I've been here with my husband and son since last May and just received permission in January after a few obstacles, to legally work. I got my resume translated and have started searching. Some friends of ours told us that we will end up paying more in taxes plus day care then what it would be worth for me to actually work. They talked to some "family help" office in St. Gallen. IS THAT TRUE? We make ends meet but there is not much left over at the end of the month to tell the truth.
We're trying to move back to the states next year for a better job opportunity my husband has received. My in-laws live to far away to just drop my son off. We only have one car and he is in Kindergarten here too. None of the other moms in the Kindergarten want to be tied down to taking care of someonelse's kid as well as each of there own-that's what seems to be the obstacle. I hate to think about leaving him with a total stranger and my husband and I working so far away.
I feel stuck. I'm already selling stuff so that we can go back home but obviously it's not going to be enough. There has to be a way to get a job somewhere and make it work. I thought about that whole day mom thing they have but our apartment is tiny and I don't have a good enough command of the language. What the heck else is there for us to do?
I also thought about importing stuff from the U.S. because things are so expensive here and there are alot of cool things at home-especially baby stuff I think people would want but then still have taxes to pay on that. HELP!
Have you already decided to leave ? If that is the case, then you are simply looking for a job to bring in some money until then ? What kind of work are you talking about, just an additional income, or a professional career job ?
We have decided to leave but we also need the additional income to put away in savings because we will be buying all new things when we get there. I shipped my things from the U.S. when I cam here last year and the quote was not so bad but unfortunaltey the company I shipped it with screwed us over. We payed almost four times what were quoted and it was 4 months late. I'm not going through that again because I heard it's worse getting it in the U.S. then it is to get it out. I'm not picky about what kind of job I would have. I was a Store Manager for a Junior's Clothing retailer before. I would love to work with clothing and customer service again but it's not that important. I would settle for being a cleaning lady or a cashier so long as it's not to far from home and I made a fair amount. I was going to take a job as a Nanny but they offered ten francs an hour to take care of their child, the house, and run errands as well as take the train to and from there. I would have come out with nothing considering at least 2.5 hours would have been to pay the train everyday and they said it would be just a few hours.
This is just wrong. Even badly paid service jobs can get you easily twice as much!
Generally, your info is correct: As long as you do not have a well paying professional career, you are likely to pay more for childcare than you gain if you want to work five days a week. I am sure there are flexible jobs to find and I know some mums who work part time and do make some money with it, but you need luck to find the right job! Living in Wil will not make this easier to find.
Good luck!
(and if you find somebody to become your child's nanny for 10 CHF, hire her!)
I'm somewhat near St. Gallen and my son is 5. I realize that it's "obvious" that we will pay more taxes. But my problem is- my husband does not make much in the first place. Thank you all for your replies and I'll look further into the tagesmutter thing. Have a great day today.
what about teaching english! giving school kids some private tuition. You don't need to speak anything but English. The best way for them to learn is to have to speak English with you. You could stay at home and do it there. Put an add in the local paper or Migros.Itcould work. Don't give up and don't forget...it will all be ok in the end stay positive
How do i ardvertise in migros magazine that i teach english private to children? i got nothing to do the all day just home if not in town buying things,i want to do something to keep me busy and i think i an take care of th kids at my home i zuich, if there working mothers who dont have a nanny or anywhere to leave there children then am right person.I love children an i will teach them english and have fun with them.
Hey I know exactly how you feel, I am a qualified hairdresser and have been here almost 2 yrs now and find it very difficult to find employment. My German is not great but I am learning but they still want German as mother tongue.... I dont want be a stay at home mum I have worked all my life and dont want to stop now..... Help if anyone out there needs an english speaking hairdresser in the Baden area PLEASE let me know.. thanks and have a good day to all
Why don't you set yourself up as a mobile hairdresser. I haven't seen this in Switzerland whereas it's quite popular in the UK especially with people who are housebound or with mums who can't organise childcare. Advertise in the local shops (Migros/Coop have advertising boards) and see if you get anyone interested.
You are right its not easy to stay at home when all along you been used to work.I havent found something to do yet either but i hope i will find something to do soon.you are an hair dresser thats good, i mean you can open up your on salon in your area if at all you have the resources to start with.I hope that helps and hey dont worry you will find a job soon.Cheers
It is possible for both parents to work, but the lower income of the 2 has to Jusitfy this. i.e. if you have to pay for child care, then after deducting this the extra income has to be reasonable.
Of course there will be extra tax to pay. This may take your joint income into a higher tax bracket etc.. so worth checking your local tax rates.
If you can work privately ie. teaching, then this might be easier as you could work the hours to suit you. Not sure if you should have some sort of teaching qualifications for this. Even if you do this privately the Swiss like to know you are qualified.
It's also worth taking into consideration that in Switzerland they don't like big gaps of time missing in the CV so even if it means going part time and gritting your teeth at the cost of childcare, so long as you aren't working at a loss (i.e. paying out more for childcare than you are earning) I would go for it.
When your kids are older and you want to get back into the job market full time, you'll be in a better position if you have been working at least a bit in the previous few years.