contracting in Geneva, help and assistance please...

[Dupont666]

Little bit of advice please.

Im looking to move away from London and this credit crunch that we have been hit with and I have been headhunted for a job in Geneva, but want to find out answers to a few queries.

My background is Analyst Developer specialising in JAVA/C#/SQL/Sybase for investment banks and have been headhunted for a job and they want their employees who are either local or the ones who will relocate, instead of a contractor going back/forth every WE to London and I would be happy with that.

They have said its a long term contract so Im assuming that is greater than a year or the life of the project, is this normal instead of a simple fixed term 6/9/12 month contract im used to?

The salary/rate (payroll) will be around 700-750 CHF per day. and I apparently will net approx. 65% of this amount. Can someone tell me why its only 65% and were they get this figure from? Can use a ltd company I have setup in London and pay the wage into that as I would in London and just pay myself dividends or is that frowned upon?

Can someone fill me in on what other costs on average I will be looking at?

Insurances? I assume things like my NHS isnt free? Anyother insurance I should look at?

If I have a car in London, is there a limit on how long I have owned it if I want to bring it across? Is that going to cost me? Can I bring it across and stay on a british licence for the time of my contract? Is insurance conducted differently in Geneva (is it on the car or the driver)?, Road tax?

Finally is there anything else I have missed?

Living costs and bills question I have not put here due to it being non buisness.

[benjdr]

So you were headhunted by an agent?
That's where they are getting 65% from. They'll get 35% of your monthly pay cheque. This is standard agent practice with contracting.

It doesn't come across in your post that you've contracted before? If not, have a read of http://www.ir35calc.co.uk (sorry if I'm wrong and you have contracted before).

Edited by benjdr on Thursday 30th April 22:00

[dcb]

Dupont666 said:

They have said its a long term contract so Im assuming that is greater than a year or the life of the project, is this normal instead of a simple fixed term 6/9/12 month contract im used to?

The salary/rate (payroll) will be around 700-750 CHF per day. and I apparently will net approx. 65% of this amount. Can someone tell me why its only 65% and were they get this figure from? Can use a ltd company I have setup in London and pay the wage into that as I would in London and just pay myself dividends or is that frowned upon?

The 65% is probably based on paying Swiss taxes.

There are lots of ways of setting it up.

1. Be primarily UK based and weekly commute to CH.
Probably the simplest option.

2. Go contracting in CH. Set up your London bank accounts,
CH bank accounts, get a CH accountant, UK accountant and get them
speaking to each other, so that all the forms in both countries
are filled in correctly.

3. Forget about the London end of things. Emigrate and make sure
everything's ok at the CH end of things.

You will need specialist help for option 2. Options 1 and 3 are
probably simpler.

Dupont666 said:

Can someone fill me in on what other costs on average I will be looking at?

CH is seriously, intergalatically, expensive. Except for tiddlers
like Lichtenstein and Luxembourg, it's one of the richest countries
in Europe. For reference, GDP per head UK it says here is $24K,
CH is $36K, some *50%* more.

Dupont666 said:

Insurances? I assume things like my NHS isnt free? Anyother insurance I should look at?

The UK is one of the few countries in the world that have
the state as the main health care provider.

You get sick elsewhere, you pay for it.
Get an insurance if you can't afford your doctor bills.

Dupont666 said:

If I have a car in London, is there a limit on how long I have owned it if I want to bring it across? Is that going to cost me? Can I bring it across and stay on a british licence for the time of my contract? Is insurance conducted differently in Geneva (is it on the car or the driver)?, Road tax?

All this can be sorted.

Ultimately, how badly do you want to be away from your family
and friends for a year or two in an expensive country where it
snows and gets *really* cold for many months of the year ?

Also, what's your French and German like - an A level in each
would be handy.