland. Though it can take many, many months. So the risk and the expense are enormous. Honestly, I'd start looking elsewhere unless you really have some special skills or find a job where you meet 125% of the requirements listed and you happen to know the hiring manager.

The competition is really that tough. But you know ever say never!  

I should add that if the purpose of your move it to be with your GF and she speaks English it's highly likely that she would find a job in London much easier than you'll find one here. 

@Brad

Thanks for your input, I think that's a good point and the main reason I'm not quitting here. I believe you have much more power in the whole hiring process if you're still in business. Plus you keep on building your professional portfolio instead to try and justinfy a gap in your CV.

Maybe better to master my French skills in the meantime.

@Mia 

Great feedback, that's pretty much what I gathered from my experience so far. I guess they do that to limit the number of CVs they'll get even though they don't actually need those skills. Not fair, but hey...it's the survival of the fittest. 

Regarding my GF, she's a Portuguese doctor and believe it or not it was much easier for her to find a job there than here. She'd need to pass all sorts of exams and go through a bureaucratic hell to find a job in UK, while in Switzerland she just had to send her CV. 

We thought it wouldn't be that difficult for me to find a job there given how easy it was for her, obviously we were soooo wrong. 

i have nothing against immigrants, but it does annoy me that the tax payer has to pay for chomage for people that dont even know the language! 

AR

Tax payers don't pay for chomage. Chomage is insurance. Not social services. Just like other insurance, if insurance companies can't make the payments then the rates paid will go up. When was the last time chomage rates went up? 

Whether or not you speak the language (!), if you are employed you pay into chomage. 

@ Luca, there is a shortage of medical personel, especially GPs and nurses, in Switzerland. There is not shortage of your profession (or mine for that matter). :( If I wasn't so squiked out about blood, I'd consider retraining as a nurse. 

to Mia:

What I mean by tax payer is anybody with a job. If understood correctly, all employees and employers pay for the AC (assurance chomage), But where does that money go? I doubt it goes to privately managed hands.

My guess is that it is the state that handels the money as with the AVS. Therefore as any insurance, it provides money to the people in "need". Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks.

AR

That's the way insurance works. Same as for health insurance, car insurance, house insurance. We pay insurance hopefully to never have to use it. People who collect unemployement have also paid in. Like people who pay for health insurance have paid in. Some need it more than others. As a self employed person, I do not have the right to unemployment money because I can't pay in to unemployment insurance. 

The state doesn't handle the money. The "caisse" do. They are like an exchange. Just like the health insurance. So your employer can pay into one caisse but you can collect from another caisse. 

AVS is the pension and AI in invalidy insurance. Pension funds and other insurance bodies hold the money and invest it (hopefully) with a profit. This is why pension funds often own apartment buildings so that they get a return on rents and they gain on the value of the properties they own. I'm sure they invest in other things too. 

The Swiss are the kings of insurance. So I think they have it down. ;) Although I admit I don't know all the details. Some brilliant finance person could probably clarify this better. 

Socail welfare on th other hand I believe does comes from taxes, like subiidies for housing or subidies for low income to help pay health insurance, etc. 

Anyway, this is a topic for another thread. Sorry Luca! :) 

Alight, thanks for the info. I didn't know that. Appologises for change the topic

That's actually really good information guys, good to know just in case!

Going back to the original topic, I guess I should start my medical studies along with my advanced French lessons :)

Anyways you're right, competition is extremely tough. Switzerland seems to be a magic circle where you can get in only if you have the right credentials and it makes sense considering the benefits and the standard of living one can once in the country. 

Definitely annoying for an 'outsider' trying to get in, but at the same time it's an interesting challenge. 

I'm finding the best way to deal with this is networking and getting in touch with as many people as possible without bothering them too much. People are not too willing to help these days so it's good to create connections rather than simply sending CVs. 

Luca

It is often a case of supply and demand. Fat cat salaries by and large, clean and safe livingditto], centre of Europe, stable Swiss Franc etc. etc. which obviously means that the demand for positions exceeds the supply. Ergo employers are demanding more and more from would-be job-seakers as often they receive in excess of 200 applications and can therefore be extremely picky. Good luck anyway.