[Moving to] Geneva
Sep 28, 2011 | 10:38 am
#16
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: GVA,OPO
Programs: BD the last decent FFP
Posts: 1,861
+1
I'd also very much recommend http://en.comparis.ch/ .
It's a great source of all types of info (taxes, car insurance, health insurance,housing) and they have a special chapter for Moving to Switzerland.
Here you can check taxes. It's not canton only. Within the canton you may have communes with lower rates.
I'd be very careful to check all the details what may at first seem a very attractive proposal can be very quickly wiped out by housing, schooling, health insurance, cost of living in general (can be off-set by shopping in France)
And especially if you don't have employer support on the 3 first points.
Switzerland is a great place to live IMO, but it's pretty expensive.
Take into account that bills for Trash, Electricity and TV/Radio rights, car Insurance, car plates paid yearly, household insurance, will add up to your expenses.
+1
I live in Lausanne and not GVA, but the situation here is similar.
If you consider Lausanne here is the link for the International school were most expats have their kids. Here is the fee page.
GBM
I'd also very much recommend http://en.comparis.ch/ .
It's a great source of all types of info (taxes, car insurance, health insurance,housing) and they have a special chapter for Moving to Switzerland.
Here you can check taxes. It's not canton only. Within the canton you may have communes with lower rates.
I'd be very careful to check all the details what may at first seem a very attractive proposal can be very quickly wiped out by housing, schooling, health insurance, cost of living in general (can be off-set by shopping in France)
And especially if you don't have employer support on the 3 first points.
Switzerland is a great place to live IMO, but it's pretty expensive.
Take into account that bills for Trash, Electricity and TV/Radio rights, car Insurance, car plates paid yearly, household insurance, will add up to your expenses.
I live in Lausanne and not GVA, but the situation here is similar.
If you consider Lausanne here is the link for the International school were most expats have their kids. Here is the fee page.
GBM
Sep 29, 2011 | 12:02 am
#17
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GVA
Programs: BA Bronze, LH FTL, KL/AF Ivory
Posts: 1,941
Have lived in the GVA area for 28 years.
As others have remarked, cost of living is very high, but that will probably be reflected in the salary you should be getting (if it isn't you'll have a problem). Your biggest nightmare is going to be finding a place to live. There's a permanent shortage of accommodation of any type and price in the whole area and even living across the border in France is becoming difficult and pricey.
I would generally agree with much of the other advice given here, so won't repeat it, but one thing I do recommend to expats who come here is to learn French. You don't need it to survive, some 10 years ago I saw that there were some 35000 English-language speakers in Geneva, but speaking French will open up a lot of horizons for you and your family.
On the question of schools, I suppose it depends how long you intend to stay here for. If it's a short-term thing, I suppose one of the international schools might make more sense. If it's permanent, then consider the local schools (though be prepared for significant differences in the system, depending on where you live).
Probably something that will hit you more once you're here, but Switzerland is very much of a federation, so you will find significant differences in just about everything (including dealing with bureaucracy (getting driving licences for example)), as you move from one canton to another.
The other thing that will hit you, is that things generally work well here, the Swiss are generally pretty thorough about anything they undertake. They may take their time deciding about something, but once the decision is taken, it will be done properly. It's not for nothing that the Swiss way of life is what it is today.
As others have remarked, cost of living is very high, but that will probably be reflected in the salary you should be getting (if it isn't you'll have a problem). Your biggest nightmare is going to be finding a place to live. There's a permanent shortage of accommodation of any type and price in the whole area and even living across the border in France is becoming difficult and pricey.
I would generally agree with much of the other advice given here, so won't repeat it, but one thing I do recommend to expats who come here is to learn French. You don't need it to survive, some 10 years ago I saw that there were some 35000 English-language speakers in Geneva, but speaking French will open up a lot of horizons for you and your family.
On the question of schools, I suppose it depends how long you intend to stay here for. If it's a short-term thing, I suppose one of the international schools might make more sense. If it's permanent, then consider the local schools (though be prepared for significant differences in the system, depending on where you live).
Probably something that will hit you more once you're here, but Switzerland is very much of a federation, so you will find significant differences in just about everything (including dealing with bureaucracy (getting driving licences for example)), as you move from one canton to another.
The other thing that will hit you, is that things generally work well here, the Swiss are generally pretty thorough about anything they undertake. They may take their time deciding about something, but once the decision is taken, it will be done properly. It's not for nothing that the Swiss way of life is what it is today.