How to freelance in Switzerland?

Finance, Taxes, Banking, Insurance and Retirement
81
QUESTION C

When you press the "+++" sign on the registry website you get details like this for each individual firm-

What is that? On clicking it you get capital invested and some type of financial information. Does it mean that your earnings become public record? Can someone clarify?

82
Just remember, as a sole trader you don't have to have a commercial register entry, it costs, although it adds credibility.

dave

83
Hello,

This is kinda related to freelancing and setting up a business. I've just completed a small job and need to be paid. What is the usual way of doing this in Switzerland? It's just that I've seen these pink slips around (have no idea what they are called!) but they have the receiver's bank account details and boxes where you fill in the amount. If you have online banking you can use these details to pay online. Am I making sense? Or do I not need to use these and just give my bank details to my client?

Angela

84
Hi All!

I have two questions related to an earlier post by Richard (quoted below):

1. Does anybody know where I'll find the AHV sole trader application form? Is it located somewhere online at SVA Zurich or Gruenden.ch ?

2. Also, to confirm, registering my business on the trade register is done through Handelsregisteramt Kanton Zürich ?

Many thanks in advance!

Chris

85
1. I remember looking hard for the SVA form on their website, and was eventually told by SVA, that they bizarrely dont put it on the website, and you have to ask for one. This may have changed obviously.

2. The Handelsregister is indeed the correct place, and you can find the forms and checklists for registration on www.gruenden.ch if I remember correctly.

dave

86
Well if it was an earlier post by me I better provide some more information...

Firstly AHV while being a state system, sort of is not... AHV is paid into a Kasse. Each kasse is listed. So on my AHV form I have 6 or 7 different numbers. You can within reason choose any Kasse you want. For you the option to have Kasse 1 Zurich is probably top of the list. To get a complete list and more information try, wait for it, www.ahv.ch - obvious really...

To your registering point. Be aware that when you register a business it is not cheap. You need to pay somewhere between 600 and 800 Francs to do this. At the start I ask you what the advantages are? Why do you need to be registered, what do you think it will bring you? Put your points on the table or PM me and I am sure there are people here who will help you.

87
Thanks for your responses Dave' and Richard!

In answer to your question, Richard; I have British citizenship and would like to start work as a freelance digital artist as soon as I move to Zurich in August. I thought this meant registering myself as a Sole Trader ( selbständig/Einzelfirma?) , which would be with AHV. I guess this is done some other way?

Again, many thanks for your help!

Chris

88
Yes indeed which is not the same as registering with the handelsamt ie company register. You hold up your hand in the middle of the street and shout yippeee I am self employed and indeed you are. To ensure you make all your contributions you then need to register with the AHV. That is no need to register your company as you will be a sole trader although you can.

89
Just for the record, when I was self employed in Saint Gallen I was advised to register in the company register as this apparently made it easier to open the business bank account, get a phone, claim tax relief for my office etc etc. Of course, I don't know if would have been just as easy if I hadn't regeistered but each of the above asked for a copy of my registration and with it things appeared to move very quickly.

90
Apologies, Richard, but I have a few more questions to make sure I'm clear on everything:

Step 1 . I don't need to register a company, which would be done through AHV . Instead, I simply register myself as a selbständig/Einzelfirma (Sole Trader), which is cheap, if not free. Where will I find the application form for this? Is this also done through AHV ?

Step 2 . Note to self; when registering myself as a sole trader I will need to find a name for my business that includes my surname. Further; my website domain can't have the same name as my business.

Step 3 . I set up a bank account in the same name as my business. Once I'm registered and have a bank account in place I can start work immediately .

Step 4 . To ensure I make all the correct contributions I then need to register with the AHV , whilst taking advantage of such organisations as the SVA . Is registering with AHV regarding contributions also free?

Step 5 . [Originally posted by Richard] " You may also find it useful to invest the SFr. 150 - 200 to register your business on the trade register." Does this apply to me and would this be done through Handelsregisteramt Kanton Zürich ?

Step 6 . Regarding a residency permit [Originally posted by swissbob]: " Go to the local residence office (town hall, Kreisburo, Gemeinde) and state your intent to be self employed. You are eligible for a special 6 month B permit after which you have to prove you are viable, then you will get the 5 year B. " Should I do this straight away or is it better to wait toward the end of my 90 day tourist visa?

Phew... I think that's it.

Sincerest thanks for your help!

Chris

91
See the answers in red

92

Only just read this and it floored me - it sounds unbelievable but the big lawyer at the bank I'm playing with today says it's true too - but, and this could be a big but, he says it is only for .ch domains and that .com is not regulated the same way as there is no linkage between the company registers in Switzerland and the .com domain registers while for .ch there is - but he didn't sound 100% convinced. Anyone know different?

93
See post #67 in this thread...

94
That just says you're ignoring it .

But even if it is the law, it's a bad one, and should be ignored so

for you.

95
I'd be more convinced if someone could point out this law. I mean wouldn't the Swiss TLD registrar switch.ch make it part of the T&Cs and prevent people registering their names?

96
Again, thanks for your help everyone!

- With the help of my girlfriend I've located the forms which I need complete regarding AHV . My girlfriend says they're forms 318.283 and 318.275. I'd be grateful if someone could confirm this is correct.

- I think I've located the sole-trader application form at Handelregisteramt (is this the same as Handelsamt?). I believe it's the one titled, Form: Application for the first registration of a individually-owned firm . Please can someone confirm this is the correct form for me; not the one related to registering my company on the trade register.

- My girlfriend also said I'll need to get insurance - Krankenkasse - as soon as I arrive. Apparently this is mandatory for Swiss people and since I'm setting up a business I assume this'll include me.

'Much appreciated!

Chris

97
Can't give you the forumla numbers as they vary according to the Kasse/Canton, but you do need two. The first is the application to get an AHV number allocated to you and the second is to give this number to the Kasse so that you can pay your contributions to your account. The application for a new AHV number is for example in Aargau 318.260d

Yes Handelsregisteramt is the same, the company registry but I don't like using German words if I can help it as I get told off, so keep them short...

I again ask you what you are trying to achieve with your registration at the aforementioned Amt...

As far as Health insurance (Krankenkasse) is concerned you have 3 months to kill before you MUST have one. Ie you are given 3 months to get one otherwise the local town hall gives you one... This has been covered elsewhere, just don't ask where...

98
I simply want to work freelance in Zurich. In order to do this I thought I would have to register myself, for free, as a sole trader ( Einzelfirma) with the Handelsamt. However having just re-read your earlier post I realise it may be only the Gemeinde I register with after having received my AHV number.

Bear with me; 'almost there!

Chris

99
The registration with the company registry is not compulsory but with the local town hall it is. And to the best of my knowledge registering a single person business ie sole trader is also a rather expensive exercise and certainly not free...

100
Folks,

Does anyone know (and it could be kanton-specific knowledge) that when two people form a GmbH and they're realistically contractors to one or max two clients, does the flipping AVG (Arbeitsvermittlungsgesetz) kick in with the deposit requirements, etc? Both are directors and both are employees. Last i heard Basel-Stadt still allows it, however there're definite problems with this setup in Zug or Zurich and accountants there just do not recommend it. If you're by urself there, that's totally ok. Seems like have to, what, open one GmbH each? That's abit nuts.

Anyone can shed some light on the logic behind this awesome piece of Swiss mentality? And if anyone has some glorified village/kanton in mind (like Obwalden or similiar, God knows) whereby this scenario with two directors/employees within the same GmbH can run, please do let me know.

Gracias

Groovy