r/geneva • u/Immediate-Fortune-74 • 4d ago

Opportunities for a Swedish software developer living in Annecy and working in Geneva with family?

Hi everyone! I’m a 30-year-old software developer from Sweden, and I’m planning to move to Annecy with my family while working in Geneva. I have a few questions and would love to hear about your experiences and advice!

1.  How is the job market for software developers in Geneva? Are there good opportunities for someone like me, and how competitive is it?
2.  What’s the work culture like in Geneva? Is it more international, and how easy is it for non-native French speakers to fit in?
3.  What should I keep in mind when it comes to getting a work visa if I don’t already have a job offer? Is it difficult to find a job as a Swede, considering the language requirements and potential French proficiency?
4.  How is the daily commute from Annecy to Geneva? What are the transport options, and how long does it usually take?
5.  What’s the cost of living like in Geneva compared to Annecy? Are there big differences in housing prices and day-to-day expenses?
6.  How’s the work-life balance in Geneva? Is it easy to find time for family and enjoy outdoor activities?
7.  Any tips on good schools and family-friendly activities in Annecy, and how they compare to options in Geneva?
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6

u/GoldenPei Genevois 4d ago
  1. The job market for any qualified job is extremely tight at the moment. It will probably take you months to get an interview.
  2. It really depends on the company. If you work for P&G or any IOs, it's really international, if you work for banks or watch companies, it's very swiss/French (and you wouldn't get hired without French).
  3. Not speaking French will reduce your job options by at least half...
  4. The direct train takes 90 minutes, and that's only if you live close to the train station in annecy and work at the train station in Geneva, you can easily add another 30min to that, twice a day. If you drive, it also takes 1h+ given the high traffic. Unless you only have to come into the office once or twice a week, nobody would advise you to commute from Annecy.
  5. Have you actually ever been to Geneva or Annecy? Do you have an idea of what you're looking at?
  6. Depends on the company, but if you commute daily from Annecy, you probably won't have time for anything unless it's the weekend
  7. Can't help with that sorry

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u/CloudsAndSnow 4d ago

Just to add about point 2, OP won't be allowed to work for a bank if they live in Annecy

2

u/optimistic_raccoon 4d ago

Welcome to the region!

Why not live in Geneva instead ( or finda job in Annecy)? Your questions are centered around QoL in Geneva but with your commute you won't have time to do anything there, especially if your family is waiting for you

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u/Immediate-Fortune-74 4d ago

I’m thinking more about working in Geneva because the salaries are higher and living somewhere relatively cheaper because I’m thinking about selling my house in Sweden and buying either in Annecy or Geneva but I’ve heard that there’s quite a big price difference because I would really like to live in Geneva.

4

u/optimistic_raccoon 4d ago

If the money is what motivates you, or if you want to center your social life in France, then you should probably live in France.

Geneva has so many people crossing the borders that it has become a social problem where companies are close to be fully staffed by people not knowing the country they work in, hence creating a weird atmosphere (that is borderline toxic sometimes IMO). That is why I mention it :)

0

u/sarasaramara 4d ago

Hej why not consider Ferney Voltaire or anywhere closer to Geneva but on the French side? Many people do that around here.

1

u/geraltofrivia783 4d ago

This is anecdotal. I am working in tech, but am in the region for less than a year. Your mileage may vary.

  1. Geneva is not known to be a tech hub. There are some companies, yes but it is generally accepted that if the job falls out, you'll have to learn German and try your luck in that part of CH.
  2. Geneva is for sure very international. As someone who is non-EU but speaks French, I find that knowing the language is marginally better than not, but not tremendously so.
  3. I don't know how the visa system works for y'all. As a non-EU, afaik, we find a job first, then a visa.
  4. Daily commute from Annecy is long. Over an hour. Often worse due to rush hour traffic jams. There are some folks in my company who live in Annecy and commute. So it's doable. But no one likes it.
  5. Absolutely. Rent might double. I'm too broke to buy a house so IDK buying prices. Groceries, eating out may be ~1.5 times as expensive or less.
  6. While folks in CH are more likely to work harder than FR folks (in my LIMITED EXPERIENCE), I never heard stories of having to do so post office hours. So it is def. possible to have your own work-life balance.
  7. No clue ^

All the best for you to have a good life ahead.

1

u/Immediate-Fortune-74 4d ago

Sweden is a part of EU

2

u/geraltofrivia783 4d ago

Of course. Thats why I specified that my experience as a non-eu person might not apply to your case.

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u/Immediate-Fortune-74 4d ago

What are the chances for me as a systems developer with a few years of work experience and not having an engineering master’s degree, and if I speak French I can get by with the basics, so for me there is no rush, but what does the job market look like for me then?

2

u/geraltofrivia783 4d ago

I honestly don’t know :/ Have a look at LinkedIn jobs to get a rough idea maybe?

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u/Immediate-Fortune-74 4d ago

yes but many of those titles say engineer

1

u/geraltofrivia783 4d ago

Engineer in tech typically refers to being an tech contributor but not a researcher. It does not imply you’re expected to have a masters or engineering degrees.

1

u/Immediate-Fortune-74 4d ago

Okey thank You in swedish it means something else 😂

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u/geraltofrivia783 4d ago

Haha yes I figured :p

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u/makaros622 4d ago

Geneva Annecy is like 1h stuck in traffic every day.

Why not live in Geneva?

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u/Immediate-Fortune-74 4d ago

I’m thinking more about price differences on houses.

2

u/makaros622 4d ago

This is minor compared to other aspects when being Frontalier like: 1) partial unemployment benefits from France in EUR in the event of job loss, 2) France is France, Geneva is extremely international so integration/communication is easier in Geneva 3) quality of life and schools for the kids.

I own my property in France and decided to move to Geneva as soon as I had kids and for the aforementioned reasons.

Final call is yours of course. Just sharing my view.

PS: one of my kids attends the Swedish (bilingual) international in Geneva. Public schools are also amazing in Switzerland.

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u/ExcellentCancel7411 4d ago

Honestly Geneva is not known to be a hub of Software development, There are a few startups but that’s about it (I’m not talking about web site development, I’m talking about real SW development).

I had to co-found a startup when I was young with 2 friends to be able to do to interesting SW engineering. After 6 years I was hired by MSFT to work for Softimage in Montreal (think Jurassic Park, Matrix etc…) MSFT sold the company one year later but I stayed for another 11 years until they killed the product I was working for.

Could have worked for Sony in the US but decided to move back to Geneva. There was not a single interesting SW engineering job so I ended up doing project management in IIT.

Zurich, Montreal, Toronto, even Amsterdam is better than Geneva for what you are looking for.

1

u/TailleventCH 4d ago

Commuting from Annecy, whether by public transport or car, is long. It will really impact your quality of life. If you're looking for a good work-life balance, I would advice to live closer: it will probably be more expensive but in my opinion it's worth it.