Seeking advice on job offer in Zurich

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1
Hi everyone! I'm seeking advice on accepting an opportunity to work in Zurich for about 2 years.

A bit about myself:

I'm currently in the US (born and raised), fresh out of graduate school, and in my mid-20s. I had no intention to work in Switzerland (only as a possible vacation destination) until I was offered this opportunity. It is a temporary research position and most likely I will head back to the US afterwards for a permanent job. I never been to Europe before and I don't speak a word of any of the local languages in Switzerland. I was told this shouldn't be a problem, at least where I am working but I imagine it is something I should get better acquainted with for life outside of work. Being in a foreign country out of my comfort zone is nothing new to me as I did spend some time in various areas of Asia but not for the long term where I needed my own place to stay. I'm also not tied down to any relationships/commitments so I have no problem going anywhere.

My situation:

So the idea of living and working in Zurich for 2 years is certainly very exciting for me, not to mention that the actual job itself is very interesting and should provide me options in the future. The pay doesn't seem too bad after taking into account the cost of living in Zurich but I also have options on the table in the US where I can do better and are permanent career options. My main concerns are probably the following:

Logistics of relocating to Zurich: I'm given an allowance and the company is providing some assistance in finding a place for me but I never dealt with an actual move overseas. What is the process like? Or what is the best way to get started? I'm looking into furnished apartments so hopefully that can minimize the amount I need to transport overseas. Health care: I already looked into health insurance a little bit but my main concern is the routine of getting forms filled out and interacting with secretaries, etc. Will communicating in English be sufficient in general? Perhaps additional research is necessary to find which health care providers can do their business in English? Dealing with finances: Something I haven't looked into too deeply. Would I need to open a new bank account in Switzerland and transfer money from my US bank account? Is there a way to deal with expenses using my US-based accounts only? I have a World MasterCard which proved valuable when I was traveling in Asia, would it be a good approach to use it as my primary way of making transactions in Switzerland during my 2-year stay? I understand that this is a very rare opportunity for me which is why it's difficult for me to walk away from this offer for the more stable and comfortable options in the US.

Is there anything else I should be concerned about? Any advice or reasoning that would sway me towards accepting the offer? Or perhaps decline it in favor of the options in the US?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

2
Hi!

For me what you call your 'main concerns' are chiefly logistical issues and should not play a great part in actually deciding whether you want to take this job or not. They are just slightly annoying things you will have to deal with if you choose to accept the offer, that will take an insignificant fraction of your time compared to the two years that you would spend in Switzerland.

The whole prospect is somewhat close to a once in a lifetime opportunity for you, right? If you do choose one of your 'permanent career options' in the US, you might not get the chance to live and work abroad like this again. Plus Switzerland is a great springboard to visit the rest of Europe, which in my opinion is really worthwhile.

You seem excited by both the job and Zurich, whereas your arguments for staying in the US are comfortableness and stability. Now, I do not know how hard it is to get a job in your industry, but if you will still have the same opportunities or even better ones after two years in Switzerland, then I personally would not choose comfort over adventure (OK maybe 'adventure' is a strong word, but hopefully you get my point). I think that at the end of your life, there are more chances that you would regret not going rather than going.

Besides, life in Switzerland is actually outrageously comfortably anyway. I lived in Zurich for a year and enjoyed it a lot! Regardless of what you like doing, chances are Zurich will have something for you. To speak of what I know, they have decent bars, clubs and you can find somewhere to dance salsa any day of the week.

As for the specific points you raised:

- I have limited experience of moving overseas, but I suppose others on the forum who have already been down this path could advise you more on the specifics. However, if you are planning on getting a furnished flat and going back to the US at the end, you would not need to take much apart from clothes right? (which admittedly with some people already amounts to some serious weight) As for finding a place in Zurich, it is quite hard, but not impossible (I switched places a few times while living there, as did several of my friends).

- https://en.comparis.ch/ lets you compare the prices between different insurers. It also has a good FAQ on health insurances, including a section for immigrants . At least a couple of providers offer their services in English and I think your company, colleagues, future friends would surely be willing to help you if necessary!

- I think it boils down to what fees you would get charged for your payments and withdrawals and the exchange rate. Also a lot of places accept credit cards, but not all of them and people here do tend to use cash more than in the US in general. It is not so complicated to open a Swiss bank account and I do suspect it would end up being more convenient and better for you financially.

Anyway, my main point is that in my opinion, those three things are just minutia and you can worry about them when you have decided whether you actuallywant to come here! To answer that question, I would consider how much I like the other job offers and perhaps the effect on my long-term career prospects.

