Doing Business in Switzerland: Key Benefits and Step-by-Step Guide

What are the benefits of registering a company in Switzerland?

The opinion is that doing business in Switzerland pwc is unrealistic, but this is untrue. The requirements for foreign founders are high, but with the right approach, they can be met. Legal support is generally mandatory for those wishing to have a business abroad, and if you choose this country, you will not be able to get through even the first stage without the help of lawyers.

What is the cost of doing business in Switzerland? The effort and money spent on registering a company in Switzerland will pay off because this country is optimally suited for conducting commercial activities:

• There are no problems with recruiting due to the large number of qualified laborers.
• You don’t have to make too many tax deductions. When paying taxes in this country, you don’t have to pay them again in your home state – a special agreement between the country and Switzerland provides this opportunity.
• You can count on access to SEPA, which facilitates financial transactions in the Eurozone and reduces transaction cost.
• There is no problem of corruption as such. Relations with fiscal service and regulatory government agencies are transparent and regulated by local legislation, which helps conduct honest business.
• Increasing the company’s status and creating the foundation for expanding its activities and client base is possible.

Stages of registering a company in Switzerland

To become a founder of an AG or GmbH, you must:

Features of doing Swiss business

The specificity of Swiss business mainly lies in the fact that each canton has its legislative framework that regulates business and tax withholding. Each canton, in accordance with its own laws, sets tax rates, determines tax benefits, and, if necessary, can provide tax holidays. All these features will depend on the company’s field of activity, the number of jobs, and other factors.

A foreigner who wants to purchase real estate in Switzerland for personal use must obtain a special permit. However, there are no such restrictions when buying commercial real estate.

Companies operating in Switzerland must maintain accounting departments and store all reports and data in an official office located in the country. A prerequisite is the timely submission of financial reports. In addition, all companies operating in Switzerland undergo an annual audit and report according to their results.

Switzerland is not an offshore state. However, non-resident enterprises that have passed the state registration procedure on the state’s territory but do not conduct business within its limits will be subject to taxes at reduced rates.