how I can go about getting a work permit?

Hi Kayla,

Welcome to Expat.com!

I created a new topic as from your post on the Geneva forum.

The following articles may help you to find some useful info:

Visas in Switzerland
Work in Geneva

I also invite you to post an ad in the language exchange in Geneva section.

Sorry to break it to you, but honesty is the best policy, I was in your shoes not too long ago. and long story short we had to break up ....and it was mutual because she wanted to stay there and I couldn't.
So from my experience here we go :
best option is marriage, but maybe that's not realistic for now, like it was for us. at least with marriage you can buy time and look for a job.
School is another way, you can apply for schools and they accept international students but again that's tough also and it will cost you.
U.N, United Nations and other American or International Governments.
FIFA, Olympics, other intenational bodies like that.
and don't be stuck in Geneva, look every where all over Switzerland remember small country worse case scenario you only see each other on the weekends because you live 6 hours away or something. but better than 10+ hours away on Plane.
Good Luck I hope you have more success in your relationship than I did... I miss my Princess and I wish I could of landed a job or something very difficult.

J.

one more thing ... before I delete my account here ,,, lol...

indeed.ch

best website for jobs in my opinion ..

AGAIN ALL THE BEST!!!!! Hope you succeed and live happily ever after!

J

A work permit for USA and other third-world citizens like me (NZ) is difficult - you need qualifications and experience enough to persuade a company and the canton that they need you and cant find anyone else in Switzerland or Europe. Much like the USA rules. You can be a tourist, and pick up odd jobs by local advertising or word of mouth. Easiest way to get to stay here is to marry a Swiss, but this is an extreme solution :-)

Hi Kayla,
I met my Swiss boyfriend traveling in South America, and moved here a year ago
For the language, I highly recommend Migrosklubschule (generally cheaper, and you'll meet other people in similar situations as you), and supplement this with Tandem, which is a free matching platform between people wanting to learn languages http://www.unige.ch/lettres/angle/en/vie/tandem/

In terms of the permit option, I was lucky as I have a European passport, though it was still a bit of a hassle. However, a Brazilian woman in my class was here on a two-year B permit under the sponsorship of her boyfriend (they are unmarried). I think this depends on the canton and possibly even the person at the migration office, but it's probably worth a try in your case. In German I think it's called a Verpflichtungsdokument, and he also needs to show that he has at least 30,000 CHF in his bank account, and sign a document that says he will pay for all of your expenses and your flight home if you break up. You are allowed to work up to 12 hours a week under this permit. There is also a permit issued for the 'intent to marry', though I think it's a pretty short window (e.g. 6 months) so if you don't get married by the end you have to get a different permit.

Don't try to overstay the three months visitor permit - a Canadian friend of mine was deported when she misunderstood the requirements and had been traveling to other Schengen countries to 'reset' her Swiss visa (they informed her she couldn't come back when they checked her passport when she was leaving CH for a weekend trip)! It can be up to 90 days in the Schengen area over a period of 180 days, so I think that means the Schengen visa resets every six months, not sure. I don't know if Switzerland has a limit on the total number of days you can spend as a visitor during a year.

Good luck!

For learning languages I really like Rosetta stone, although it's so pricey. And for a free alternative there's livemocha.com hope that helps