Thanks a lot!
I have recently completed my diplôme de pâtisserie in a culinary school in Paris, and I will be doing a 2-month internship in a decent kitchen in Paris. As it's almost impossible for a non-EU person to get a work permit in Paris and the starting salary of a commis pâtisserie is barely enough to pay rent and bills in Paris, I'm considering Switzerland as an option(preferably the French speaking part). I speak fluent English and average French(will improve along the way during my internship), and I would like to know if anyone happens to know the possibilities of a non-eu person to find a job that will get you a work permit as a pâtissier, and what's the average starting salary of a pâtissier?
Sorry to be the barer of bad news.
It will be almost impossible for a non-EU to get a job as a patissier in Switzerland. The employer must first prove they can't find a Swiss, EU or anyone currently holding a permit before turning to non-EUs.
You have exactly the same problem here as in the rest of the EU, it’s practically impossible for a non-EU national to get a job here. Swiss, EU nationals and people already living here with a valid work permit have priority and employers must prove they can’t find anyone in those categories who could do the job.
Samgal,
Believe it or not, your chances of getting a job in France are way, way better than a job in Switzerland. As a non-EU citizen, you are absolute dead last in the job lottery when it comes to getting a job here. Wishing you the best of luck, but unless you're a guru in something, I wouldn't hold my breath.
....and even if you ARE a guru, you're still dead last. Sorry to say it, but that's just how it is. I've been trying for over 3 years to get in, with a highly specialised skillset, and it's been virtually impossible.
Bonne chance, neanmoins..
Thanks everyone!
I'm gonna give it a try but not gonna put in much hope.
Thanks for sharing your opinion
Aboiut "what's the average starting salary of a pâtissier?"
I have a friend who did that; his starting salary was 18 CHF per hour.
I would try Luxemburg , if you can't make it here to gain experience
In my opinion, if you want to learn something, don't go to Switzerland, the patissiers here are really not so good as in other European countries...
Thanks! I've actually never thought about Luxembourg. Is it easier for non-eu people to get a work permit there?
I'm considering the Francophone countries first as language barrier would be a problem in the kitchen. I feel that as long as it's a French style michelin restaurant, the desserts should be at a certain standard. And of course, I need to do further research on this. Thanks for the reply!
Thanks! Does your friend work at a restaurant or patisserie?
I think that's a matters personal opinion. In my experience they are no better or worse than other European countries, there are really good ones and pretty mediocre ones everywhere to be honest. We lived for 13 years in Belgium and I never found the patisseries there to be anything special.
Each country we've lived in has had their own 'specialities' so a trainee patissier could learn new techniques whoever they were.
Unofrtunately, you're not from one of these nations:
https://www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home...praktikum.html
Because that would enable you to apply for a trainee-position.
There's also this:
https://www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home...abgaenger.html
So, you'd need a degree from a qualified university (which I assume means one of these: http://www.crus.ch/information-progr...chschulen.html )
and then you could stay six more months to find a high-paying job.
In Germany, there is a special provision that allows "speciality cooks" for ethnic restaurants to receive permits for what basically is "making special dishes".
See this German leaflet:
https://www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home...praktikum.html
But there are a lot of constraints, it's not a carte blanche . Mostly, because it got abused a lot in the past (unsurprisingly).
Also, salaries in the food-busines aren't great in Germany, either.
I think they are nowhere - it's a typical exploitation-trade where only the ones at the very top make decent buck (and then only by gaining popularity on TV-shows and subsequent book- and advertising deals).
Hello, what age are you? Pastry work is not the same as regular gastronomy, because it is very technique orientated. There are not that many pastry chefs in Switzerland with French pastry technique skill. Also, I know someone that works specifically with bringing Asians into Switzerland for schooling in Gastronomy and food travel. It might be a way in, or atleast she could maybe assist with the paperwork. She is fluent in French as well.
Pastry work is not like making cupcakes, please don't let people deter you from coming to work in Switzerland. It's no different then niche IT jobs, except of course if the skill of pastries you have acquired qualifies you to work at a truck stop. French patisserie is far more refined and desired in the French speaking part of Switzerland.
However, don't expect at this point in your career to be making anything more then the bare minimum or nothing at all. You have to be looking at gaining experience more then a healthy pay check just fresh out of school.
Also check out seasonal work at ski resorts as there will be big name French Chefs that always look to twist arms to get fully staffed for each season with the best of the best people. There, maybe not the first season, but you can make some good experience.
If the goal is to gather experience and become high flyer pâtissier, then stay in France far away from Paris if the money is too short, but in France. There are very few places in the world you can acquire this level of skills in pâtisserie, you basically have to follow the French pâtissiers chefs around the world. The best ones are now in New-York, Tokyo and maybe London. The kitchen of a 5 stars hotel might be a good place too, especially in Geneva or on the Côte d'Azur.
Chocolatiers here are good, but very traditional, I'd say even old fashioned from a French perspective. But good. If your speciality is chocolate, then you should go to Belgium before coming to Switzerland but at least you'd learn something from the Swiss too.
France is not Paris. Check up with places like Rennes, StMalo, Caen, Strassburg, Colmar, Mulhouse, Annecy, Montpelliers
Zero chance. Sorry to be very blunt, but this is not a specialist field, you have zero experience (2 months internship are basically nothing) and you will never be considered as there's plenty of Swiss and EU citizens with the same or better qualifications.
Also, a patissier in Switzerland doesn't earn much and I would be very surprised if you'd be able to lead a (significantly) "better" life in Switzerland than in Paris
France is a big country and there's plenty of other options within the EU, some also English-speaking.