American Expat Moving to Solothurn for work

Accomodation, House and Garden
1
Hello,

My family and I are moving from the East Coast to Solothurn on a 2 year expat assignment. My husband and 6 year old daughter will accompany me. I am looking for recommendations on where to live and send my daughter to school.

I must be in a thriving english speaking expat community that is near a primary international school. Secondly I want to be in walking distance to a train station that will take me into Solothurn. I want to be in walking distance of a park or outdoor area frequented by many kids. Walking distance to shops and restaurants. I have a hefty housing allowance. Looking for something with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms minimal a view and a patio that is modern.

I prefer a 30 minute or less commute but would sacrifice an hour by train in order to be in a thriving and welcoming community. We are not into night life but would become active members of a english speaking non-catholic protestant church.

Recommendations on what ex-pat friendly cantons to consider

International Schools

Protestant Church

2
As a non-EU ("third-country") citizen working in Switzerland for two years, your employer will probably obtain a "B" permit for you. You will be restricted to living in the canton which issues you the work permit, i.e., Solothurn. See this excerpt from Swissinfo.ch on work permits:

B: Aufenthaltsbewilligung

Diese Bewilligung wird für Drittstaaten-Angehörige in der Regel beim ersten Mal auf ein Jahr befristet. Pro Jahr wird eine festgelegte Zahl von Bewilligungen erteilt (Kontingente). Der B-Ausweis wird normalerweise jährlich erneuert, wenn keine Gründe dagegen vorliegen, wie Fürsorgeabhängigkeit oder Straftaten. Die Bewilligung ist an den Arbeitgeber gebunden und der Ausweishalter muss in jenem Kanton leben, der die Bewilligung erteilt hat. Die Steuern werden als Quellensteuern erfasst, also beim Lohn direkt abgezogen.

http://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/arbeitsb...ungen/29082954

3
Hello, thanks for your reply.. Let's assume I will not be restricted to Solothurn. There are expats that work for the same company in Solothurn and do not live there

4
Your profile says that you are US citizen and, as such, would fall under the "third-country" (non-EU) work permit regulations. Of course, if you are in charge of constructing a new CHF 1 billion pharmaceutical factory in Solothurn, the authorities might allow you to live elsewhere. Consider having your HR department consult with an immigration attorney for clarification on that point.

Basel, Bern and Zurich are the closest major cities, ca. 45 min to 1 hr by train to Solothurn:

http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html

Figure out where you wish to live and then search for an international school for your child. There's an English-speaking international protestant church in Zurich.

5
More than likely those ex-pats are EU. You are not. As the previous reply stated, if you are, indeed, the president of the company, they may make an exception for you.

Nevertheless, English-speaking ex-pats here don't tend to "cluster" into specific neighborhoods because housing is so precious. You, (or more likely your husband), will make other English-speaking friends when he goes to pick up/drop off the kids at the international school. Since you are only going to be here for two years, it is not worth your time or effort to try to acclimate into Swiss society. Make friends with the other parents at your kids' school and call it a day.

6
I suggest you find your school and work backwards. Zurich and area will give you most of what you want but a longer commute. Berne is closer but less international. Baden is an option but I don't know much about it. unless you live in solothurn I don't think 45min is realistic even an hour is a stretch. The fast trains are fast but you have to consider the to and from train time as well as waits between trains/buses. With a housing allowance getting a place should be easy if you go +5k but below that many landlords are not interested in expats because they leave too soon (in Zurich at least) and there is high demand for large apartments.

7
Don't discount Solothurn as it ticks most of your boxes.

My friend sends his 2 seven year olds to the International school there. Just been taken over by locals after a turbulent 8 months and is doing very well apparently. Very small school and is part German as well.

He also is not staying long so is perfect for him as well. Although to be fair he speaks German and is very much intergrated.

There is an anglo Swiss club you can join for the English speaking side.

Many beautiful appartments around there available, reasonable cost compared to some other areas in Switzerland and you won't have any commute. Solothurn is a stunning place, plenty enough going on and not far from Bern.

