Target profile
Swiss companies (multinationals, holdings, banks) actively recruit international senior executives for:
- Subsidiary or division direction
- Country manager of a foreign group
- VP / SVP corporate functions
- Technical expert (pharma, finance, tech) at very high value
- Board of directors in some cases
Package negotiation
At this level, the package is discussed in depth:
- Base salary: CHF 200-500K by role
- Annual bonus: 30-100% of fixed, sometimes cap removed
- LTI: shares, RSU, phantom shares (3-5 year vesting)
- Signing bonus: CHF 50-200K compensation for previous loss
- Relocation package: CHF 30,000-150,000 (moving, 6-month temporary housing, travel)
- Settlement allowance: CHF 10,000-30,000 lump sum
- High-end company car: possible
- Company housing: rare but negotiable for C-level
- Tax mandate: a fiduciary covered the 1st year
- Language courses: for spouse and children
- International schools: partial or full reimbursement (CHF 50,000-100,000/year/child)
Expatriate tax status
Withholding tax the 1st year if B permit, then ordinary.
Optimisations:
- Detached executive status (if subsidiary of foreign group) — actual expenses deductible
- Lump-sum tax: for profiles without lucrative activity in Switzerland, so rarely for active executives
- Massive BVG buy-backs: tax-deductible
- Pillar 3a maxed
The move
Recommended timing:
- 6 months before: scouting visit, kids' school, canton choice
- 3 months before: contract signature, previous resignation
- 2 months before: temporary housing purchase/rental
- 1 month before: family visa, international mover
- Arrival: commune registration, bank, insurance, school
Family and integration
- Spouse: B permit family reunification, immediate right to work (EU) or after authorisation (third country)
- Children: cantonal public schools (free) or international (expensive)
- Cars: import possible, licence conversion within the year
- Network: expat associations (Internations, Glocals), international clubs
A well-prepared senior executive expatriation is a 12-18 month project between offer acceptance and stable installation.
