10 ms·

Liberalizing their immigration laws that prevent availability of talent for startups (and everyone else) is a better solution to this problem than just throwing

Liberalizing their immigration laws that prevent availability of talent for startups (and everyone else) is a better solution to this problem than just throwing together a giant pile of dumb money. But that's going to require some pretty existential changes to Switzerland that I sincerely doubt they're actually interested in making.

raverbashing 9y ago
They can have anyone from the EU and getting a visa is not hard (with sponsorship)
- kyledrake 9y ago
  Switzerland has 8 million people that can work without nasty visas and their related problems. California has 321 million.
  - raverbashing 9y ago
    Read that again: "They can have anyone from the EU" (with no need for visas) That's 510 Million people - take 65Mi out when the UK leaves but that's still a bigger number (Google gives a total European population if you google that, but that's a wrong number)
    - kyledrake 9y ago
      Swiss voters are trying to tear that up: http://www.expatica.com/ch/visas-and-permits/Guide-for-EU-EFTA-citizens-and-family-moving-to-Switzerland_443220.html#Freedom http://www.expatica.com/ch/visas-and-permits/Guide-for-EU-EF... Also WTF is a "residence permit". It sounds like a visa to me, and has similar requirements.
      - Klockan 9y ago
        The typical procedure for getting a permit to Switzerland is to first move there and when you live there you go get it automatically at your nearest office, you will never get rejected as long as you have a job.
aezell 9y ago
I immigrated to Switzerland from the US back around 2000 for a technology job. It was actually fairly easy to get a temp worker's visa which was valid for 3 months. Once I was there, my employer went with me to the "Bureau d'Etrangers" to get my actual work visa which was valid for one year. It would be renewable each year as I proved I was still employed. It's possible it's much more difficult now 17 years later with lots of political and social change around the world. But, I think the Swiss love for people to think it's a lot harder than it is. It requires diligence and some paperwork on a regular basis but if you are skilled technology worker, they tend to let you right in...in my experience.

raverbashing 9y ago

They can have anyone from the EU and getting a visa is not hard (with sponsorship)

kyledrake 9y ago
Switzerland has 8 million people that can work without nasty visas and their related problems. California has 321 million.
- raverbashing 9y ago
  Read that again: "They can have anyone from the EU" (with no need for visas) That's 510 Million people - take 65Mi out when the UK leaves but that's still a bigger number (Google gives a total European population if you google that, but that's a wrong number)
  - kyledrake 9y ago
    Swiss voters are trying to tear that up: http://www.expatica.com/ch/visas-and-permits/Guide-for-EU-EFTA-citizens-and-family-moving-to-Switzerland_443220.html#Freedom http://www.expatica.com/ch/visas-and-permits/Guide-for-EU-EF... Also WTF is a "residence permit". It sounds like a visa to me, and has similar requirements.
    - Klockan 9y ago
      The typical procedure for getting a permit to Switzerland is to first move there and when you live there you go get it automatically at your nearest office, you will never get rejected as long as you have a job.

aezell 9y ago

I immigrated to Switzerland from the US back around 2000 for a technology job. It was actually fairly easy to get a temp worker's visa which was valid for 3 months. Once I was there, my employer went with me to the "Bureau d'Etrangers" to get my actual work visa which was valid for one year. It would be renewable each year as I proved I was still employed. It's possible it's much more difficult now 17 years later with lots of political and social change around the world. But, I think the Swiss love for people to think it's a lot harder than it is. It requires diligence and some paperwork on a regular basis but if you are skilled technology worker, they tend to let you right in...in my experience.