Can't comment on religious aspect as not my thing sorry.

Hope this helps.

8
Thanks everyone, we are getting very excited about the move and my six year old has watched very Swiss video on you tube .. I am not the company president but on the Board, will certainly inquire about the Solothurn living restriction.

If I am indeed restricted does that mean I can't live in any of the surrounding towns? On the apartment search sites what is included in number of rooms.. Bedrooms and bathrooms only?

Thanks Again!!

9
Welcome to EF and Switzerland.

- one more "don't assume" voice re: ability to live outside Canton Solothurn if not EU citizen. Possible, but not necessarily easy. (I had similar situation, took 3+ months living in a hotel, and wouldn't have been possible without major support from my employer.) Suggest you get this clarified before committing to rental/schools, time works against you here.

- if stay in Solothurn, location doesn't matter much, suggest you stay close to city center or maybe Derendingen. It's a surprisingly interesting cultural city. International School Solothurn situation seems to be somewhat more stable; consider sending your kids to local school if any way possible if they are 8 or under (it will be tough for first months, but well worth it IMHO), and you'll appreciate the shorter commute impact on your family life

- commuting from Zurich, Basel, etc looks easy/fast on paper but add min 20 to 30 minutes to the direct train time unless you live right near the stations on both ends, really not worth it

- if Solothurn is a "No-Go" realistically you are looking at Olten, Biel, and Bern. I believe only Bern has international school

- Bern isn't the most friendly town in Switzerland, steel yourself for this. If want to be around expats, suggest areas near US Embassy, Elfenau neighbourhood or abutting village Muri bei Bern

As far as looking for Protestant church options, suggest you make separate post on this on exactly what you seek (English only or translation OK, denominations, conservative/liberal/charismatic/evangelical, etc.)

Good luck!

10

Firstly, Solothurn is the name of the canton (state) as well as the city itself. So you can live anywhere in Solothurn canton.

Second, it may be possible to live in another canton, but you need permission from both Solothurn canton and whichever canton you want to move to and getting this can take months. It really depends on the cantons, some are more obliging than others because where you live decides who gets your taxes. Cantons aren’t always pleased when they’ve gone to the trouble of allowing you to have a permit, only for you to then want to move elsewhere. If you have non-EU colleagues who have done this, then ask their advice on how they did it and how long it took. Frankly, if you’re only going to be here for a couple of years it doesn’t sound worth it to me.

Third, understand that it’s mostly apartment living here, though houses for rent are available, depending on the area. Living, dining and bedrooms are what get counted in ads so if you want 3 bedrooms you need to look for 4 (living/3 bedrooms), 4.5 (living/dining room combined/3 bedrooms) or 5 (living/separate dining room/3 bedrooms). Bathrooms don’t get counted and if you’re talking of a full second bathroom (washbasin, toilet, bath/shower) you won’t get it. A full bathroom and a second smaller one that has a toilet and washbasin will be it. Look at these websites to see what’s on offer. The main pages are in English, but you’re going to need to translate the German into English youself for the property descriptions.

www.immoscout24.ch
www.immostreet.ch
www.homegate.ch
www.home.ch

They’ll give you an idea of what sort of accommodation is available and for what price.

And work on learning some basic German words/phrases. You won’t find much of anything labelled in English so food labels, etc, you’ll need to know it for, not to mention things like rental contracts which will also be in German as will official documents - you’ll need to register at the gemeinde (town hall) admin office for example and that document will be in German.

Get/download a map of Solothurn canton so you can see what your options are as far as cities/towns go. As said don’t expect to find a cluster of English speaking expats all living in the same area. Most of your neighbours will be Swiss/EU nationals and while some may speak English most won’t.

I suggest you get hold of a copy of “Living and Working in Switzerland” by David Hampshire. It’s full of useful info for both before and after you move. You can order it from your local bookshop or via the Internet. Also have a look at this website which will give you more general info:

www.ch.ch

Finally don’t forget to apply for your Type D visas so you can enter Switzerland long term legally. You need to do this at the nearest Swiss embassy/consulate to you in the States.