3

Question: how good are you at filling in US tax forms because you will have to file them regardless of where you live in the world? Also many banks here will not accept US clients any more, due to the incoming FATCA law that the US Congress passed in 2010. Only UBS and Credit Suisse are likely to take you as clients and you may well need to sign a piece of paper saying you are tax compliant and that they can pass details of your account on to the IRS before they will let you open an account. Google FATCA for more info and also do a search here for more on the many problems this has been causing US citizens and their non-US spouses over here.

Most documentation will be in German for Zurich so that is something else you need to consider. Do you want to be signing rental agreements, etc, when you don’t understand fully what they say? Maybe someone at the university can help you with translations.

There’s a book called “Living and Working in Switzerland” which is full of useful info on moving and living here. You can order it via your local bookshop or Amazon.

I think it’s worth doing, even if you find it daunting. As you say it’s an unique opportunity, and you never know it might lead to more permanent job offers. Plus you’ll get the chance to see a real democracy at work.

4
Thank you so much for both of your insights and resources! I'd "Thank" each of your posts but I'm probably too new to have that feature.

Yes, I think it is a matter of figuring out if all the initial headaches are worth the overall experience so I'm doing the best I can to figure out what exactly those headaches are before I make a final decision. That is probably what I meant by "comfort", I am sure Zurich and Switzerland overall are top-notch in the quality of life once you are settled in.

The US job offers are very attractive too and probably they are the more practical choice in some sense. GoodbyeSkyHarbour, I think "adventure" totally fits the description of going to Zurich, especially because I never been to Europe. The "youth" in me says to go for an adventure and the "grown-up" in me says to stay in the US... if that makes any sense. I'm right at the border between being adventurous or finally settling down.

As both of you have mentioned, quite possibly the push to go to Zurich is that in the end, I shouldn't have too much difficulty in finding a permanent position in the US again or at least I hope that is the case.

I've been very responsible about my taxes here but you did bring up a good point. I'll have to deal with income taxes both in the US and CH. I'll look into the US-Swiss FATCA agreement and the problems associated with it as well.

Anything else I should be on the look out for?

5
Hi

Just a couple of comments:

On relocation: You could consider just storing your stuff and just moving over with bare necessities, buy what you need here then sell it when you leave. This is probably the best option when moving to another country for a finite period.

On health insurance: There are many firms that deal in english. Where german is most helpful is with Government agencies but you can get by, it depends which canton you will eventually live in. If moving to ZH, Zug for example, you will have no issues.

People move here with only English, just like you for short periods all the time, and the logistics process is not so difficult. You have overcome the biggest hurdle and that is being supported by a firm to employ you here.

6
at your age, the tax issue will be very easy unless of course you are sitting on a trust fund or similar inherited wealth. if you're the "typical" person in their mid 20's who just finished grad school, your US tax filing will not be much different than it is today and you will simply have to fill out the right IRS form for any Swiss bank accounts you have if the amounts in the accounts ever exceed USD 10,000. your Swiss tax filing will be more challenging

I was presented a chance to work in Belgium when I was young and just married without kids, but said no. still wish to this day that I would have said yes, and I am extremely grateful that things worked out and we ended up here in Switzerland (albeit some 15 years later).

7
There are a lot of Americans working and living in Switzerland, at all stages of their careers, so plenty of grownups. :-)

Dealing with the taxes is not a problem - it's just something that you do. Opening a bank account is not a problem - you just use ones that are available to Americans and fill out the appropriate forms - only those who are hoping to avoid the tax returns have problems.

Rather than a furnished apartment, you are likely to have more choices with unfurnished. ( and cheaper, more straight forward) However, buying furniture, appliances etc is part o the fun and need not be costly - things are constantly being recycled through this website by people who are coming or leaving - and often it's the start of friendships.

So all you really need to bring are your personal effects eg clothes, and toys ( bicycle, skis etc) plus brown sugar.

"Finally settling down"??? You are far too young to be doing that. Working here is unlikely to close any doors for you and is more likely to open new ones for your future.

8
Can you afford to come and visit? I am very happy here but Switzerland is not everyone's cup of tea. You will be fine without the language skills. Especially if you have your employer backing you up. My former colleagues helped me lots with things like my official paperwork, insurance (search this forum for more info), finding my first apartment, using public transport and many many other things. Mid-twenties, no commitments, why not go for it? Also, might it be that experience working abroad might impress potential future employers?

9
This is a great opportunity, and I recommend you take the the position. If your life was a bit more complicated (mid-career, married, family etc) there would be far more to consider. But for a young guy on a fixed-term contract, I'd say yes -- before they change their minds.

In the end, it may not even prove to be a satisfying experience (none of us can predict the future), but I'll guarantee that the need to cope with some of the stuff you're concerned about will teach you a lot about yourself and the world around you. (As it happens, it's a breeze, but I'll let you discover that for yourself.)

Put it like this -- if you don't take this chance, you'll spend the rest of your days wondering how different your life might have been if you had!

