Living and Working in Switzerland

1. FINDING A JOB Switzerland & the European Union Seasonal jobs Permanent positions Job applications Written applications Working illegally Salaries Contract jobs Self-employment Trainees Au pairs Languages 2. EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS Employment contracts Salary & benefits Working hours Holidays & leave Insurance Retirement & pensions Other conditions 3. PERMITS & VISAS Visas Work permits Residence permits Dependants Part-time workers Students Non-employed foreign residents Permit renewal & cancellation Leave of absence Changing jobs 4. ARRIVAL Schengen agreement Border control Customs Motorway tax Registration Church tax Embassy registration Finding help Checklists 5. ACCOMMODATION Location Rented accommodation Buying property Extra costs Garage or parking space House rules Keys Removals Utilities Waste disposal Home help 6. POSTAL SERVICES Business hours Letter post Parcel post Mail collection Change of address Paying bills 7. TELECOMMUNICATIONS Installation & registration Using the telephone Charges International calls Directories Mobile phones Public telephones Moving or leaving Switzerland Emergency numbers Service numbers The internet 8. TELEVISION & RADIO Television Radio 9. EDUCATION State or private school? State schools Private schools Holiday camps Apprenticeships Higher education Further education Language schools Day & evening classes 10. PUBLIC TRANSPORT Trains Buses & trams Ferries Cable cars & mountain railways Airline services Timetables Taxis 11. MOTORING Car importation Buying a car Serviceability test Exhaust test Car registration Selling a car Driving licence Car insurance Road tax General road rules Swiss drivers Winter driving Motorcycles Car documents Accidents Drinking, drugs & driving Car theft Petrol Garages Speed limits Road maps Car hire Motoring organisations Parking Pedestrian road rules Motoring abroad 12. HEALTH Emergencies Accidents Doctors Medicines Hospitals & clinics Childbirth Dentists Opticians Home care services Spas Counselling & social services AIDS & HIV Births & deaths 13. INSURANCE Insurance companies Insurance contracts Social security system Accident insurance Salary insurance Unemployment insurance Health insurance Household insurance Private liability insurance Dental insurance Life & annuity insurance Personal effects insurance Holiday & travel insurance 14. FINANCE Cost of living Swiss currency Importing & exporting money Banks Loans & overdrafts Credit cards Income tax Federal withholding tax Wealth tax Capital gains tax Inheritance & gift tax Wills Value added tax 15. LEISURE Tourist offices Hotels Self-catering accommodation Caravanning & camping Youth hostels Museums & art galleries Cinemas Theatre, opera & ballet Concerts Social clubs Discotheques & night-clubs Casinos Bars & cafes Restaurants Libraries 16. SPORTS Aerial sports Cycling Fishing Golf Hiking Mountaineering & caving Racket sports Running Skiing & snowboarding Ski variations & other winter sports Swimming Watersports Other sports 17. SHOPPING Shopping hours Shopping centres & markets Supermarkets Department & chain stores Newspapers, magazines & books Furniture & furnishings Household goods & appliances Laundry & dry cleaning Second-hand bargains Factory outlets Home shopping Internet shopping Shopping abroad Emergency rations Receipts Consumer associations 18. ODDS & ENDS Alarms Business hours Children Citizenship Climate Crime Economy & trade Geography Government Legal advice Military service Pets Police Population Referendums Religion Smoking Social customs Time difference Tipping Toilets 19. THE SWISS 20. MOVING HOUSE OR LEAVING SWITZERLAND Moving house within Switzerland Leaving Switzerland APPENDICES Appendix A: Useful addresses Appendix B: Further reading Appendix C: Useful websites Appendix D: Weights & measures Appendix E: Maps INDEX