11
From Solothurn, the nearest English speaking protestant church is in Bern, http://www.stursula.ch/

Solothurn is a lovely city, I would consider living there first, before trying other options. https://www.google.ch/search?hl=en&s...solothurn+city

Are you avoiding Solothurn because it is Catholic? In my opinion that would be a mistake! I visit Solothurn 2 or 3 weekends each month, I am never made aware of the Catholics.

12
Funny that. Sitting in front of my computer in my study I see the door to a room containing a washbasin, toilet, and shower. And this is not the ensuite bathroom attached to the master bedroom. In know at least five flats with the same layout in the vicinity.

I agree that it is not the standard feature, but not impossible to get either.

13
Thanks for the information. I am now adding Solothurn to my options list. I was told that Solothurn was very small and rural with 300 people. I think they were mistaken a town for the canton.

Anyone have experience with the international school in Solothurn?

14
If you really are set on living outside canton Solothurn, as you gather your arguments in favor of an exception you should understand why the restriction is in place.

In Switzerland, you pay income tax based on your place of residence. The bulk of your taxes are paid to your local Gemeinde/commune and the canton, Federal taxes are generally less than a third of your total tax bill. (Every canton, and every commune within each canton has different tax rates.)

So moving out of the canton means a loss of income to the canton. In granting non-EU permits each canton wants naturally to ensure that it 'gets it's money's worth' via tax revenue generated.

Now attitudes vary widely across Switzerland, but in my little corner (SZ), anytime a foreigner (and by that I mean non-Schwyzer ) asks for anything the only argument that holds any sway is 'if we say yes, what is the financial benefit to this commune and/or canton?' I don't know if the Powers That Be in Solothurn think in the same terms, but would be wise to consider this aspect when you propose an exception to any of the usual restrictions that fall to your permit class.

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Re: Your checklist

Again, please be aware that there really aren't 'expat enclaves' here. People live wherever they can find housing, as finding acceptable (by your home standards) accomodation is the highest hurdle most people face as the housing market is pretty much tapped out. (Solothurn should be better than the major cities, however.) So you might consider prioritizing finding your flat or house , then look at how far you have to travel to check off the rest on your list.

But I would counsel against keeping an 'expat enclave' on your list. Switzerland is such a small country that traveling to wherever your friends happen to live is a non-issue. Your children will make friends within their neighborhood, wherever you find yourself, whatever the language the children around you speak.

15
If the person giving you this advice is being paid to do so, fire him/her pronto!

Solothurn city is 16,000 some people. Which is not small by Swiss standards. 20% of the population are foreigners, by the way.

http://www.stadt-solothurn.ch/de/pol.../bevoelkerung/

By the way, browse the Solothurn website (above) for more information on the city, as well as the Solothurn tourism site (conveniently in English as well) for an idea of what is on offer in the city.

http://www.solothurn-city.ch/en/

Have you visited yet? If the company will foot the bill, ask for a pre-assignment visit to get a feel for the city, canton, and surrounding areas.

16

No, they were just plain wrong or having you on. Even my small gemeinde of 4 villages has a population of just over 1,500 so no way a city the size of Solothurn would be only 300. As of December 2013 the city of Solothurn had a population of 16,599.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solothurn

Total population for the canton at that time was 261,437.

17
I am not sure whether this is a language-based issue. But for the sake of your mental and social health I would severly advise you to change this into wish/would prefer etc. especially as an US-american! ... And not only in your language use, but also and even more importantly in your mind.

Hmm, how did you aquire such a perception? At least among the German-speaking Swiss, people from Berne are considered as propably the most cozy/friendly Swiss according to the majority!

Very right!

@OP: Advice no. 1 among the 101 for US-american expats in Switzerland: Start to learn about your future environment more profoundly, and more than you think, IF you do not like to become percieved as the usual, ugly, arrogant, and ignorant american berserker! There is more outside of your 4.5% minority of this world, and it looks quite different, I can tell you!