10
In a heart beat.

I was in a similar situation as you 8 years ago except I was moving to Sweden. Best experience ever and has been since then.

All my friends who took the stable permanent approach in USA ended up buying houses right before the crash. So much for stability :P

Cheers.

11

1. Regarding Moving, If you can come with just a few suitcases,

it will make your life much easier. You could buy used furniture

or cheap furniture at IKEA. To ship a small container, it would

cost about $3500-3800.

2. You can get a bank account at UBS, Credit Suisse, or PostFinance

with no problem.

3. With health insurance, you can get it here without a problem.

If you need translations, let someone here know. We are

glad to help.

4. Regarding taxes, make sure you keep your returns up to date

and file your FBAR forms if you have over 10K USD in Switzerland.

You are young, and this is the chance of a lifetime. I would definitely

take the job!!

12
Thank you everyone for your useful feedback and encouragement!

I've decided to take the plunge and go for it! This would be a very interesting 2 years for me. Still a little worried dealing with all the logistics but I'll have my employer and of course this community to help me out.

I will be going through the various resources and suggestions you all have made. In the meantime, if there's anything else I should be aware of as I make my preparations, let me know!

13
When I originally moved here from the Chicago area, I had a furnished apartment and planned to be here for one year, so I just bright clothes with me on the flight over and that was enough. I looked into UPS shipping for an extra box of stuff and it was going to run about 500 dollars, so. It's far better to ship with a cargo container as suggested above.

One small note on opening an account here - you will almost certainly need an account, and even if you get away without one, the international currency conversion fees will add up to a fair sum quite quickly. But if you go to CS, they will require you to complete a form and have a tax consultant sign that you're US taxes are correctly completed within a year. That can cost a couple hundred chf, so you might consider other options (at this time, UBS is only requiring me to self-certify).

14

Good for you Lyqtix, I don’t think you’ll regret it. You’ve some experience with living abroad which will help.

There’s a couple of books which might be of interest for you. “Living and Working in Switzerland” and it’s sister publication “Buying and Renting in Switzerland”. The “Living and Working” one gives a good outline of how to move and then live here in the country, including a section on renting and/or buying property, while the second is more detailed and focussed just on the property side. I suggest getting the “Living and Working” one first and having a read, then if you think you need the second you can get that. They can be ordered via your local bookshop or Amazon.

If you can stick to furnished apartments and only bring clothes and personal stuff that would be easiest, but check out what the apartments come with in the way of kitchen utensiles, bedding, bathroom towels, etc. What you could think of doing is holding back some stuff (winter clothes if you’re not moving here until April/May) and then getting family or a friend to send these on by surface post later, once you’re set up over here. It will be cheaper and if you don’t need them immediately it doesn’t matter that it will take a month to 6 weeks to get here. Get them to use the US post service as UPS et al will want to charge you more simply to take it down to the post office and send the same way.

Healthwise, I would think it shouldn’t be too difficult in Zurich to find an English speaking doctor. There’s a thread in the Health section here for doctor recommendations so you might find one there. Their staff speaking English may be a bit iffy, but if you’re planning on learning some German while you’re here then I think you’ll manage.

As Corbets has said, currency conversions from either a US bank account transfer or on your credit card will add up. Also the Swiss have a bill paying system where you get your various invoices for health insurance, rent payment, etc, sent to you monthly with a payment slip on the bottom. You collect all the ones to be paid that month, tear off the slips and add the figures up, then send all the slips together with a covering slip detailing the total figure and when you want the bills to be paid (28th of the month is usual) to your bank. They then debit your account on whatever date you asked for. You can set up direct debits too, but some bills may only come in once or twice a year. You can do the above by e-banking as well once you have an account with a Swiss bank or go into your branch and pay by cash each month. Credit cards are getting more popular over here, but some places only accept their own credit card and others like Aldi and Lidl (food shopping) only take debit cards or cash.

15
You definitely want to have a Swiss bank account, otherwise you will get absolutely screwed in fees and exchange rates.

Assuming you are just starting your career and probably not earning boat loads you just buy Turbo Tax (I think the Premium edition but it will suggest the right one) for $80 and fill in the tax return.

Good luck.

16
You definitely need one. Lost of employers don't even make salary payments to foreign bank accounts.

17
Thanks again for all of the useful advice everyone, especially with regards to the finances!

I still have some specific questions but it's probably more appropriate now to ask them in the correct forum as the original topic has been covered. Thank you again!

18
You have gotten some good advice and sounds like you are doing your homework.

I just want to congradulate you for thinking about taking this adventure. I wish I would have done it in my 20's.

I too am American, we traveled a lot and lived in Amsterdam and am thinking about moving to CH as well for a few years.

Feel free to PM me.