Do Swiss people welcome foreign employees i.e. English teachers?

Question

I understand it is quite difficult to get a working visa to work in Switzerland, why is it so strict? and is there a lot of employment available in the (education) sector ?

Answer 1

I agree with AlpineAlli. You would stand more chance teaching in the private sector - private schools usually look for native English speakers. Contact some schools directly - they'll advise you on the working visa if they're interested.

Answer 2

I think you're asking two different things here:

Why is it difficult to get a working visa? Because Switzerland is traditionally isolationist; they don't want to be overrun with foreigners. Now, it is very easy for EU citizens to get a working visa (because of bilateral agreements), which basically makes it harder for others (because it's now less likely for the employer to not be able to find a better person locally).

Most of the English teachers I know work part-time, although sometimes by choice. The hourly rate is quite nice.

Do the Swiss people themselves welcome foreigners? Sometimes. Some people think diversity is good, others (like my downstairs neighbour) can be very xenophobic. Most business people recognize the utility of English in the world, although many would prefer to study it abroad (which is cheaper as well, in a lot of cases).