From everybody else I would assume he/she is aware about this eternal commonplace. But well ... Do not underestimate this very good advice!

Would that not be one of the first things anybody does, when she/he learns about a new possible place to stay, may it be for holiday, but for sure in the case of a possible dislocation!?!

Indeed!

Not only a mistake, or a profound misstep. OP, do you have profound problems with people from other confessions? Well, you will not only find a mix of confessions living just next door (yes, again, no ghettos to be found here), but also a quite a large amount of Antitheists in Switzerland (almost every third in canton of Solothurn, 27%), and in Solothurn particularly, also one of the very few Mosques with a (small) minaret in Switzerland!

And even though the largest confession in Solothurn are still Catholics (35%), religion is hardly a daily business! Besides, there are also 24% of Protestants (Evangelian) to be found in canton of Solothurn. So you can calm down.

Pardon-me?

ALWAYS a very good advice to follow from very early age. We learn that here in primary school. You don't?

Let me tell you just one, but very valuable advise: Start to open up (i.e.: become curious and do not expect it to be as you are used to, just because you do not know differently) and behave like an adult who knows what her/his responsibilities (and rights) are, otherwise you will fail here so easily in Switzerland, even worse than you would ever dream of! Especially on social issues.

Good luck.

18

Other things to be aware of/check.

US tax: as Americans you’re required to file US tax returns no matter where you live in the world and if you’re on the board of your company I expect you may well owe the US tax on top of your Swiss ones. So start researching that here:

http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Inter…-Aliens-Abroad

Might be worth checking with any American work colleagues on who they use to do their tax filing here if your returns are likely to be complicated.

Also as American citizens to open a bank account here you’ll need to sign a W-9 form to allow said bank to pass the account info on to the IRS. And any bank account/s you hold outside of the US will need to be reported on an FBAR form if the aggregate amount comes to more than $10,000 at any time of the year.

19

Your source likely thought of the village your plant will be in - I can't recall which one it is. My husbands family lives scattered in these tiny villages and they all have a few hundred residents - some very nice homes - and at least one shop and a train stop. I do find that there is not a lot of English in Solothurn but there is some. I always find people at family or old friend events that lived or studied abroad. Key to remember is Switzerland is tiny and within an hour ot two you can be in many cities, 2 other countries, a lake or a mountain. For 2 yrs it may be nice to live close to work and explore real Swiss life vs expat life in your off time. I have expat friends who lived here for years and their kids never learned to speak German or French and that is such a lost opportunity! A six yr old will be fluent in a month or two if exposed and imagine the gift you will your child.

20
The canton of Solothurn comprises several municipal areas. The canton overall has a population of about 261,000. The city of Solothurn - the capital - has a population of about 16,500.

I've only visited Solothurn town the once on a day trip and it looks quite nice. The rest of the canton is quite rural - I've also been to areas in the canton like Dornach for walking - it's flattish in places but a few decent hills as it is on the edge of the Jura.

You mention that your daughter is 6 - would it be worth taking her to a local school where she can learn the local language and that would allow you to get to know a few Swiss. You say you are here for 2 years but you never know, it may end up being longer. And even if not, your child will learn some valuable life skills through learning to speak a foreign language fluently. We send our son to the local school plus he goes to a class on Thursdays for native English speaking children so he can be up with his English too. He is fluent in German - as well as English.

The other thing is to sign up yourself for language lessons - maybe the employer will pay some of the cost? Again, take advantage of getting to know a different culture.

While it is nice to integrate with the locals, it also will do you good to be in touch with other expats as Switzerland can be a tough place to throw yourself in at the deep end and it is useful to be able to socialise with your own kind too. Others can advise better on the expat scene in Solothurn (city and canton) - you might also want to try using the EF search. I just typed in "Solothurn" in as a search term and quite a few results came out regarding expat meet-ups etc.

Regarding church, there are regular Anglican services in Allschwil near Basel - maybe some proper churchgoers can advise better.

The only thing I will say is avoid Bärschwil at all costs.

Cheers,

Nick